April was another incredibly busy month for theĀ American Freedom Law CenterĀ (AFLC). Ā Indeed, during this month, AFLC filed two new and important federal civil rights lawsuits defending religious freedom and the freedom of speech.As always, we are pleased to report to you each month AFLCās significant activities and accomplishments, all of which are made possible by your generous support.
- On April 3, AFLC filed a lengthy memorandum of law in opposition to a Buffalo-area school districtās motion to dismiss AFLCās federal civil rights lawsuit filed on behalf ofĀ Joelle Silver, a Christian public school teacher who was forced by school officials to censor her personal speech and remove all religious content from her classroom under threat of being fired. Ā Read more about this caseĀ here.
- On April 4, AFLC filed a āFriend of the Courtā brief in theĀ United States Supreme Court, urging the Court to review and reverse a Colorado Appellate Court decision which banned the public display ofĀ āgruesomeā abortion imagesĀ because they might offend children. Ā AFLCās brief was filed on behalf of theĀ Center for Bio-Ethical Reform, Inc. (CBR), a nonprofit, social reform organization that makes extensive use of graphic images of abortion to promote its pro-life policy initiatives. Ā Read more about AFLCās briefĀ here.
- On April 8, AFLC filed a notice of appeal in the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in response to the Trademark Trial & Appeal Boardās (TTAB) affirmance of the denial of theĀ āStop Islamisation of AmericaāĀ or āSIOAā trademark application, which was sought by anti-sharia advocatesĀ Pamela GellerĀ andĀ Robert Spencer. Ā The trademark application was denied because officials deemed it disparaging to Muslims by linking them to terrorism. Ā Read more about this caseĀ here.
- On April 17, AFLC filed a Freedom of Information Act (āFOIAā) request with theĀ U.S. Department of Homeland Security, seeking all information tying the radically-Left Southern Poverty Law Center ā which negatively profiles AFLC and Co-Founder and Senior Counsel David Yerushalmi and other conservatives on its website ā to DHSās efforts to targetĀ ārightwing extremists.āĀ Ā Read more about this caseĀ here.
- On April 19, Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin signed into law theĀ American Laws for American Courts (ALAC)Ā legislation, which prohibits the application of foreign law ā including, but not limited to sharia ā when it would violate fundamental constitutional rights such as due process and equal protection. Ā The Oklahoma law, like those signed into law in Kansas, Arizona, Tennessee, and Louisiana, and which is pending in dozens of other states, was modeled after legislation drafted by AFLC Co-Founder and Senior Counsel David Yerushalmi. Ā Read more about this public policy victoryĀ here.
- On April 23, AFLC filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against theĀ City of Ann Arbor, Michigan, and its Chief of Police for prohibiting aĀ pro-life advocateĀ from displaying a āFree Ultrasoundā sign in his vehicle, which he legally parks on the public street outside of a Planned Parenthood abortion facility in Ann Arbor. Ā AFLC is arguing that the Cityās restriction on pro-life speech is unconstitutional. Read more about this caseĀ here.
- On April 30, AFLC filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, challenging the constitutionality of the Obama administrationāsĀ HHS ācontraceptionā mandate. Ā The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Johnson Welded Products, Inc. (āJWPā), a family owned and operated company in Ohio, and its President and principal owner, Ms. Lilli Johnson, a Catholic, who opposes the HHS mandate based on her sincerely-held religious beliefs. Read more about this caseĀ here.
- And the list goes on . . . .
Thank you again for all of your support, past and future. Ā May God bless you, and May God continue to bless America.