Liberty Institute Responds to U.S. Supreme Court Obamacare Ruling

IN THE PUBLIC ARENA

In response to today’s U.S. Supreme Court decision to uphold Obamacare, Liberty Institute has made the following statement:

“No government should have the power to rule over a person’s conscience. This decision was wrong,” said Liberty Institute President and CEO Kelly Shackelford. “We will continue to fight the attacks on religious freedom such as the HHS mandate created by this massive and unprecedented intrusion into the personal health decisions of U.S. citizens.”

Liberty Institute’s Kelly Shackelford Alerts Texas Churches to Attacks on Religious Freedom

IN THE CHURCH

In the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision on Obamacare and other high-profile religious freedom cases – the famous “candy cane” case and the Mt. Soledad Veterans Memorial Cross case – Liberty Institute President/CEO Kelly Shackelford will discuss the increasing attacks on religious liberties during scheduled talks at Texas churches in July.

Kelly will be the guest of Pastor Robert Jeffress at First Baptist Church in Dallas on Sun., July 1, speaking at the 9:15 and 10:50 a.m. services. Then, he will travel to Mims Baptist Church in Conroe, as a guest of Pastor Gene Kendrick speaking at the 11 a.m. service on July 15. All services are open to the public.

About Liberty Institute
Liberty Institute is a nonprofit legal group dedicated to defending and restoring religious liberty across America — in our schools, for our churches and throughout the public arena. Liberty’s vision is to reestablish religious liberty in accordance with the principles of our nation’s Founders. For information, visit www.LibertyInstitute.org.

North Carolina Police Chaplains Forced to Leave Jesus out of Prayers

IN THE PUBLIC ARENA

Volunteer chaplains for North Carolina’s Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department have been told they have to leave the name of Jesus out of prayers during the department’s official ceremonies. The Charlotte Observer reported that the new policy was announced by Major John Diggs, the head of the department’s volunteer chaplain program. Diggs stated that the change was made was to ensure chaplains were sensitive to the variety of religions practiced by the police department’s more than 2,000 employees.

Noted Theologians Stand Against Florida Atheists in Support of Legislative Prayer

IN THE PUBLIC ARENA

Liberty Institute Files Brief at U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit on Behalf of Christian Theologians and Scholars, including Drs. Wayne Grudem, Darrell Bock, Mark Bailey, Peter Lillback, Stephen Evans, Wayne House, and J. Michael Thigpen.

PLANO, Texas, June 26, 2012 – Today, on behalf of several noted Christian theologians and scholars, Liberty Institute filed a friend-of-the-court brief in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit in opposition to an appeal seeking to overturn a favorable legislative prayer decision from a federal district court in Florida. In Atheists of Florida, Inc. v. City of Lakeland, Florida, a Florida federal judge in February upheld the invocation policy of the Lakeland City Commission, ruling that legislative prayer is constitutional.

Today: Kelly Shackelford to Speak With Janet Parshall

IN THE PUBLIC ARENA

Liberty Institute President/CEO Kelly Shackelford will be a guest on “In The Market With Janet Parshall”, Monday, June 25, 6-6:30 p.m. ET/5-5:30 p.m. CT. Parshall’s show exposes listeners to current issues and stories, and airs on more than 300 stations nationally. Kelly will be discussing today’s Supreme Court decision not to hear oral arguments at this time in the Mt. Soledad Veterans Memorial Cross, and its recent decision not to hear arguments in our “candy cane” case. Click here to listen.

U.S. Supreme Court Temporarily Denies Mt. Soledad Veterans Memorial Cross Case

IN THE PUBLIC ARENA

Liberty Institute Will Continue the Battle to Save Veterans Memorial; Justice Alito Says High Court May Reconsider

PLANO, Texas, June 25, 2012 – Today, the U.S. Supreme Court announced it will not review the Mt. Soledad Veterans Memorial Cross case – Mt. Soledad Memorial Association v. Steve Trunk, et al and United States of America, et al. v. Steve Trunk et al. – in which a 29-foot veterans’ memorial cross is in jeopardy.

NYC Schoolchildren Heckled by Adults as They Sing “God Bless the USA”

IN THE SCHOOL

Earlier this month, a Brooklyn, N.Y. principal pulled the song “God Bless the USA” from a kindergarten graduation program, over concern it would “offend other cultures”.

A group of parents upset by the principal’s decision organized a protest at a local park and invited Rep. Bob Turner, R-NY. The purpose of the event was to allow the children an opportunity to sing the song and demonstrate their opposition to its removal. Things took a turn when a group of irate adults began heckling and shouting over the children, with one adult even saying that those organizing the event would “burn in hell”.

Kelly Shackelford on Family Talk with Dr. James Dobson

IN THE PUBLIC ARENA

Earlier this week, Liberty Institute President/CEO Kelly Shackelford was a guest on Family Talk with Dr. James Dobson. Kelly’s interview was a two-part segment that originally aired on June 18 and 19. In the discussion, Kelly highlighted the latest in our fight to preserve veterans memorials that contain religious imagery, including the pending Supreme Court decision

Supreme Court Holds Decision on Mt. Soledad Another Week

IN THE PUBLIC ARENA

The U.S. Supreme Court has still not issued a decision on whether it will hear oral arguments in the Mt. Soledad Veterans Memorial Cross case. We are hopeful the decision will be announced either later this week or next week. The outcome of this case is crucial, as it will have national implications on every American who cherishes their religious freedom. Please continue to pray with us as we wait for this important decision, and ready our team to defend this sacred veterans memorial.

About Liberty Institute
Liberty Institute is a nonprofit legal group dedicated to defending and restoring religious liberty across America — in our schools, for our churches and throughout the public arena. Liberty’s vision is to reestablish religious liberty in accordance with the principles of our nation’s Founders. For information, visit www.LibertyInstitute.org.

Today: Kelly Shackelford on Family Talk with Dr. James Dobson

IN THE PUBLIC ARENA

Please tune-in to listen to Liberty Institute President/CEO Kelly Shackelford on Family Talk with Dr. James Dobson, a nationally syndicated radio broadcast. Kelly’s interview is a two-part segment airing Monday, June 18, and Tuesday, June 19. Please check your local listings for times in your area, or visit www.drjamesdobson.org for more information. Kelly will discuss the latest in our fight to preserve veterans memorials that contain religious imagery, including the pending Supreme Court decision that will determine the fate of the Mt. Soledad Veterans Memorial Cross in San Diego, and the land transfer settlement that will pave the way to restoring the Mojave Desert Veterans Memorial Cross in California.

About Liberty Institute
Liberty Institute is a nonprofit legal group dedicated to defending and restoring religious liberty across America — in our schools, for our churches and throughout the public arena. Liberty’s vision is to reestablish religious liberty in accordance with the principles of our nation’s Founders. For information, visit www.LibertyInstitute.org.

Liberty Institute’s Kelly Shackelford on Mike Huckabee Radio Show

IN THE PUBLIC ARENA

Liberty Institute President Kelly Shackelford was a guest on The Huckabee Report, a radio program hosted by former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee.

The show focused on how Liberty Institute is helping protect veterans memorials that contain religious imagery from being torn down by the ACLU and other atheist groups. Download the mp3 now to listen.

About Liberty Institute
Liberty Institute is a nonprofit legal group dedicated to defending and restoring religious liberty across America — in our schools, for our churches and throughout the public arena. Liberty’s vision is to reestablish religious liberty in accordance with the principles of our nation’s Founders. For information, visit www.LibertyInstitute.org.

U.S. Supreme Court Denies Review of High-Profile “Candy Cane” Case

IN THE SCHOOL

Liberty Institute Continues Fight for 50 Million Public School Students

PLANO, Texas, June 11, 2012 – Today, the U.S. Supreme Court announced it will not hear oral arguments in Morgan v. Swanson, better known as the “candy cane” case.

“We are disappointed The Supreme Court denied review of this case,” said Hiram Sasser, Director of Litigation of Liberty Institute. “We were hoping to finally put this issue to rest: that government school officials should be held accountable when they violate the law and students’ First Amendment rights. No student should be subjected to religious discrimination by the government.”

Liberty Institute Continues to Defend Rights of Veterans

IN THE PUBLIC ARENA

Testifies in Washington DC today in favor of H.R. 2720: A bill prohibiting the federal government from interfering with the content of funeral services for our nations veterans

Today Liberty Institute President Kelly Shackelford and clients from our Houston VA case joined U.S. Rep. John Culberson, R-Texas, in testifying before a subcommittee in the U.S. House of Representatives (Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs) in support of H.R. 2720, which prohibits the government from interfering in the content of funeral services for veterans.

“Don’t Tear Me Down” Makes Successful Debut

IN THE PUBLIC ARENA

With the Supreme Court justices scheduled to conference about the Mt. Soledad case in just one week, Liberty Institute is ensuring national discussion over the ACLU effort to ban religious imagery. On Memorial Day, Liberty Institute paid a special tribute to our nation’s veterans with the release of the “Don’t Tear Me Down” music video. We are pleased to announce the launch was a great success, with more than 5,000 views opening weekend! Leading media outlets from conservative Mike Huckabee to the left-leaning Washington Post covered the story, reinvigorating the national discussion on whether public displays with religious imagery violate the First Amendment.

Kelly Shackelford Recently Spoke at the 2012 National Religious Freedom Conference in Washington DC

IN THE PUBLIC ARENA

Kelly Shackelford recently spoke at the 2012 National Religious Freedom Conference in Washington DC.

The annual conference is organized by the Ethics and Public Policy Center, a premier DC think tank dedicated to applying the Judeo-Christian moral tradition to critical issues of public policy.