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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Thanks, Sunil, for following up on this. I knew the anti-ACLU claims made in the viral email were <b>false</b> and intended to respond . . . but then I forgot. I’m grateful you didn’t because the ACLU’s work protecting religious freedom is something near and dear to my heart.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>I completely support the ACLU’s work regarding religious freedom. In a previous lifetime (circa 1998), as a State employee, our regional program manager required mandatory participation in Christian prayers (of the “in Jesus Christ’s name, amen” variety) during staff meetings. As a Christian, I found the practice outrageous and a violation of my First Amendment rights as well as my rights under the Idaho Constitution, but what really got me hot under the collar was the fact that I had a couple of Jewish co-workers as well as some who were agnostics and atheists.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Unlike my co-worker pals who were afraid of losing their jobs if they complained, and not being afraid to speak truth to power <g>, I tried talking with my department manager, and with the manager’s manager, to no avail (“there’s no harm in it – non-Christians can just be quiet and bow their heads anyway”). When reason failed, I contacted the Idaho chapter of the ACLU.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Fortunately, the head of Idaho’s Department of Health & Welfare had a better grasp of constitutional protections than did either of the managers I spoke with, remedial education was provided to H&W managers around the state (or maybe just in this region – I don’t recall – but I think it was state-wide because there had been another incident in H&W almost a year before that was then before the IPC), and the practice ended, at least in my program.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Had it not been for the ACLU’s staunch advocacy of religious freedom, there’s not a doubt in my mind that unconstitutional practice would have continued & likely have spread until someone decided to sue to get the practice stopped, which would have cost the State of Idaho a <b>lot</b> of money for trampling on both the State & US Constitutions.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>So, thanks Sunil, for getting the correct info out here </span><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Wingdings;color:#1F497D'>J</span><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Saundra<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Moscow, ID<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>~ Aesop (The Lion and the Mouse)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> vision2020-bounces@moscow.com [mailto:vision2020-bounces@moscow.com] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Sunil Ramalingam<br><b>Sent:</b> Thursday, October 31, 2013 6:37 AM<br><b>To:</b> vision 2020<br><b>Subject:</b> [Vision2020] False ACLU claim/forwarded photos<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>Tom,<br><br>Yesterday you forwarded a collection of touching pictures. I've tried to respond to that message, but can't do so, so I'm responding this way.<br><br>The claim at the end is false.<br><br><a href="http://jacksonville.com/news/2013-04-05/story/fact-check-aclu-fighting-prayer-military" target="_blank">http://jacksonville.com/news/2013-04-05/story/fact-check-aclu-fighting-prayer-military</a><br><br>It appears the ACLU does oppose mandatory prayer:<br><br><a href="https://www.aclu.org/religion-belief/aclu-calls-end-mandatory-prayer-us-naval-academy">https://www.aclu.org/religion-belief/aclu-calls-end-mandatory-prayer-us-naval-academy</a><br><br>Sunil<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div></body></html>