Source: The Houston Chronicle

On September 22, 2000, The Houston Chronicle reported that "four out of 10 Texans can't correctly name a single right guaranteed by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, a new statewide survey shows. When asked if they could name any of the specific rights guaranteed by the First Amendment, 6 percent of Texans surveyed answered incorrectly while 35 percent had no answer. 'The greatest ally of oppression is ignorance,' said Rob Wiley, a Houston lawyer who is president of the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas. He...

Source: Chicago Sun-Times

On September 22, 2000, the Chicago Sun-Times reported that "members of an 85-member interfaith group will gather at First United Methodist Church, 1630 Hinman, Evanston, for 'Death Sentence 2000,' a forum on the fairness of human executions. 'This is the largest interfaith (group that) has been gathered to address the whole death penalty issue. And it is unique in the response from all the faith communities,' said organizer Joe Monahan, a parishioner at St. Nicholas Roman Catholic church in Evanston...'We're hoping to ask people...

Source: The Tampa Tribune

On September 21, 2000, The Tampa Tribune published an article entitled, "Slumber Party Won't End Without Antihate Slogan." It reports on a slumber party held for Tampa area youths sponsored by the local chapter of the National Conference for Community and Justice last year. Margarita Sarmiento, who works for the NCCJ, remembers that when she "looked around the room, she saw youths of different races, faiths, backgrounds and abilities: Christians and Buddhists, black and white, honor students, soccer stars, dropouts and those who...

Source: The Christian Science Monitor

On September 21, 2000, The Christian Science Monitor reported on the bill passed by the House and signed by President Clinton which protects religious institutions in zoning issues. The "bill doesn't exempt churches from zoning regulations, but when religious groups show that the rules would create "a substantial burden," officials must show a compelling reason for doing so, and must do it in the least restrictive way. They must also treat religious applicants at least as well as they do secular ones. 'In the wake of...

Source: The Atlanta Journal and Constitution

On September 21, 2000 The Atlanta Journal and Constitution reported that "more than 300 pagans gathered Wednesday to dispel myths about their ancient religion, which they say has been unfairly demonized by Christians pushing for prayer in public schools. 'Our point is, you can have no religions in the public schools or you can have all religions in the public schools, but you are not going to have just the Christian religion in the public schools,' said rally organizer Ginger Strivelli. She is a co-founding...

Source: The Kansas City Star

On September 17, 2000, The Kansas City Star reported that "Kansas City in many ways and on many levels is much more diverse than is often recognized. Starting this week, The Kansas City Star will better reflect this diversity by adding a feature to the editorial page. Each Saturday the paper "will publish a sacred text or saying from non-Christian religions alongside the daily Bible verse [which has been a standard feature of their editorial page]. The texts will be selected or approved by Gary Ebersole, director of the Center...

Source: The Washington Post

On September 14, 2000, The Washington Post published the article "House Backs Hate-Crime Measure in Bipartisan Vote."

Source: St. Petersburg Times

On September 14, 2000, the St. Petersburg Times published an article entitled "Hate Crime Legislation Cruises Through House."

Source: The Christian Science Monitor

On September 14, 2000, The Christian Science Monitor reported that enrollment in faith-based colleges is on the rise in the United States. It reported that between the years "1990 and 1998, the student population at the 100 member schools of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU) jumped 35 percent. It rose 12 percent over the same period for all institutions with religious affiliations. That compares with a 5 percent increase at private colleges and 4 percent at public universities." Robert Andringa...

Source: The Columbus Dispatch

On September 10, 2000, The Columbus Dispatch reported on the role of relgion in the 2000 Election. "A new Buckeye State Poll [showed that] almost three out of five respondents say a candidate's religious beliefs are at least somewhat important in deciding which person will get their vote...90 percent say a candidate's ability to improve the country's moral climate is important, a factor many link closely with religious beliefs." Individual respondents had various responses; some supported religion as an important part of...

Source: The Virginian-Pilot and The Ledger-Star

On September 10, 2000, The Virginian-Pilot reported on "India Fest," an event held last weekend at Old Dominion University's Webb Center. "Papaiah Murthy, an anesthesiologist who founded the Asian Indians of Hampton Roads, which has organized the festival since 1996, said the organization's main focus is cultural awareness...'Our objective is to get the Indian community and the local community as a whole to attend this event,' he said...Some of the cultural activities included demonstrations of the Bharat...

Source: St. Louis Post-Dispatch

On September 10, 2000, The St. Louis Post-Dispatch published the article, "Jews and Blacks Relish Togetherness in Parade at Opening of City Temple; Emotional Rabbi, Leader of NAACP Say the Two Groups Must Stay United." It reported that in a "show of unity, hundreds of Jews and dozens of blacks on Saturday paraded behind Torah scrolls down Kingshighway to Sukkat Shalom, or Shelter of Peace -- the first synagogue to move into St. Louis in more than 70 years...'It's an analogy of the wandering Jew coming home,' said temple...

Source: The Atlanta Journal and Constitution

On September 10, 2000, The Atlanta Journal and Constitution published an article entitled, "Prayer Advocate Plots Plan; Public Proclamation: Stadium-Visiting Minister Says Fight is to Recognize Religious Freedom." It reports that the Rev. Curtis Turner "appeared at a high school football game in Jonesboro on Friday, urging the crowd to stay standing after the national anthem and recite the Lord's Prayer."

"We're not fighting to get prayer at games," Turner said. "It's to get the message out that for...

Source: The Atlanta Journal and Constitution

On September 9, 2000, The Atlanta Journal and Constitution reported that many people observe the Sabbath, whether their faith celebrates on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday. Brenda Wood, a Seventh-Day Adventist and an anchorwoman at an Atlanta news station, commented that "It's a wonderful thing to be able to put everything down and just rest --- to put away the things of your secular world, all your worries and responsibilities outside of the home, and really have time to reflect, spend time with your family and...

Source: The Times-Picayune

On September 9, 2000 The Times-Picayune reported that "several Protestant and ecumenical leaders around Louisiana said Friday they aren't very disturbed by this week's Vatican declaration that only the Roman Catholic church contains the fullness of Jesus Christ's teaching and work of salvation. 'My first reaction is that this is barely a ripple in the ecumenical stream,' said the Rev. C. Dana Krutz, an Episcopal priest who heads the Louisiana Interchurch Conference, a statewide ecumenical council of more than a dozen Christian...