(Health Care Civil Rights) – The member organizations of the Health Care Civil Rights Task Force are publishing this statement to protect the health, dignity, civil rights, and religious freedoms of patients and families during this COVID-19 public health crisis and beyond.
Our cherished human and civil rights must be protected to save lives and protect human dignity during this serious public health crisis.
The Natural and Civil Right to Religious Freedom Must Be Preserved
The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution provides that Congress shall make no law prohibiting the free exercise of religion.
The U.S. Department of Justice has affirmed that there is no public health exception to the First Amendment, and the vital obligation to balance public safety with the preservation of civil rights: “… the First Amendment and federal statutory law prohibit discrimination against religious institutions and religious believers.” CONTINUE