corrente

At an institution funded by your tax dollars? Not in American, you say?

Think again. Isvestia on the Hudson buries this one in the regional section:

Eighteen former and current employees from the social services arm of the Salvation Army sued the organization in federal court yesterday, accusing it of imposing a religious veil over secular, publicly financed activities like caring for foster children and counseling young people with AIDS.

The plaintiffs charged that the Army's New York division tried forcing them to sign forms revealing the churches they had attended over the past 10 years, name their ministers and agree to the Army's mission "to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ."

"I was harassed to the point where eventually I resigned," said Margaret Geissman, a former human resources manager who said her superior asked for the religions and sexual orientation of her staff. "As a Christian, I deeply resent the use of discriminatory employment practices in the name of Christianity."

The plaintiffs' lawyers argue that while churches are allowed to exclude nonbelievers in their own activities, the law forbids them to do so in publicly financed programs in which churches effectively become arms of the government.

"It's critical at this stage of the game to put a stop to proselytizing with government money," said Donna Lieberman, executive director of the New York Civil Liberties Union.

When will the SCLM stop giving a free ride to these zealots by calling them "Christians," as if they somehow spoke for all Christians?