I've often said I will never support the Salvation Army. This usually gets me looks of disgust from anyone within earshot, even from those who are also non-religious. The reaction is usually something along the lines of, "The Salvation Army has nothing to do with religion, it’s just a name! It's there to help the poor!"

My response is that I will support charities that help the poor but don't force religion on them. Or sometimes I'll say, "What does god have to do with helping the poor? Can't we help the poor without needed to bring religion into it?"

I've always felt a little bad about my stance that I won't help charities that have a religious foundation. I've wondered if what everyone tells me is true, that they are just religious people doing good deeds. Well in that case of the Salvation Army, I know that my stance was justified.

Enter the AlterNet article:

As part of President Bush's "faith-based initiative," US taxpayers gave the Salvation Army's children services division $47 million this year -- 95% of its total budget. Several Salvation Army employees refused to take the Salvation Army's pledge "proclaiming Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord," reveal which church they belong to or identify gay co-workers -- and were summarily fired.

Read the rest of it here.

Not only does this point out the truth that Bush's "faith-based initiative" is exactly what it first seemed, a blatant violation of church-state separation by having tax payer funded religious discrimination, but also that my fear of religious charities was justified, especially regarding the Salvation Army.

The author of this article makes a good point. Over 95% of Salvation Army's children services division monies come from tax payers’ dollars. How then is it nothing more then a government organization under the guise of being an independent charity?

This is a collage essay I did for Composition 151 back in college (yes I do mean collage and not college) . The idea of this essay was to focus on the juxtaposition of segmented portions of text to tell a story. I used quotes to expose the idiosyncrasies and the propaganda of the Religious Right and the Christian Coalition.

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

-Amendment I
The Constitution of the United States of America

"Our nation's foundation was laid upon the bedrock of Biblical truths, truths clearly evident throughout our founding documents."

-Christian Coalition

The government of the United States is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion.

-1797 Treaty with Tripoli
Signed by President Adams

"I founded the Christian Coalition as a pro-family citizen action organization to impact public policy on a local, state, and national level, to teach Christians effective citizenship, and to promote Christian values in government."

-Pat Robertson
Christian Coalition President

So you'd like to work from the Head Start program?
- Oh yes very much so.

Why in particular are you interested in working in the Head Start program?
- I love children and I think it's very important that all children have a fair shot at a quality education. I want to make sure that even those children with less financial means are able to participate in quality pre-school.

Good Good. You sound like a perfect candidate.... I just have one more question. You are Christian correct?
- Well no I was raised and am agnostic.

Oh I'm sorry you are not qualified to help these children... I would suggest you try looking in to hell. I think they have a spot reserved for you.

Our Republican representatives and a few "democrats" are placating the religious right again. A bunch of progressive groups have posted links to this story today. I first read it on http://www.tompaine.com/ 's newsworthy section. American's United for Separation of Church and State (http://www.au.org/)followed quickly with a press release of their own.

I fail to understand how a person's faith has any baring on that personal ability to work for an organization like Head Start. Is a Jew or an atheist really going to be unable to help the Head Start children receive their needed support?

The argument given is that some faith-based groups get government money for their work with the Head Start program and it would be an abomination for these faith based groups to have to hire some one of a different faith.

First of all let's just get rid of public tax dollars going to religious group.... that solves this and a number of other problems, not to mention it doesn't violate the constitution.