Daily Archives: June 18, 2021

Earth, space, time, and more: Read how Indian scholars had recorded astronomical facts centuries before they were discovered by Westerns – OpIndia

Posted: June 18, 2021 at 7:27 am

For over five thousand years, India has been home to one of the fascinating intellectual endeavours that humankind has ever recorded. India, one of the oldest civilizations in the world, has a strong tradition of science and technology.Ancient India was a land of sages and seers as well as a land of scholars and scientists.

From the ancient Vedic ages till today, the Indians have exhibited unmatchable deep understanding and mastery over knowledge across the spectrum. The ancient Indians have left us a great treasure of knowledge, and the rational interpretation of these ideas, which has become the basis of knowledge discovery across the civilization for several ages now. From astronomy to metallurgy, mathematics to medicine, the contribution of Indians to the global knowledge discovery is enormous.

The origins of the Indian scientific endeavours can be traced to the Vedic period, over three thousand years ago. The Indian scientists have made several discoveries, becoming one of the firsts to shed light on several scientific ideas much earlier than the inception of the very same ideas in the west.In addition to discovering and recording scientific phenomenons, the Indian sages had also absorbed the scientific methods of the other culture-areas in all true spirit, thus displaying a real scientific attitude.

In fact, what interesting is, such an effort by the ancient Indians has been characterised by prolonged observations, especially with the naked eye and simple tools, at times aided by techniques that we seem to discard as crude and primitive.

A fact of great significance is that Indians produced a vast literature on different aspects of astronomy, cosmology, numerology, measures of time, development of observatories, instruments etc. The ancient Indians were also the first to study the planetary motions, design calendars, study time and the inter-disciplinary nature of many of these above aspects.

In a book titled Indian Astronomy: A Source-Book, the authors BV Subbarayappa and KV Sharma, have recorded more than 3,000 such observations and discoveries by Indian scientists, astronomers and mathematicians over thousands of years. The book intends to provide a general insight into the scientific discoveries in the field of astronomy, numerology, a measure of times and several other aspects that were accomplished in ancient India.

About 3000 verses, written by the likes of the greatest Indian astronomers and thinkers like Aryabhata, Bhaskarcharya, Brahmagupta etc have been extracted from many original sources, mainly in Sanskrit, and presented with their translations in English and notes by the authors.

Here are few of them that shed light into understanding how ancient India was the cradle for one of worlds greatest scientific discoveries.

These passages in Sanskrit brings out the authenticity of the basic characteristics of Indian astronomy as it outlines the expertise expected of an astronomer in ancient times. The below verse outlines how there was utmost importance to accuracy in ancient ages and how one had to adopt the intricate methodologies to become an astronomer. More significantly, the ancient texts gave importance to observation and mathematically developed documentation to ensure that Indian astronomers did not indulge in speculation but on empirical data.

Here is a verse that sets eligibility standards for individual practising astronomy. The ancient verses written during the Vedic ages set rules to be followed by a person before the performance of sacrifices.

The Vedas state that a certain sequence of actions should be followed at appropriate times before performing sacrifices. Hence, he who knows astronomy, which is the science specifying time, knows the sacrifices and, so, is a Vedist, reads the verse written in Rig Veda.

In his extraordinary encyclopaedia Brihat Samhita, the ancient Hindu astrologer, astronomer and polymath Varahamihira, has accounted for the detailed qualification one has to possess to become an astronomer. Varahamihira, who himself was an accomplished astronomer during the 6th century BC, was one of the first in the world to study and detail about the Sun in his treatise Surya Siddhanta.

The below verse details the conditions for an individual to be qualified as an astronomer:

The translation reads:

Among the astronomical calculations, the astronomer should be conversant with the various sub-division of time such as the yuga, year, solstice, season, month, fortnight, day and night, Yama (a period of an hour and a half), muhurta (forty-eight minutes or two ghatis), Nadi (equal to 24 minutes), prana (time required for one inhalation), truti (a small unit of time) and its further subdivisions, as well as with the ecliptic (or with geometry) that are treated of in the five Siddhantas entitled Paulisa, Romaka, Vasistha, Saura and Paitamaha. (4)

He should also be thoroughly acquainted with the reasons for the existence of the four measurement systems of the time, viz. Saura or the solar system, Savana, or the terrestrial time, i.e. the time intervening between the first rising of any given planet or star and its next rising, Nakshatra or sidereal, and Chandra or lunar, as well as for the occurrence of intercalary months and increasing and decreasing lunar days. (5)

He should also be well-versed with the calculation of the beginning and ending times of the cycle of sixty years, a yuga (a five-year period), a year, a month, a day, a horn (hour), as well as of their respective lords. (6)

He should also be capable of explaining, using arguments, the similarities and dissimilarities, and the appropriateness or otherwise of the different systems of measurement of time according to the solar and allied systems. (7)

Despite differences of opinion among the Siddhantas regarding the expiry or ending time of an Ayana (solstice), he should be capable of reconciling them by showing the agreement between correct calculation and what has been actually observed in the circle drawn on the ground using the shadow of the gnomon as well as water-instruments. (8)

He should also be well acquainted with the causes that are responsible for the different kinds of motions of the planets headed by the Sun, viz. fast, slow, southerly, northerly, towards perigee and apogee. (9)

He must be able to forecast, by calculation, the times of commencement and ending, direction, magnitude, duration, intensity and colour at the eclipses of the Sun and the Moon, as well as the conjunctions of the Moon with the five Taragrahas or non-luminous planets and the planetary conjunctions. (10)

He should also be an expert in determining accurately for each planet, its motion in yojanas, its orbit, other allied dimensions etc., all in terms of yojanas. (11)

He must be thoroughly acquainted with the Earths rotation (on its own axis around the Sun) and its revolution along the circle of constellations, its shape and such other details, the latitude of a place and its complement, the difference in the lengths of the day and night (lit. diameter of the day-circle), the carakhandas of a place, rising periods of the different signs of the zodiac at a given place, the methods of converting the length of shadow into time (in ghatis) and time into the length of the shadow and such other things, as well as those to find out the exact time in ghatis that has elapsed since sunrise or sunset at any required time from the position of the Sun or from the Ascendant, as the case may be. (12)

Even thousands of years before the Western astronomers discovered the shape of the Earth, Indian astronomers had accurately predicted Earths shape as spherical.

During Varahamihiras period, the development of astrological and astronomical sciences reached a pinnacle. In his book Paulisa Siddhanta, Varahamihira gives an exact description of not only the share of the earth, i.e., spherical but also provides its topographical study in detail.

The verse in Paulisa Siddhanta accounts, Earth is spherical and constituted of the five elements, which stands poised in the region of space as if it is an iron ball held in position in a cage of magnets. (1)

The whole earth surface is spotted by trees, mountains, cities, rivers, oceans, etc. The Meru mountain (forming the North pole) is the abode of the devas (gods). The Asuras (demons) are down below (i.e. at the South pole). (2)

Just as the reflection of the objects on the bund of a water source is upside down, so the asuras are (with respect to the devas.) The asuras, too, consider the devas to be upside down. (3)

Just as the flame of the fire, observed by men here, flares upwards, and anything is thrown up falls down towards the earth, the same upward flaring of the flame and the downward falling of a heavy object is experienced by the asuras (at the antipodal region). (4)

Below is another documentation by Varahamihira describing Earth and its close correspondence with Panchabhutas.

This sphere of Earth, made of akasa, air, fire, water and clay and thus having all the properties of the five elements, surrounded by the orbits (of the Moon, etc.), and extending up to the sphere of stars, remains in (the centre of) space. (1)

Just as a ball of iron, when placed amidst pieces of magnets, remains suspended in space, in the same manner, this globe of Earth remains in space unsupported, while itself remaining the abode of all. (2)

The third verse says Yamakoti is to the east of Lanka (which is in the middle of the Earth), and Romaka (Rome) is to the west. Siddhapura is beneath Lanka (just opposite); the Meru (mountains) is to the north, and the abode of the demons is to the south. (3)

These (four cities) are on islands. Meru is on the land, and the abode of the demons (in the south) is surrounded by water. These six places are believed to be situated transversely at a distance of one-fourth of the Earths circumference (that is 90), each from the next one. (4)

Those who are at a distance of half the Earths circumference from each other are antipodes, just as a man (standing on the bank of a river) and his reflection in the water. The sky is above all. This (globe of Earth) is beneath it. The inhabitants are on the surface of the Earth. (5)

Kamalakara, anIndianastronomerandmathematician,who lived in Varanasi in the 17th century AD, gave the first detailed account of the causes of earthquake within Earths crust. However, the European geologists took another century to publish a basic understanding of Earths interiors and the phenomenon of Earthquakes.

In his book Siddhntatattvaviveka, Kamalakara has stated that the Earths crust is hard and rocky. Explaining the process of the earthquake, he writes, a fissure occurs due to lack of strength, gases emerge forcibly, causing the Earth to quake when there would also be constant terrific noise.

Similarly, Lalla, anIndianmathematician,astronomer, andastrologer, had discovered in the 8th century AD that the Earth travelled from west to east and if anyone viewed it from the north pole star Polaris,Earthturns left, i.e., counterclockwise.

The Indian astronomers made accurate discoveries on earths rotation and direction of rotation; centuries before, European astronomers came up with such predictions explaining concepts of Earths rotation.

Lallass documentation on Earths rotation on its axis and the direction of its rotation:

The translation of Lallas work reads: The celestial sphere, at the Earths equator, is constantly carried towards the west by the Pravaha wind. To the gods (at the north pole), it appears to move (from the left) to the right and the demons (at the south pole from the right) to the left. (3).

Chaturveda Prithudaka Swami, another astronomer, known for his exemplary work on mathematical equations, explained that it is only the Earth that is regularly rotating once a day, and the sphere of the stars is fixed, causing the rising and setting of the stars and the planets.

In his book Commentaries onBrahmasphuasiddhanta, Prithudaka Swami explain the causes behind the phenomenon of days and nights.

The translation of one of his works reads: The Earths rotation had been accepted by Aryabhata also, vide his words, The Earth rotates through (an angle of) one second per one prana (of time). On account of (possible) adverse criticism by people, Bhaskara I and others explained the verse to give it a different meaning.

Aryabhata, arguably the worlds oldest astronomer, had explained the rotation of Earth on its own axis. The above work of Aryabhata is mentioned in his masterpiece Aryabhatiyam, which translated into, Rotation of the Earth also has been accepted by Acarya (Aryabhata). Note that there is a variant reading as The Earth rotates through (an angle of) one second per one prana (of time).

In his book, Aryabhata explains, Just as a man in a boat moving forward sees the stationary objects (on either side of the river) as moving backwards, so are the stationary stars seen by people at Lanka (on the equator), as moving exactly towards the west. (9)

(It so appears as if) the entire structure of the asterisms, together with the planets, moved exactly towards the west of Lanka, being constantly driven by the pro-vector wind to cause their rising and setting. (10)

The earlier texts also had reference to the direction of the earths rotation. Makkibhatta, too has discovered that the Earth rotates on its own axis from west to east.

Rig Vedic verses, written more than 5,000 ago, had estimated the dimensions of Earth. Here is a Rig Vedic verse that mentions Mother Earth and its dimensions. It is by far the oldest document to speak, even though it does not explain details about the dimensions and size of the earth.

The translation of the Rigvedic verse translated into: Oh (God) Indra, were this Earth to magnify itself tenfold (i.e., infinitely) and men who live on it multiplied day by day, then and then alone will the lauded might and glory of yours be as vast as the heavens.

In his seminal work, Varahamihira builds on assumptions of Rigvedic times and accurately estimates the circumference of the earth as 3200 yojanas. Furthermore, each Yojana is estimated to be 12-15 km, which translates into nearly 38,000 km to 45,000 km, which is almost accurate to the current estimates.

Earths circumferenceis the distance aroundEarth and it is Measured around the Equator, it is 40,075.017 km.

When situated on the equator, the Sun is visible from pole to pole at all latitudes, making the day and night equal). The middle of the Earth (the North pole is meant here) is north of Ujjain by 586 2/3 yojanas. It is north of Lanka by 800 yojanas.

Similarly, in his book Khandakhadyaka, Brahmagupta had also estimated the circumference of the Earth. The above documentation in his book suggests that he had mathematically derived an accurate measurement of Earths circumference.

The translation of Brahmaguptas work reads: Multiply 5000 by thejja of the colatitude of the place and divide the product by the trijyd. The result is the correct circumference of the Earth at that place. (6a)

Deva, another ancient astronomer, too had come up with an accurate measurement of the Earths circumference. In addition to it, Deva had also calculated the distance between Ujjain (Madhya Pradesh) and Lanka (Sri Lanka), which was nearly 200 yojanas, approximately 3,000 km.

The translation of the above reads: 3299 (yojanas) is the Earths circumference; this divided by 16 gives the distance between Lanka and Avanti (or Ujjayini.)

Similarly, Bhaskara II in his major treatise Siddhanta Siromani, had said that that the circumference of the Earth sphere is said to be 4967 yojanas.

Its diameter is 1581 1/24 yojanas. The surface area thereof is 7,85,034 square yojanas, for it is obvious that, as in the case of a spherical ball, the product of the Earths circumference and its diameter gives its surface area. (52), Bhaskara II wrote in Siddhanta Siromani.

Interestingly, Bhaskar was one of the first to provide an accurate mathematical model to derive the circumference of the Earth. According to his estimation, Earth was 4967 yojana and its diameter 1581.

As per Bhaskara II, a yojana is equal to the (distance between the two places*360)/(circumference-(difference in the latitudes of two places on the same terrestrial meridian in degrees).

In his book, Bhaskara II notes, The equatorial circumference of the earth multiplied by cos 0 and divided by R, or multiplied by 12 and divided by the hypotenuse of the right-angled triangle formed by the gnomon and the equinoctial midday shadow thereof, (hereafter called equinoctial hypotenuse), gives the circumference of the Earth parallel to the equator and passing through the locality (hereafter called the rectified circumference).

Estimating the earths circumference, Astronomer Nilakantha had accurately measured that the earths diameter is around 1050 yojans, i.e., 12,000 km.

His above work reads: The terrestrial sphere is 1050 yojanas in diameter and it stands in the sky in the centre of the celestial sphere, as the lowest point.

Here is another ancient text giving us the mathematical formulae to determine the circumference of the earth.

The above verse reads: Having fixed upon two places situated exactly north and south, determine their latitudes and the number of yojana-s between them. Then apply the rule of three: If their difference in latitudes causes the distance between the two places, how much (will the distance be) for the degrees in a circle (i.e., 360)? The result will be the circumference of the Earth. (12-13)

The next verse explains: If the difference in degrees of the two latitudes is the yojanas between them, how many will the yojanas be for 90, which is the latitude of Meru? This will give a quarter of the circumference of the Earth. (14).

Indian mathematicians first recorded the Decimal number system, which is the basis of modern mathematics today. The ancientand medievalIndianmathematical works, all composed in Sanskrit, consisted of several sutras discussing the Decimal system of numbers.

It was Indians who gavethe ingenious method of expressing all numbers by means of ten symbols the decimal system. The simplicity of the decimal notation facilitated calculation, and this system invented by the Indians made the uses of arithmetic in practical inventions much faster and easier.

In his work Aryabhatiyam, Aryabhata explains the decimal system of numbers, where the corresponding place value of a digit is always 10 times as great as the place value of the digit to its right.

The translation of Aryabhatas work, originally written in Sanskrit: Eka (units place), DaSa (tens place), Shatha (hundreds place), Sahasra (thousands place), Ayuta (ten thousand place), Niyuta (hundred thousand place), Prayuta (millions place), Koti (ten million place), Arbuda (hundred million place), and Vrnda (thousand million place) are, respectively, from place to place, every ten times the preceding. (2)

Astronomer-mathematicianSankara Varman, in the later part of the medieval era, also explained the decimal system that was enumerated by the likes of Aryabhata.

The translation of the above work reads: Eka (1), Dasa (10), Shatha (100), Sahasra (1000), Ayuta (10,000), Niyuta (or Lakh, 10s), Prayuta (10^6 ), Koti (10^7), Arbuda (10^8), Vrnda (10^9), Kharva (10^10), Nikharva (10^11), Mahapadma (10^12), Sanku (10^13), Varidhi (10^14), Antya (10^15), Madhya (10^16), Parardha (10^17) are numbers, each tenfold of the previous.

Here is a Yajurvedic verse that also cites the usage of the decimal system of numbers in the Vedic era. In addition, the Yajurvedic hymns mention the usage of the decimal value system in its ritual practises.

The translation of the hymn reads: O Agni, may these (sacrificial) bricks be my own milch-kine: one and a ten, a ten and a hundred, a hundred and a thousand, a thousand and a ten thou sand, a ten thousand and a hundred thousand, a hundred thousand and a million, a ten million, a hundred million, a thousand million, a ten thousand million, a hundred thousand million, a million-million or billion. May these bricks be mine milch-kine in yonder world and in this world.

In India, a system oftime measurementwas in place as early as in Early Vedic Era, dating 2500 BCE. There are several references to the measurement of time in sa and Upanishads.

Here is a Rigvedic hymn explaining the way time was measured in the Vedic age. The above hymn reads that the division of time in Vedic era was on the basis of Year, Months and Days.

The translation of the Rigveda hymn says: The wheel (of time) formed with twelve spokes revolves round the heavens without wearing out. O Agni! on it are 720 sons (viz. days and nights).

The above verse says time was divided into 12 spokes (hourly), with a combined 720 days and nights making it 360 calendar days.

Another Rig Vedic hymn says: The fellies (or arcs) are twelve; the wheel is one; three-(partitioned) are the axles (or hubs); but who knows it? Within it are collected 360 (spokes), which are, as it were, movable and unmovable.

According to Rig Veda, sage Dhrtavrata knew the twelve months. He also knows the month that is created, the Vedic documents reveals suggesting that the Vedic people knew and practised a sophisticated system of time consisting of 360 days, 12 months, which is almost identical to the Gregorian system of calendars which came thousands of years later and continued to be used even today.

Here is another Yajurveda prayers for hailing interstellar objects such as sun, moon, stars, responsible for formation of day and nights.

Oblation to (the intercalary month) Samsarpa, an oblation to the Moon, an oblation to the luminaries, an oblation to (the intercalary month) Malimluca, an oblation to the Sun, reads the Yajurveda verse.

Taittiriya Brahmanas also list the names of 13 months as per the Lunar system of calendar.

The names of the thirteen months: Aruna, Arunarajas, Pundarika, Visvajit, Abhijit, Ardra, Pinvamana, Anna- van, Rasa-van, Iravan, Sarvausadha, Sambhara and Mahasvan.

The Taittiriya Brahmanas also mentions the names of 24 half-months (pakshas):

The names of the 24 half-months are: Pavitra, Pavisyan, Puta, Medhya, YaSas, Yasasvan, Ayus, Amrta, Jiva, Jivisyan, Sarga, Loka, Sahasvan, Sahlyan, Ojasvan, Sahamana, Jayan, Abhijayan, Sudravina, Dravinodas, Ardrapavitra, Harikesa, Moda and Pramoda.

The Satapatha Brahmanas also mentions the Lunar year consisting of 354 days.

Verily, they who perform the Full and New Moon sacrifices run a race. One ought to perform it for fifteen years. But, in these fifteen years, there are three hundred and sixty full moons and new moons. And, there are, in a year, three hundred and sixty nights; it is the nights he thus gains. (10), reads the Satapatha Brahmana.

Further, He should then sacrifice for another fifteen years. In these fifteen years, there are three hundred and sixty full moons and new moons, and there are in a year three hundred and sixty days; it is the days he thus gains, and the year itself he thus gains. (11)

The authors have documented more than 3,000 verses in their magnum opus, that shed light on the major scientific accomplishments by Indians hundreds of years even before their western counterparts had conceptualised these ideas.

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Earth, space, time, and more: Read how Indian scholars had recorded astronomical facts centuries before they were discovered by Westerns - OpIndia

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How far away are supernovae? Astronomers find a way to tighten measurements – SYFY WIRE

Posted: at 7:27 am

A team of astronomers studying distant exploding stars has found a way to tighten up the way the distance to them is measured and in doing so, tighten up measurements of how the Universe is expanding.

This kind of supernova is called a Type Ia. These occur when a small, dense white dwarf accumulates matter on its surface, eventually gathering so much matter the entire star undergoes nuclear fusion. The release of energy is absolutely colossal, equivalent to billions of times the Sun's output.

This is important for two reasons. Well, lots of reasons, but two we're concerned with here. One is that quantum mechanics makes the rules here, and all these stars explode when they reach a certain mass (about 1.4 times the Sun's mass), and that means they explode with about the same energy. That in turn means that if we see one close by or far away, we can measure its distance simply by determining how bright it got.

The other is that they are so bright they can be seen at vast distances, billions of light years away. The Universe is expanding, and more distant objects are moving away more rapidly. If we can measure these Type Ia supernovae with great accuracy we can determine how the Universe is expanding.

And, in fact, this has been done. In 1998 two different teams published results showing that the Universe is not just expanding but accelerating, expanding faster every day. It's not clear what is causing this, but we call it dark energy, and figuring out what this stuff really is made of is a major goal in astrophysics after all, we're talking the fate of the Universe here.

The problem is that not all Type Ias explode in exactly the same way. But this can be compensated for. As an example, some give off more energy than others, and in general those take longer to reach their peak brightness and fade. So, if you measure how long it takes to brighten and fade, you can determine its peak brightness, and then use that to get the distance.

This was what led to the breakthrough in 1998. But even so, there is still some wiggle room in the way they explode, some uncertainty in their brightness that means we still have some uncertainty in our measurements of how rapidly the Universe is expanding.

That's what the new work looks at. They found a new method to determine the distance to these exploding stars, and published two papers about it; the first deals with developing the method, and the second implementing it.

What they did is complex and clever. They looked at over 170 supernovae, taking spectra of them around the time of maximum brightness (in general they take a couple of weeks to get to their brightest, and then fade over many months). A spectrum shows how bright an object is in different wavelengths, which you can think of as colors; in this case many hundreds of colors. Different elements absorb and emit light at different wavelengths, which in turn can be used as diagnostics for the supernova about its temperature, speed, density, and so forth.

Instead of just looking at one characteristic, like how long it takes to brighten and fade, they could look at many, and found that overall the 173 supernovae they observed look remarkably similar near maximum brightness. They did find that some individual lines (astronomy speak for wavelengths where elements absorb or emit light) change from supernova to supernova, but if they looked at the light coming from between major lines (they literally called this the Reading Between The Lines method) all the supernovae looked incredibly similar.

This allowed them to create a computer model that compensated for differences between the individual supernovae due to external variations (like if one happened to be embedded in a dust cloud) which meant that any differences from one supernova to another must be due to something intrinsic, like its chemical composition or other physical factors.

They employed machine learning to find "supernova twins," where two different supernovae spectra had very similar spectra. Using those as a baseline they could then explore how the spectra differed and discover that in the end, only three factors affected how the brightness changes from supernova to supernova the light from calcium and silicon, and how rapidly the supernova debris expands.

By modeling these three factors they could then compensate for them, allowing them to more accurately predict just how bright a supernova gets. What they found is that their method is a significant improvement over the older one (using how long it takes the supernova to brighten and fade), and they are able to drop the distance uncertainty to only about 3%.

This is important! The better our distance measurement gets, the better we can measure the effects of dark energy on the cosmic expansion. As bigger telescopes come online in the next few years, more supernovae will be observed farther away. By applying this method, hopefully, those far distant explosions can be used even more accurately than before to understand what the Universe is doing.

It's an amazing thing that astronomers are trying to figure out how the Universe itself behaves, and even to understand its fate. But we are and we're getting better at it all the time.

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How far away are supernovae? Astronomers find a way to tighten measurements - SYFY WIRE

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Farragut Freedom Run

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Basic Information: Please join us in our annual July 4th 1 & 2 Mile race brought to you by Fleet Feet Knoxville. Participants will race just ahead of the Town of Farragut's annual Independence Day Parade. Please note the race takes place this year on July 3rd!!

Date/Time/Place: Saturday, July 3, 2021. 9:00 AM. Farragut, TN 37934

Start Location: Intersection of S. Campbell Station and Municipal Center Dr, near Farragut Town Hall (11408 Municipal Center Dr, Farragut, TN 37934);

Course Description: Runners and walkers of all ages are welcome to enjoy a relatively flat/fast 1 and 2 mile course. Both courses are USATF* certified (1 Mile - TN16035MS, 2 Mile - TN16036MS).

*Please note that because both distances are point to point races, they will not be eligible for a USATF record.

Registration:

Race Day registration will be available from 7:30-8:30 AM at start location.

Packet Pickup:

Join us at Fleet Feet Knoxville on July 2nd for Packet Pickup. While you are here, pick up all of your last minute needs for the Farragut Freedom Run, we'll even give you a coupon! Remember, it will be hot so make sure you are staying hydrated and ask us about our hydration products.

It's not too late to register and you can even do so at our store while you are here for packet pickup. We are also looking for volunteers for race day - even racers can volunteer for a bit before or after the run. Let us know if you are interested when you are here to pick up your packet or sign up online.

Race Charity: Proceeds from the race will benefit Smoky Mountain Service Dogs.

Awards:

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Farragut Freedom Run

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MLS and BPC Celebrate Freedom on Juneteenth with Limited-Edition Jerseys Auctioned to Benefit Black Communities – FC Dallas

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Stadiums across MLS to feature the playing of the Black National Anthem

NEW YORK (June 17, 2021) Major League Soccer today announced plans to recognize Juneteenth the effective end of slavery in the United States with a series of initiatives that celebrate freedom. In collaboration with its clubs, Black Players for Change (BPC), an independent organization of Black MLS players, coaches, and staff seeking to increase inclusion in soccer that was established on Juneteenth 2020, MLS programs will include a limited-edition jersey auction, and the playing of the Black National Anthem (Lift Every Voice and Sing) before matches on the weekend beginning June 18.

This leaguewide recognition is a wonderful celebration of freedom made possible by our deep collaboration with Black Players for Change, said MLS Executive Vice President and Chief Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Officer Sola Winley. It was our collective hope to honor this significant moment in American history by celebrating the freedom fighters of our past as well as acknowledging the freedom fighters of today that continue to shine a light on the need for equality, prosperity and freedom for all. In the span of only one year, we have ideated together to take meaningful actions for change both inside and outside of our sport.

The Juneteenth-inspired numbers on the jerseys of all players competing during the weekend of June 18-20 were designed by Indianapolis native Israel Solomon in collaboration with MLS and Black Players for Change. The jersey numbers presented in a bold, empowering, and visually attractive sharp-line red, black and green pattern are inspired by Black culture and symbolize ancestry, liberation, and cultural vibrancy.

When approached with the opportunity to design the Juneteenth-inspired numbers, I wanted to use this platform to educate within a work of art, said Solomon. After collaborating with MLS and BPC, their clear vision to use this piece as a means to celebrate and educate led to the creation of something that was bold, prideful, and visually attractive.

The jersey numbers and the limited-edition jersey packaging illustrate the history and importance of Juneteenth and pay homage to Harriet Tubman and Frederick Douglass. The imagery reinforces the message that Black players in MLS are standing tall because they stand on the shoulders of the freedom fighters who came before them.

The game-worn jerseys from each team and their commemorative boxes are set to be auctioned off in three phases from June 21-July 19. Proceeds from the auction will benefit organizations supporting and uplifting Black communities in the markets of MLS teams. Additional auction information, including how to place a bid, will be available at MLSauctions.com.

We helped build this initiative to bridge the gap between generations celebrating Juneteenth and everyone who is still being introduced this day, said Toronto FC defender and BPC Executive Director Justin Morrow. We hope that these jerseys will help shed light on the historical significance of Juneteenth, which is necessary context for where we are in society today. Understanding Black History is imperative to building a better society.

MLS, BPC, and Pitch Black the Leagues employee resource group for Black employees have joined forces on several programs and initiatives to make meaningful change both inside and outside of MLS. On Juneteenth 2020, this collaboration led to impactful programming to educate the League Office staff on June 19 as an important marker in American history. The continuation of play at the MLS is Back Tournament began with a powerful demonstration of more than 170 Black MLS players standing in solidarity with their brothers and sisters in the fight for justice, and the MLS Unites to Vote campaign sought to register all eligible players and MLS staff members to vote in the 2020 election.

MLS clubs also will activate through various initiatives in their home markets to recognize Juneteenth. A list of leaguewide Juneteenth commemoration plans for all clubs is available on MLSsoccer.com.

MLS will continue to collaborate and support BPCs opportunities to use their voices and their platforms as players to make meaningful and sustainable change.

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MLS and BPC Celebrate Freedom on Juneteenth with Limited-Edition Jerseys Auctioned to Benefit Black Communities - FC Dallas

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Call to Freedom breaks ground on new housing project – KELOLAND.com

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SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) An organization that helps survivors of human trafficking will soon be able to better help survivors and their families. Call to Freedom offers several services, including housing.

Thursday a ground breaking was held at the Empower Campus for a new housing complex for Call to Freedom. The actual location of the new complex is confidential to protect the safety of those the organization helps.

We are breaking ground on a new beginning for our Marissas Housing Project, and we are excited to expand so that we can house more survivors of human trafficking, executive director Call to Freedom, Becky Rasmussen said.

The new housing expansion will be a 12 unit apartment complex. Its expected to be completed in spring of 2022.

Right now we have a wonderful apartment complex that has seven studio apartments and unfortunately due to the size were unable to reunite survivors with their families, so building a larger complex that has larger bedrooms will allow them to reunite with their children, co chair Marissas Housing Project Campaign, board member Call to Freedom, Kristen Thorkelson said.

Todays groundbreaking included a variety of speakers, including a survivor.

On July 25, 2020, I was given the opportunity to move into Marissas House, that day I will never forget the feeling of overwhelming joy, to not only have a place of my own to call home, but the support of Call to Freedom to make sure I was successful this time, Tiffany said.

There are many other survivors who will benefit when this project is complete.

Just last week we had 12 new referrals and so this is going to be a huge need for Sioux Falls, fortunately we have a place like Call to Freedom where survivors feel comfortable coming forward, Thorkelson said.

It means that we can help more individuals out of trafficking but it also means we are able to provide them with greater services and more space to keep their families together, Rasmussen said.

Later this year, a national organization, 8 Days of Hope is partnering with Call to Freedom to help build the housing project. Rasmussen says they will bring in 50 to 60 professional contractors to build for free.

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‘From Freedom to Liberation’: The first university-wide celebration of Juneteenth – The State News

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Michigan State University will hold its first-ever university-wide celebration of Juneteenth in person on June 19 at Munn Field from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m.

Juneteenth, celebrated on June 19, acknowledges the ending of slavery in the U.S.On June 19, 1865, nearly three years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed, over 250,000 African American slaves in Texas were freed from slavery.

I am pleased to announce MSUs inaugural recognition and celebration of Juneteenth, Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer Jabbar R. Bennett said in a press release on June 15.

It is based on the theme From Freedom to Liberation to acknowledge that the struggle for racial equality is not over.

Since the event is less than a month after the one-year anniversary of George Floyds death due to police brutality, leaders like Vice President of Public Safety and MSU Chief of Police Marlon Lynch will acknowledge the event.

This is a momentous occasion to bring the campus and local communities together to celebrate African American culture, while recognizing the ongoing challenges to achieve true liberation, Bennett said.

Black Student Alliance Public Relations Chair Ania Potts said this would be a good excuse to bring people together since MSU has never had a celebration for Juneteenth.

Its wonderful that the timing of this years event coincided with COVID-19 restrictions being lifted across the state, so that everyone can gather safely outdoors, Bennett said.

The commemoration will also be the first in-person gathering since the COVID-19 pandemic reached Michigan over a year ago.

People who want to attend the event will be asked to complete MSUs Health Screening Form.The celebration will have live performances, food, discussion, giveaways, music and art.

We really just wanted something wholesome for people to come out and enjoy and have a safe space, Potts said.

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Juneteenth: Celebrating Freedom and Hope for the Future | Newsroom – UC Merced University News

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Every American knows we celebrate freedom on the Fourth of July, but very few people know what Juneteenth celebrates, or even recognize the date. A Harris Pollconducted last June found 22% of Americans said they were "very aware" of the date, while 33% said they were "not at all aware."

On Saturday, June 19, people from all walks of life will mark Juneteenth. Short for "June nineteenth," the holiday commemorates the emancipation of enslaved people in theU.S. It was first celebrated in Texas on June 19, 1866, exactly one year after Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston and declared that enslaved people had been freed by the Emancipation Proclamation that became effective in 1863.

UC Merced Professor Kevin Dawson, chair of the Interdisciplinary Humanities Graduate Group, teaches classes on African American history, African diaspora, gender, race and slavery in the U.S. and Atlantic world. He explained that Juneteenth initially stayed within Texas for some time, and it wasn't until about the 1980s and '90s more than 100 years later that the holiday became much more widely celebrated across the country.

On June 17, President Joe Bidensigned a bill into law to establishJuneteenth as a federal holiday after both the House and Senate had passed the resolution earlier in the week. This is now the 12th federal holiday and the first new onesince Martin Luther King, Jr. Day was established in 1983.

"I think it's important to commemorate Juneteenth because it forces us to think about these issues of freedom and race in America and who was actually free," saidDawson. "It's not a rejection of America. I think we should recognize the inequalities and injustices as part of the healing process.

"It's important to say that no we were not created as equal," he added. "This is something that we're striving for; that we're imperfect. But out of that imperfection, hopefully, we can create a society that truly embraces freedom, liberty, democracy and equality for all people."

Because it took time for Juneteenth to spread to other states, some people may only be somewhat familiar with it. However, Dawson said there might also be a willful neglect.

"In order to celebrate Juneteenth, you have to recognize slavery," he said. "It's a celebration of freedom exactly what we say we are; a freedom-loving country but it's not the kind of freedom that we want to celebrate. We want to celebrate freedom from English tyranny or religious oppression, but we don't want to celebrate the freedom of our own tyranny."

As decades have passed, the meaning of Juneteenth has evolved, especially recently with the Black Lives Matter movement. In the past year, people have taken to the streets and social media to express their frustration with racial and social inequalities. Dawson stresses that the movement is not anti-anything, but instead is a recognition of Black freedom and what that can mean in the U.S.

After former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was convicted of murder and manslaughter in the death of George Floyd, the meaning of Juneteenth could be experiencing a transition again.

"I think what it might mean now, at least for African Americans, it might be more hopeful than in the past," said Dawson. "I think with how police violence and racial injustice are being taken more seriously and not just dismissed, that it is more hopeful. It's becoming more of a celebration of freedom and for hope for the future than for commemorating an end to slavery."

Dawson hopes that freedomwill not be curtailed when it comes to expressing thoughts and making decisions, including voting in future elections. According to theBrennan Center for Justice, a nonpartisan law and policy institute, states have passed more than 20 laws this year that will make it "harder for Americans to vote." Other bills now making their way through multiple state legislatures include changes to mail-in voting and imposing voter ID requirements, among other changes manysee as restricting people's ability to vote.

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The Fight for Religious Freedom Isnt What It Used to Be – The Atlantic

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In the legal battle between religious rights and gay rights, religious freedom gained a victory today. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled unanimously that the First Amendments religious-freedom protections prevent the city of Philadelphia from refusing to contract with a Catholic foster-care agency that, based on its religious beliefs, does not place foster children with same-sex couples. The decision, Fulton v. City of Philadelphia, is a victory for conservative Christians who have been arguing that the Constitutions guarantees of religious freedom protect religious organizations and individuals who wish to deny certain services to LGBTQ people.

The Fulton decision is substantial, but it is not the blockbuster outcome that some had expected. In a narrow ruling, the Court determined that Philadelphias policies were not neutral toward religion and thus violated the First Amendments free-exercise clause. Fulton is in line with the Courts shift toward a broader interpretation of First Amendment protections, but the Court was divided about the bigger question, specifically whether to expand religious-liberty rights by replacing a 1990 legal precedent, Employment Division v. Smith.

The Smith decision was written by Antonin Scalia, the late conservative justice, and it limited the rights of a religious minorityNative Americansstating that free-exercise rights could not exempt them from neutral laws (in this case drug laws) that did not target their religion. Smiths circumscribed view of religious liberty has been the prevailing legal precedent ever since, but it has become controversial, especially among conservatives. Although the Court did not overturn Smith today, several justices signaled a willingness to do so. Justice Samuel Alito wrote a lengthy concurring opinion arguing that Smith should be reexamined. In her opinion, Justice Amy Coney Barrett wrote that the arguments against Smith are compelling, but that Fulton did not require the Court to abandon it.

Thirty years ago, a potential reversal of Smith would have been celebrated, especially by liberals. Today, conservatives are leading the charge to expand religious freedom and overturn Smith. Understanding why reveals the contours of a major transformation that American society has undergone over the past three decades.

Zalman Rothschild: Religious equality is transforming American law

Two conversations about religious freedom are happening simultaneously, one legal and one political. The majority opinion in Fulton, written by Chief Justice John Roberts, emphasized the legal conversation, detailing how Philadelphia was not neutral toward religion. Alitos concurring opinion, calling for the replacement of Smith, similarly emphasized the legal conversation. He argued that repealing Smith would protect religious freedom for everyone, including Orthodox Jews, Sikh men, and Muslim women. Such an approach is common among religious-freedom advocates, but it misses the political context that has developed alongside expansive religious-freedom claims. In politics, the way the religious-freedom cause is deployed drives a perception that conservative Christians, who are tightly linked to Republican politics, will be the beneficiaries of its expansion. This promotes division.

Not long ago, religious freedom used to cut across groups and cross partisan lines. The religious divide between the parties was less starkevangelical Democrats such as Jimmy Carter were commonand liberal advocacy groups such as the ACLU defended the free exercise of religion before courts. Religious minorities, such as the Amish, Seventh Day Adventists, and Jehovahs Witnesses, were frequent beneficiaries. After the Supreme Court limited religious-freedom rights with the Smith decision, opposition was nearly universaland certainly bipartisanthough led by Democrats and progressive groups. Congress passed the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) of 1993 nearly unanimously to weaken Smith and restore broad religious-liberty protections. Bipartisan supermajorities in several states followed suit by enhancing their religious-freedom protections.

Within a decade, these bipartisan currents were changing. Republicans leveraged religious-liberty arguments to advance their position on cultural issues. They argued that Christians religious freedom was under threat, and emphasized cultural conflict. In doing so, Republicans adopted the cultural arguments for religious freedom that were championed by white evangelicals. Evangelicals had become a core part of the partys activist base and electoral coalition, mobilized by a mixture of opposition to civil rights and abortion rights, as well as support for religious nationalism. Evangelicals had been emphasizing religious-freedom arguments for decades to push back against secularism and the sexual revolution, and to promote cultural conservatism, such as prayer in schools. When conservative Christians became integrated into the Republican Party, their religious-freedom messages gained broader appeal.

As conservative Christians were losing cultural and political ground, particularly in the area of gay rights, they turned to constitutional rights to advance their claims, making these appeals to courts and in public life. In the years following Smith and the RFRA legislation, advocates leaned on religious liberty to oppose nondiscrimination policies that protected the civil rights of gays and lesbians. Conservative Christian groups sought to weaken, if not overturn, Smith in order to maximize religious-liberty protections for private Christian actors who might run afoul of generally applicable laws.

Civil-rights groups objected and mobilized the broader Democratic coalition, and religious freedom became a culture-wars flashpoint. The ACLU opposed religious liberty being used to deny gays and lesbians access to housing. LGBTQ groups, after being silent about religious freedom for most of the 1990s, started warning that religious-liberty claims could be used to discriminate. As the conflict expanded and consolidated around the two poles of party politics, support for religious freedom on the left dwindled. Democrats and their allied groups withdrew their sponsorship of a sweeping religious-freedom bill in 1999, and hopes for a continued bipartisan religious-freedom coalition were dashed.

Netta Barak-Corren: How one Supreme Court decision increased discrimination against LGBTQ couples

Over the next two decades, Republicans mobilized around religious freedom, particularly emphasizing the threats to conservative Christians. Republicans sponsored legislation in Congress and in state Houses, championed executive activity defending religious rights, and urged the Court to expand First Amendment protections. In 2014, the U.S. Supreme Courts Hobby Lobby decision sided with conservative Christians and used the bipartisan RFRA legislation to limit a key piece of the Affordable Care Actthe contraception mandate. When the Court legalized same-sex marriage, in 2015s Obergefell v. Hodges, dissenters and conservative advocates warned about the decisions impact on religious believers. Conservative Christians, once the junior partner in the conservative legal movement and the Republican Party, made religious freedom a central cause of the partys cultural agenda.

Democrats resisted this mobilization. Throughout the 2000s, Democratic sponsorship of religious-freedom legislation diminished. In 2014, religious-freedom bills in five states garnered only four votes from Democrats. The ACLU, once a proud supporter of RFRA, announced that it could no longer back the legislation, and actively campaigned to modify it to prevent discrimination. The Equality Act, which has become a priority of the current Democratic Congress, would do just that. As Republicans rallied around religious freedom for Christians, Democrats changed their outlook as well.

As religious freedom has become polarized, surveys frequently show partisan divides over related policies. My research suggests that the divide is not merely about the actual details of any one policy, but about who is perceived to benefit.

In a survey conducted in October, I showed people a general statement supporting religious freedom, but randomized whether the statement was attributed to Joe Biden or Donald Trump. When it was attached to Trump, respondents support declined more than when it was said to come from Biden, and the responses were especially polarizing across party lines. If people believed that the statement was Trumps, they were also more likely to assume that white Christians would benefit from the religious freedom in question.

Similarly, people seem to alter their opinions when religious freedom is linked to non-Christian groups. In other surveys I conducted, when people were exposed to non-Christian groups advocating for religious freedomsuch as Muslim truck drivers arguing for a religious accommodation not to deliver alcoholpolarization of the issue decreases. The perception of who benefits from religious freedom matters for political support.

The Fulton decision, while securing a win for religious-liberty advocates, left open the potential to reverse the Smith precedent. A reversal of Smith has roots in historically bipartisan efforts to defend the rights of religious minorities, and many such groups would benefit from it. In the three decades since Smith, however, conservative Christians have mobilized the Republican Party to promote their religious-freedom interests while often refusing to grant religious-liberty rights to minorities, such as Muslims. Although these Christians have succeeded in getting the Supreme Court to grant them their religious-freedom rights, as with todays Fulton decision, fusing religious freedom to their interest alone has come at the cost of bipartisan support. These alliances are not easily unwound.

Ultimately, politicizing religious freedom will hurt true civil-liberties claims. Conservative Christians are correct that religious freedom is under threat, but the threat comes as much from partisan politics as it does from legal precedents.

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LGBTQ rights v. religious freedom: What the Supreme Court said in Fulton – Deseret News

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Religions win streak at the Supreme Court continued on Thursday when a unanimous court sided with a Catholic foster care agency in a case pitting religious freedom law against LGBTQ rights.

Justices said the government must offer religious exemptions when its willing to offer them for other purposes and can achieve its policy goals through other means.

Officials in Philadelphia violated this precedent by refusing to respect a faith-based objection to same-sex marriage, wrote Chief Justice John Roberts in the majority opinion.

Catholic Social Services seeks only an accommodation that will allow it to continue serving the children of Philadelphia in a manner consistent with its religious beliefs; it does not seek to impose those beliefs on anyone else, he wrote.

Five justices joined Roberts majority opinion, including the courts three liberals. Three justices filed concurring opinions. There was no dissenting opinion in the case.

Justices Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas and Neil Gorsuch, who did not join the majority opinion, described the case as a missed opportunity to overhaul and strengthen the courts approach to the First Amendment.

This case presents an important constitutional question that urgently calls out for review: whether this courts governing interpretation of a bedrock constitutional right, the right to the free exercise of religion, is fundamentally wrong and should be corrected, wrote Alito in his concurring opinion.

The Philadelphia case, which originated in 2018, centered on the religious exercise protections offered by the First Amendment.

Catholic Social Services and two of its foster moms, Sharonell Fulton and Toni Simms-Busch, claimed Philadelphia officials violated their religious freedom by refusing to partner with agencies that, for religious reasons, wouldnt assess whether same-sex couples were suitable to adopt.

Philadelphia asserted that offering religious exemptions to its nondiscrimination rules would work against its goal of recruiting as many foster parents as possible.

Lower courts ruled in favor of the city, deciding its exclusion of some faith-based agencies did not violate the First Amendment. These rulings cited a 1990 Supreme Court ruling called Employment Division v. Smith, which said limits on religious rights are permissible if they stem from a neutral, generally applicable law.

The Supreme Court overturned these lower court rulings, stating that Philadelphias policy was not generally applicable since the city was willing to offer exemptions to nonreligious agencies. The ruling does not, as legal experts speculated it might, dramatically redefine how the Supreme Court applies the First Amendment.

Still, many conservative religious organizations and advocacy groups described the courts decision as a major victory, praising the justices for protecting Catholic Social Services deeply held religious beliefs.

This ruling means that people of diverse convictions can still serve side by side for the good of vulnerable children in our communities. We can ensure a clear, dignified path for all who wish to foster or adopt, including LGBT+ individuals, while also ensuring that faith-inspired agencies and families can continue to serve without being forced to violate their religious beliefs, said Jedd Medefind, president of the Christian Alliance for Orphans.

Kelly Shackelford, president and CEO of First Liberty Institute, a law firm focused on religious freedom issues, called the ruling a tremendous victory for religious liberty.

Punishing religious organizations for acting consistently with their sincerely held religious beliefs is wrong. The court ensured that religious adoption providers can continue their centuries-old work serving families and children without suffering government discrimination, he said in a statement.

Archbishop Nelson Perez, who leads the Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia, said the decision ensures that religious foster parents can continue partnership with the agencies best suited to serve their unique needs.

Todays ruling allows our ministries to continue serving those in need (and) foster families to find an agency that shares and reflects their faith, he said during a press call hosted by the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, which represented Catholic Social Services and the moms in the case.

Leaders from more liberal faith groups and LGBTQ rights advocates had a dimmer view of how the courts decision could impact foster care services.

By ruling in favor of Catholic Social Services, the justices will make it harder for the thousands of children stuck in the church of the foster care system to find homes, said Katy Joseph, director of policy and advocacy for Interfaith Alliance, in a statement.

The constitutional right to religious freedom protects the sanctity of personal belief. However, that freedom ends when the exercise of ones faith would harm the rights or well-being of another. This decision vastly distorts our first freedom by allowing faith-based providers to needlessly restrict the pool of prospective foster and adoptive parents, she said.

The Rev. Serene Jones, president of Union Theological Seminary, similarly decried the decision, but said she was relieved the court did not issue a broader decision that could have weakened LGBTQ anti-discrimination laws across the country.

Let me be clear: God loves LGBTQ people. Anyone that says otherwise is fundamentally misunderstanding and warping our scripture, she said.

Like Jones, leaders from the ACLU celebrated that the impact of the courts ruling will be more limited than it could have been.

We are relieved that the court did not recognize a license to discriminate based on religious beliefs, said Leslie Cooper, deputy director of the organizations LGTBQ & HIV Project, in a statement.

Catholic Social Services, as well as many of the organizations that filed Supreme Court briefs supporting its case, had asked the court to overturn Smith and make it harder for any government official to place limits on religious activities.

In the majority opinion, Roberts said the case did not call for such a sweeping resolution, since the city of Philadelphia clearly violated the legal test laid out in previous religious freedom rulings.

The city has burdened the religious exercise of (Catholic Social Services) through policies that do not meet the requirement of being neutral and generally applicable, he wrote.

Philadelphias anti-discrimination law is not generally applicable since it offers foster care agencies the option of requesting individual exemptions, Roberts added.

The creation of a formal mechanism for granting exceptions renders a policy not generally applicable, regardless whether any exceptions have been given, he said.

The Supreme Courts decision brings needed clarity to the world of First Amendment litigation, said Lori Windham, senior counsel for Becket, during the Thursday press call.

The court made it clear that when the government is going to cut corners and make exceptions for other people it cant crack down on religious freedom, she said.

Luke Goodrich, who is also senior counsel for Becket, took to Twitter to push back against claims that Thursdays decision was narrow. He and other religious freedom advocates believe its now clear that Smith is not long for this world.

There are at least five votes, likely six, to overrule it. Its only a matter of time before the court restores even stronger protections for religious freedom, Goodrich said.

If Smith were overturned, it would be easier for faith groups to win exemptions to LGBTQ anti-discrimination laws, as well as other policies, as the Deseret News reported earlier this month.

Thursdays decision is the latest in a string of Supreme Court victories for religious groups. In the past year, justices repeatedly ruled for churches challenging state-level COVID-19 gathering restrictions. Before that, they sided with religious schools facing lawsuits from former employees and religious families seeking access to public scholarship funds.

In part because of concerns about the Supreme Courts conservative majority and the justices approach to religious freedom, LGBTQ rights advocates on Thursday reiterated their calls for Congress to pass the Equality Act, which would broaden the scope of anti-discrimination law.

Congress must now listen to an overwhelming majority of voters and pass the Equality Act to update our civil rights laws to ensure explicit protections from discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, including in federally-funded programs, said James Esseks, director of the ACLUs LGBTQ & HIV Project, in a statement.

The Alliance for Lasting Liberty, a coalition of religious freedom and LGBTQ rights advocates that includes The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is also calling on Congress to take action on anti-discrimination law in the months ahead.

However, theyd like to see policymakers pass the Fairness for All Act rather than the Equality Act, since they believe the former bill strengthens both religious and gay rights.

We continue to call on Congress to pass comprehensive federal legislation that protects LGBT people and the free exercise of religion, the alliances statement said.

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We need another Freedom Summer | Column – Tampa Bay Times

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According to Newtons Third Law of Motion, for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. If societal struggles are subject to laws similar to the world of physics, here is a reaction to the nationwide restrictions on voting revive Freedom Summer 1964.

From the mid-1950s through the mid-1960s, America experienced a revolution in the legal rights of Black citizens, sometimes through the power of non-violent protests, too often in response to horrific state-sanctioned violence. In most of the momentous events that constituted the modern civil rights revolution, students and young people led the way.

In 1960, four courageous Greensboro, North Carolina, Black college students sat down at a segregated Woolworths lunch counter. As required by law at the time, they were denied service because of their race. Their plan was to not leave until they were served, despite the expectation of white supremacist physical assault. Somehow the brave pioneers survived, and the sit-in movement spread throughout the South.

In May 1961, the first two buses of Freedom Riders arrived in Alabama in a daring effort initiated by the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) to test compliance with U.S. Supreme Court decisions mandating desegregation of interstate transit. Nearly half of the original CORE Freedom Riders were college students. The first bus was fire-bombed outside Anniston; the second was met at the Birmingham Trailways terminal where several Riders were beaten by a mob of Klansmen, under the watchful and approving eyes of local police.

The battered Freedom Riders were forced to abandon their planned bus ride to New Orleans. But students at Fisk University and other historically Black schools in Nashville under the leadership of a young student named Diane Nash refused to permit failure. Training more than 400 volunteers from around the country, scores of freedom buses were dispatched, primarily to Mississippi, where young activists filled the states jails and prisons.

The following year, 1963, John Lewis and Bernard La Fayette, leaders of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and former college roommates, organized a voting rights campaign around Selma. In the heart of Alabamas Black Belt, they and a band of foot soldiers created so much good trouble that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) eventually built a voting rights campaign that led to the march from Selma to Montgomery that set the stage for the Voting Rights Act signed by President Lyndon Johnson in August 1965.

The triumph of voting rights legislation would not have been possible without the example set by the student volunteers of the Freedom Summer campaign a year earlier. In 1964, nearly a thousand students from across the country devoted their summer to the difficult and dangerous work of registering Black voters in Mississippi.

Freedom Summer volunteers came to Mississippi risking life and limb. One of them, Queens College student Andrew Goodman, along with James Chaney and Michael Schwerner, was murdered by local police on his first day in the state. Now, more than a half century later, we face a coordinated assault on voting rights every bit as anti-democratic as that faced by the Freedom Summer volunteers. Young Americans who will inherit whatever form of democracy can be sustained, can come to the aid of a democracy in grave danger of dissolving into autocracy.

The assault on democracy and voting rights is so widespread, taking place in so many states, young volunteers can devote a summer, or perhaps even a full year, working for democracy in their home state or temporarily relocating to other states where voting rights are under attack. Florida, Texas, Georgia, Arizona, Arkansas, Montana, Indiana, Iowa, Ohio the list of states goes on, and will continue unless the call to action is answered with determination to save our democracy. Students can apprentice themselves to community groups and church groups in states that have been targeted for voter suppression.

Groups on the ground can recruit people to host and provide housing for visiting voting rights defenders. They can organize volunteers to staff offices, register voters, assist with the application process to vote by mail, staff phone banks, and drive people to the polls on early voting days or Election Day. Everyone can be involved in resisting the metastasizing of undemocratic voting laws.

But this call for a new Freedom Summer is directed primarily toward to a new generation of high school and college-age Americans, urging them to accept the challenge of assuming the mantel of their courageous activist predecessors. What could be more fulfilling, or more important, than sustaining the legacy of Freedom Summer and voting rights campaigns of earlier generations by dedicating time to the defense of American democracy? What an opportunity to serve, to learn, to expand horizons. What an opportunity for young people, once again, to do great things for their country.

Raymond O. Arsenault was the John Hope Franklin Professor of Southern History at the University of South Florida, St. Petersburg until his retirement in December 2020. One of the nations leading civil rights historians, he is the author of several acclaimed books, including Freedom Riders: 1961 and the Struggle for Racial Justice. He is currently writing a biography of the legendary voting rights activist John Lewis.

Howard L. Simon was the longest-serving state affiliate executive director of the America Civil Liberties Union, serving as Michigan director from 1974 to 1997 and Florida director from 1997-2018. He is an author of Floridas 2018 constitutional amendment restoring voting rights to those who have completed their sentence for a prior felony conviction.

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