ADL to HUD Secretary: Faith, Money & Politics Are a 'Volatile Mixture'
New York, N.Y., March 7, 2003 … Calling the latest "charitable choice" initiative from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) "patently unconstitutional and deeply disturbing," the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) today announced that it has submitted formal comments to HUD harshly criticizing its proposed new regulations.
"If the proposed HUD rules were to be enacted, for the first time ever, churches would be able to use taxpayer dollars to build their facilities," said Abraham H. Foxman, ADL National Director. "We believe that the proposed rules are patently unconstitutional and deeply disturbing and show why faith, money and politics are a volatile mixture."
The proposed HUD rules:
- Unconstitutionally channel taxpayer dollars to religious entities for the construction of buildings.
- Create a whole new type of social service voucher, which could leave the nation's poorest and neediest at the mercy of those who would proselytize them.
- Require HUD to continually oversee and monitor religious institutions for compliance with the proposed rules' requirements that religious activity not occur in government-funded spaces.
"The proposed rules also fail to address the crucial question of what HUD will do if a religious entity uses the facility for religious purposes," said Mr. Foxman. "Will US Marshals enter the building to halt worship? Will HUD destroy the building? Will they place liens on it?"
The Anti-Defamation League, founded in 1913, is the world's leading organization fighting anti-Semitism through programs and services that counteract hatred, prejudice and bigotry.
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