Boca Raton, October 17, 2012…Today, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) directly emailed over 40,000 Floridians urging them to vote no on Amendment 8.  This e-mail is part of ADL's vigorous advocacy against Amendment 8, which started in 2011 when this harmful measure was initiated by the Florida Legislature. 

David Barkey, ADL's Florida-based National Religious Freedom Counsel, issued the following statement:

"Deceptively titled 'Religious Freedom,' Amendment 8 has everything to do with state funding of Florida houses of worship It has nothing to do with the right of Floridians freely to practice their various faiths in our houses of worship.

 

"For 127 years, the Florida Constitution has served its citizens well.  It allows religiously-affiliated groups like Catholic Charities, Jewish Federations and Lutheran Social Services to obtain taxpayer dollars to perform important social services open to all qualified Floridians.  However, it wisely draws the line at funding religious activities and houses of worship."

ADL's e-mail exposes the misleading nature of Amendment 8.  It warns voters that Amendment 8 would undercut separation of church and state in Florida.  If adopted, the Amendment would channel taxpayer dollars directly to houses of worship under many circumstances, without any accountability as to whether state funds are used for proselytizing or religious activities.  And Amendment 8 is in no way limited to mainstream religious groups.  Any group calling itself a religion – no matter how offensive, hateful or extreme – could not be denied taxpayer dollars because of its beliefs.