YMCA and the establishment clause
Sent in by SailorFraud
This is in reference to the YMCA evicting the atheist youth group, Camp Quest, posted in March 2007. I sent a letter to Americans United for Separation of Church and State (AU) and got a response that they will respond when they have the time.
AU recently sent me an email with detailed questions. The letter is posted below. Can you please answer their questions, or direct me to someone who can answer them, or perhaps post it on your site so the audience can answer them?
Thanks!
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This is in reference to the YMCA evicting the atheist youth group, Camp Quest, posted in March 2007. I sent a letter to Americans United for Separation of Church and State (AU) and got a response that they will respond when they have the time.
AU recently sent me an email with detailed questions. The letter is posted below. Can you please answer their questions, or direct me to someone who can answer them, or perhaps post it on your site so the audience can answer them?
Thanks!
Thank you for contacting Americans United. I apologize that it has taken a while to get back to you. As you might imagine, our office has been extremely busy.
Because the YMCA is not a public entity, its actions probably do not constitute an Establishment Clause violation.
Do you know if the YMCA is receiving public funds to maintain these camp grounds? Do you know if the YMCA owns this land or if it rents it from the city?
I look forward to your response.
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Comments
I am the author of this post. Americans United recently sent me an email asking specific questions on the YMCA eviction of Camp Quest case, and have offered to take legal action if necessary. However, they need to have the questions answered, and I am not familiar with the case.
If anyone can answer the questions, please post a comment here or email to me: sailerfraud@yahoo.com
I will then forward the information to AU and they can best determine the best course of action.
Thanks,
Bill (aka Sailerfraud)
You can’t sue the Ford Motor Company, for example, for violating the First Amendment. There are provisions of statutory law that apply to the private sector, but in order to prevail on a First Amendment claim, you must be suing the government.
The YMCA is not the government.
In the meantime, what are your opinions? I think YMCA receives too much federal funding and tax breaks to be non-partial.
Executive Order 12549
Should the YMCA be approached? Sure.
Federal taxes must support programs that benefit all legally abiding U.S. citizens. If that isn't the case, then the Federal Gov't is financing discriminatory agencies, and it can't do that, since they are mandated to "follow" the Federal Constitution, Executive Orders, Public Orders, etc.
The problem one may run into, is that the Fed spends more money than it can regulate or have direct oversight on, the crook conveyor belt is running much faster than the federal court's ability to oversee and prosecute, IMHO.