Author: Aziz Haniffa , Washington
Publication: India Abroad News
Date: February 2, 2001
Resident George W. Bush's "faith-based
initiative", designed to allow religious charities and non- profit organizations
to compete for federal funding in the battle against the nation's social
programs, has drawn criticism from groups keen to keep the church and the
state separate.
Flanked by 35 religious leaders
from the nation's monotheistic faiths - Christianity, Judaism, and Islam
- Bush had signed an executive order creating offices in the White House
and five Cabinet agencies to ease government regulations and boost federal
funding of religious charities.
The 35 religious representatives
who participated in the White House ceremony did not, however, include
any representatives of Hindu, Sikh, or Buddhist groups.
Bush's initiative drew immediate
criticism from groups concerned about maintaining separation of church
and state, but the president and his aides moved to downplay the religious
component, instead emphasizing that the proposal's overall purpose was
to boost community and civil society.
"Government will never be replaced
by charities and community groups," Bush told the assembly of interfaith
and community service leaders. "Yet when we see social needs in America,
my administration will look to faith-based programs and community groups,
which have proven their power to save and change lives."
"We will not fund the religious
activities of any group, but when people of faith provide social services,
we will not discriminate against them," he said.
Specifically, Bush created an Office
of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives in the White House, to be headed
by Professor John Dililio of the University of Pennsylvania, which will
work with centers at the Departments of Justice, House and Urban Development,
Health and Human Services, Labor and Education, to ease regulations that
inhibit religious charities and to promote grass-roots efforts.
Representatives of groups such as
Americans United for Separation of Church and State and the American Civil
Liberties Union (ACLU) assailed the initiative and charged that besides
violating the constitution it raised civil rights questions as well.
Steve Benen, a spokesman for Americans
United for Separation of Church and State said: "It's creating a new government
bureaucracy created to funnel tax dollars to religious institutions. It
is merging church and state at an unprecedented level."
Meanwhile, Laura Murphy, director
of ACLU's Washington's office, said civil rights of a person could be violated
as well because she said there was nothing that requires a Jewish-run mental
health program for example to treat members of other religions.
But Bush defended his initiative,
saying he was convinced that the plan is constitutional, "because we will
not fund a church or synagogue or mosque or any religion, but instead we'll
be funding programs that affect people in a positive way".
