Friday President Barack Obama was confronted by an atheist asking why faith based organizations receiving federal funds are allowed to continue to discriminate in hiring or firing based on religious preference, or lack thereof.
Speaking at the University of Maryland, President Obama tried to answer the earnest atheist's question by arguing that the administration had struck a balanced position with regards to religious discrimination in the hiring practices of faith based organisations receiving taxpayer money, by pursuing a "case by case" strategy.
Yet for many freethinkers, atheists, and others with a healthy respect for the venerable wall of separation between church and state, Obama's "balanced position" represents a disappointing compromise of secular values fundamental to American government.
Adding insult to injury, by compromising on religious discrimination by tax payer funded groups, Obama is breaking a campaign promise. As the atheist questioner so eloquently points out, in 2008 Obama pledged "that no organization receiving taxpayer funds would be able to discriminate in hiring or firing based on a person's religion."
The following is a transcript of question and answer:
Question: I'm an atheist. And in Zanesville, Ohio in 2008, you asserted that no organization receiving taxpayer funds would be able to discriminate In hiring or firing based on a person's religion. However, you have not rescinded the Executive Order that permits that type of discrimination. In a time of economic hardship, when it is difficult for a person to get a job based on her skills, what would you say to a woman who has been denied employment because of her religion, or lack of religious beliefs, by a taxpayer-funded organizations.
President Obama: Well, this is a very difficult issue, but a more narrow one than I think might be implied. It's very straightforward that people shouldn't be discriminated against for race, gender, sexual orientation or religious affiliation. What has happened is that there has been a carve-out, dating back to President Clinton's presidency, for religious organizations in their hiring for particular purposes.
This is always a tricky part of the First Amendment. On the one hand, the First Amendment ensures that there is freedom of religion. On the other hand, we want to make sure that religious bodies are abiding by general laws. Where this issue has come up is in fairly narrow circumstances where for example you've got a faith-based organization that's providing certain services they consider part of their mission, to be promoting their religious views, but they may have a daycare center associated with the organization, or they may be running a food pantry. And so then the question is, does a Jewish organization have to hire a non-Jewish person as part of that organization.
Now, I think that the balance we have tried to strike is to say that if you are offering - if you have set up a non-profit that is disassociated from your core religious functions and is out there in the public doing all kinds of work then you have to abide generally with the nondiscrimination hiring practices. If, on the other hand, it is closer to your core functions as a synagogue or a mosque or a church, then there may be more leeway for you to hire somebody who is a believer of that particular religious faith.
It doesn't satisfy everybody. I will tell you a lot of faith-based organizations think that we are too restrictive in how we define those issues. There are others, like you obviously, who think we are not restrictive enough. I think we've struck the right balance so far, but this is something we continue to be in dialogue with faith-based organizations about to try to make sure that their hiring practices are as open and inclusive as possible.
Friday's relevant Twitter stream shows that many are disappointed in Obama's "case by case" approach, while many others are simply pleased that an atheist had the courage to self identify as an atheist, and to stand up for what is right.
First person at Obama townhall - "Mr. President, I'm a big fan. And I'm an atheist"
Obama believes he's struck the right balance in continuing to discriminate against atheists.
Obama at Univ. of Maryland: O now taking questions from ppl. First person says she's an ATHEIST. WOW
at town hall w/ Obama on national debt, atheist attacks religiously-affiliated charitable organizations = Angry Atheist Syndrome
Heard Obama just got asked a great question by an #atheistabout funding discriminatory faith-based initiatives. Answer? Just spin.
I half-salute Obama for trying to gently let the woman down and hint he won't do jack squat about atheist employment grievances
#Obama speak: Question about atheist discrimination by public firm. Being asked by citizen to stand up for his promises.
Girl talking to Obama just outed herself as an atheist. Swag.
Comments