Becket Fund for Religious Freedom is a non-profit organization based in Washington, D.C. which describes itself as "a non-profit law firm and a public interest that defends the religious freedom of people of all faiths." The Becket Fund promotes accommodation and is active in the judicial system, the media, and in education.
Video Becket Fund for Religious Liberty
​​Sejarah dan Kepemimpinan Becket Fund
The Becket Fund was founded in 1994 by Kevin Hasson, who previously worked at the Legal Advisory Office of the Department of Justice and the law firm of Washington Williams & Connolly, where he became famous and controversial for defending the Catholic University's decision to dismiss Charles Curran for his opposition to the Church's doctrine even though he was a respected moral theologian. Hasson was named The Becket Fund after Saint Thomas Becket, who was Archbishop of Canterbury from 1162 to 1170 during the reign of King Henry II of England. A long series of fighting with King Henry ended with Becket's murder and martyrdom at Canterbury Cathedral in 1170. His last words were the acceptance of death in the defense of the church of Christ.
In 2011 Hasson resigned as President of Dana Becket, paving the way for William P. Mumma who has since served as President and Chairman of the Board. Kristina Arriaga, Executive Director of Dana Becket starting in 2010 and a member of the company since 1995, is now a "Senior Advisor to the Board". Montse Alvarado, who started with Becket in 2009, replaces Arriaga as Executive Director in 2017.
In 2014, the IMF has eleven litigation lawyers, and an estimated budget of five million dollars. The company operates as a non-profit organization.
Maps Becket Fund for Religious Liberty
Missions
The established IMF mission is to "protect the free expression of all religious traditions." Clients include Buddhists, Christians, Hindus, Jews, Muslims, Sikhs, and Zoroastrians. The organization argues that "freedom of religion is a basic human right that can not be legally denied by law, it is not a gift of the state, but it is rooted in the inherent dignity of human beings." The expression of religion (of all traditions) is a natural part of life in a free society, and religious arguments (on all sides of the question) are elements of a normal, healthy public debate: People and religious institutions are entitled to participate in public life on an equal basis with others, and should not be excluded for confessing their faith. "
Case of the Supreme Court
The Becket Fund has served as an adviser to the Supreme Court for three cases of religious freedom since 2012 beginning with Hosanna-Tabor v. EEOC (2012). As a result of this case, the United States Supreme Court unanimously voted (9-0) to support the ministerial exclusion doctrine for the first time, excluding religious institutions from anti-discrimination laws in employee recruitment.
They also acted as advisers to plaintiffs at Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores Inc. (2014) in their struggle to free themselves from having to pay for four different drugs and tools that they consider to be abortifacients. The court ruled 5-4 in favor of Hobby Lobby which asserts that family-owned businesses have the right to operate according to their conscience.
The latest case of the Becket Fund has filed a lawsuit to the Supreme Court is Holt v. Hobbs (2015). A Muslim prisoner in the Arkansas prison system wants to grow a beard according to his faith. When he was denied his request he wrote a petition to the Supreme Court requesting to hear his case. The court agreed to take the case and Dana Becket represented Mr. Holt, arguing that the refusal of the plaintiff's right to grow his beard according to his faith is a clear violation of the Land Use Law and Institutionalization of Persons (RLUIPA). The Supreme Court will then unanimously decide to support Mr. Holt.
The Becket Fund has also filed a petition to the Supreme Court in two cases involving the contraceptive mandate of the Department of Health and Human Services on health insurance coverage paid by employers, which at that time has been consolidated into Zubik v. Burwell: Little Sister of the Poor v. Burwell, and Houston Baptist University and East Baptist University v. Burwell.
The court proceedings of the Supreme Court of Becket have also been extended to other cases, recently filing the amicus file at Reed v. Town of Gilbert (2015), Sac & amp; Fox nations v. Borough of Jim Thorpe (2015) EEOC v. Abercrombie & amp; Fitch Stores (2015).
Other litigation activities
The Becket Fund has represented groups and people from different religious traditions; Its founder, Kevin Hasson, was quoted as saying that Becket Fund defended "the religious rights of people from 'A to Z', from Anglican to Zoroastrian."
Leading clients include the country's oldest Hindu temple, the Hindu Society of North America, in Flushing, New York City, Prison Fellowship International, a Muslim student in Richardson, Texas, seeking to pray dhuhr at the Lloyd V. Berkner High School, the quiet Zen Buddhist meditation in New York state claimed by the neighbors will make too much noise.
Previous clients also included the City of Cranston in an effort to preserve the Prayer Banner at Cranston High School West.
The Becket Fund represents a public school student in the Sacramento area who is trying to keep reading the latest form of the Pledge of Allegiance (including the words "under God") in Newdow v. Carey , the second case brought by Michael Newdow attempted to remove the words "under God" from the Pledge of Allegiance. The Becket Fund also represents an intervention in the challenge for the Loyalty Pledge in Hanover, a New Hampshire public school. Both cases were resolved by supporting the current pledge language.
The Becket Fund recently helped the Matawan-Aberdeen Regional School District in New Jersey. A group of atheists challenges the words "under God" who regard the phrase as a Clause of Establishment. The case was brought to the High Court of New Jersey where the phrase "under God" once again governs constitutional. Atheist groups do not appeal.
Another Becket Fund client is a mosque in Murfreesboro, Tennessee that is denied the right to use the building by a local court after complaints that the mosque is promoting terrorism.
Among the Becket Fund's government clients are the states of Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, and Oklahoma, the city of Jersey City, New Jersey, and Spartanburg County School District. 7.
The Becket Fund has also filed a lawsuit on behalf of prisoners who seek to continue following their beliefs in prison. The Becket Fund has sought to ensure that devout Jewish prisoners are provided with halal food in every prison in the United States. Currently pending is the case of Moussazadeh v. Texas Department of Criminal Justice, who is looking for halal food for Becket Fund client Max Moussazadeh.
Another significant litigation area for the Becket Fund is the use of religious land. The Becket Fund carries its first case under the Land Use and Community Institutionalization Act (RLUIPA), and has been involved with RLUIPA litigation across the United States.
International events
The Becket Fund advocates on behalf of religious freedom in international forums. It has represented Muslim clients in the European Court of Human Rights, and has assisted in pre-litigation and litigation in Europe, Asia, and Australia. As a non-governmental organization in Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations, the Becket Fund has also made an annual presentation on religious freedom issues of concern at the UN Commission on Human Rights meeting, and since 2006, at the United Nations. Human Rights Council. The Becket Fund also operates the Becket Institute, an academic center that focuses on issues of religious freedom.
The Becket Fund has been a strong contender of the concept of "defamation of religion" as it has been presented at the United Nations and elsewhere. Dana Becket argues that protecting religion against slander puts the government in a position to decide which religious concepts are valid and thus worth protecting, and will lead to the suppression of religious and non-religious speeches.
Canterbury Medal
The Canterbury Medal is the highest award awarded by Becket Fund. He acknowledged those who had shown courage in defending religious freedom and were named for the Canterbury Cathedral, where Thomas Becket was martyred by King Henry II's knighthood for his own defense of religious freedom. The Canterbury Medal is given annually to one "who is firmly and openly refuses to hand over to Caesar what belongs to God." Founded in 1997 and has been awarded every year starting from that year.
The Canterbury Medal Dinner honors last year's medalists and also serves as a venue for The Becket Fund to shine. This dinner was attended by religious leaders of all faiths as well as by various public figures and members of the press.
Recipient
The source of religious freedom
In addition to these activities, Dana Becket provides resources to the public and other civil rights attorneys. For example, he operates resource sites on the Land Use Law and Institutionalization of People of Religion, freedom to preach without fear of IRS censorship or levy, the Blaine Amendment, and religious freedom in Sri Lanka. It also provides a continuing legal study program in collaboration with Western Law Edcenter.
The Becket Fund also provides a hub for all cases related to the HHS Mandate known as the HHS Mandate Information Center
References
External links
- Becket's Fund for Religious Freedom - official web page
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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