We’re currently working on a compilation of video highlights from Chicago’s Stand Up for Religious Freedom Rally, but there’s already a great deal of footage from the rally posted on YouTube. Citizen journalism at its finest!
Following a spirited march from Federal Plaza to Daley Plaza, Father Frank “Rocky” Hoffman led off the rally with a rousing talk:
After three consecutive days of rain, the skies cleared today to allow for a gorgeous autumn day in Chicago for the Stand Up for Religious Freedom Rally’s flagship event.
In the shadow of the building that formerly housed the transition team offices of President Barack Obama, enthusiastic crowds packed downtown Chicago’s Federal Plaza and received signs reading “Stand Up for Religious Freedom”, “Stop Obama’s HHS Mandate”, and “Vote for Life and Liberty” along with handheld American flags.
Shortly after noon, the assembled crowd of 1,700 made their way to Dearborn Street and marched four blocks north to Daley Plaza. At the front of the march were dozens of teens and young adults from the Crusaders for Life pro-life club based out of Chicago’s St. John Cantius Parish, who held aloft several 15-foot high yellow balloon trees and led the crowd in a series of exuberant cheers. [Continue reading …]
Stand Up for Religious Freedom Rally Co-Chairman Eric Scheidler has an article posted today on the Manhattan Declaration blog, highlighting the nationwide rallies this Saturday and the ongoing fight against the HHS Mandate.
Here’s an excerpt:
Earlier this year, the prestigious magazine Crain’s Chicago Business published their list of the top ten workplaces for women in the entire Chicago area. At the very top of that list was a company called Triune Health Group, which is owned and managed by Chris and Mary Anne Yep.
One of the main reasons that the Yeps’ company received this special honor is their generous benefits package, including an outstanding health plan. They have also implemented policies to accommodate the special needs of women, from single moms who may need time off to care for a sick child, to flexible work hours for women dealing with breast cancer or other health problems.
But Chris and Mary Anne Yep haven’t only made news this year by being named the “Best Workplace for Women” in Chicagoland. They have also been in the headlines because they are suing the federal government over the HHS Mandate. [Continue reading …]
The next Stand Up for Religious Freedom Rally is only five days away, and today our list of cities has topped 140!
More than 125,000 people attended the March 23 and June 8 Rallies, and the number of cities on board for October 20 indicates that the Stand Up for Religious Freedom campaign shows no signs of weakening.
On the contrary, opposition among the American people to the HHS Mandate’s assault on religious freedom is intense—and getting stronger!
From Miami, Florida to Seattle, Washington and all the way out to Honolulu, Hawaii the American people are sending a message that we will not stand idly by while the federal government forces all employer health plans to provide free contraceptives, sterilizations, and abortion-inducing drugs, regardless of any moral or religious objections.
Check out the Locations Page to see all the cities taking part and find a Rally near you.
Going into last night’s debate, everyone knew there was a rather stark difference between the two presidential tickets on the issue of religious freedom.
Following the debate, that difference is now even starker. On the one hand, Rep. Paul Ryan spoke clearly about the assault on religious freedom that is the HHS Mandate, and, on the other hand, Vice President Joe Biden flat out lied about it.
On the heels of last night’s debate, we’ve beefed up our Voting and Elections Resources page by adding several Election Day voter guides from some great organizations: [Continue reading …]
At last night’s vice presidential debate, Rep. Paul Ryan deftly raised the issue of the HHS Mandate after he was asked to explain his position on abortion.
Ryan said:
What troubles me more is how this administration has handled all of these issues. Look at what they’re doing through Obamacare with respect to assaulting the religious liberties of this country. They’re infringing on our first freedom, the freedom of religion, by infringing on Catholic charities, Catholic churches, Catholic hospitals. Our churches should not have to sue the federal government to maintain their religious liberties.
A few minutes later, Vice President Joe Biden said something truly astonishing:
With regard to the assault on the Catholic Church, let me make it absolutely clear: no religious institution, Catholic or otherwise, including Catholic Social Services, Georgetown Hospital, Mercy Hospital, any hospital, none has to either refer contraception, none has to pay for contraception, none has to be a vehicle to get contraception in any insurance policy they provide. That is a fact.
No, it’s not a fact. It’s a lie. [Continue reading …]
Of the many tools at our disposal for fighting against the HHS Mandate, one of the most important is prayer.
Today began the Novena to Stop the HHS Mandate, which will be prayed by tens of thousands over the next nine days leading up to the Nationwide Rally for Religious Freedom on Saturday, October 20th.
Incidentally, October 20th is also the start of the International Prayer and Fasting Campaign, which runs through November 6th—Election Day. [Continue reading …]
One of the great things about the media coverage of the March 23 and June 8 Stand Up for Religious Freedom Rally was seeing the same signs held by rally participants nationwide.
For the March rally, we shipped 4,000 signs to rally captains in well over 100 cities. For the June rally, we upped the ante considerably — instead of thousands of signs, we shipped tens of thousands.
These signs are essential to keeping our message simple and conveying it in an unmistakably clear way: We are for religious freedom, and we are against the HHS Mandate.
This time around, we placed an order for 24,000 signs, and we’ve added a third sign to the line-up that reads, “Vote for Life and Liberty.” [Continue reading …]
It’s been said frequently — and quite rightly — that not even Jesus and His Apostles would qualify as being “religious enough” under the HHS Mandate’s so-called “religious exemption.”
The vast majority of faith-based organizations don’t qualify either, nor do Bible publishers.
The Washington Times reports:
The Obama administration is claiming that a dedicated Christian publisher of Bibles and ministry material is insufficiently religious to qualify for an exemption to the contraception mandate in the president’s health-care overhaul.
According to a federal lawsuit filed Tuesday in the District of Columbia by Tyndale House Publishers, the company has been refused a “religious employer” exemption because the Health and Human Services Department categorically maintains that any for-profit publisher is not a “religious employer.” [Continue reading …]
The next Stand Up for Religious Freedom Rally is still more than three weeks away, and today our list of cities has grown to 130!
More than 125,000 people attended the March 23 and June 8 Rallies, and the number of cities already on board for October 20 indicates that the Stand Up for Religious Freedom campaign shows no signs of weakening.
On the contrary, opposition among the American people to the HHS Mandate’s assault on religious freedom is intense—and getting stronger!
From Miami, Florida to Seattle, Washington and all the way out to Honolulu, Hawaii the American people are sending a message that we will not stand idly by while the federal government forces all employer health plans to provide free contraceptives, sterilizations, and abortion-inducing drugs, regardless of any moral or religious objections.
Check out the Locations Page to see all the cities taking part and find a Rally near you.
Don’t see one in your area? There’s still time to organize one!
You can find out what it takes to be a local Rally Captain here.
