Civil Rights and Liberties:

Therefore we fervently support:

• registration of all eligible voters and encourage voters to become knowledgeable about the issues, as well as the importance of their vote.
• uniform national election standards, including ballot format, voting procedures, and counting methods to ensure the validity of the democratic process.
• equal rights for all, regardless of race, age, gender, disabilities, religion, national origin, or sexual orientation.
• eliminating the use of racial and ethnic profiling in law enforcement.
• affirmative action, as beneficial to women and minorities, while safeguarding against abuse and ensuring fairness.
• freedom from acts of censorship.
• efforts to maintain privacy and security of information transmitted across the Internet.
• responsible self-regulation by media groups, Internet service and content providers, and software vendors in the marketing and distribution of their products by rating sites and providing filters based on violence or adult content.
• reproductive freedom for all women, unrestricted access to clinics and to physicians who perform legal abortions, and continued resistance to challenges to these freedoms before any court of law, including the United States Supreme Court.
• legislation and programs that protect the confidentiality of genetic and medical support information that could impact on both job security or insurance eligibility.
• anti-crime strategies that render communities safer, including legislation that promotes gun safety and education on violence prevention.
• the use of U.S. foreign aid as a vital tool in bolstering democratic movements abroad, thereby safeguarding American political and economic interests.


Church and State Issues:

We reaffirm our strong support for the firm wall of separation between church and state as a fundamental tenet that enables our democracy to secure the rights of all citizens, regardless of religious affiliation. We also encourage the continued vigilance of Women's American ORT's members regarding the intent and impact of any legislation that may endanger religious freedom.


We ardently oppose:

• interference of any kind with religious practices in accordance with the United States Constitution.
• inclusion of prayers or religious programs within public schools or institutions.
• use of public property, including schools and governmental areas, for religious displays.
• school vouchers, or any other programs, that provide publicly funded monies or aid to parochial or private schools.
• Initiatives which provide public funds for the delivery of social services by faith-based organizations, without safeguards to prevent proselytization, coercion, indoctrination, or discrimination toward any client or employee.





Additional Women's American ORT Resolutions