Friday, November 22, 2024
Hawai'i Free Press

Current Articles | Archives

Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Civil Rights Lawyer: Moanalua HS Concert Constitutional
By Selected News Articles @ 1:54 PM :: 6516 Views :: Education K-12, Religion

Legal threat cancels fundraiser

by Bob Kellogg   (OneNewsNow.com)

Tuesday, December 11, 2012 Hawaii's Department of Education has canceled a high school orchestra's fundraising event because it was to be held at a church-- an action that one attorney calls another anti-Christmas pronouncement from the government.

The Moanalua High School orchestra has been holding Christmas concerts for years to raise money for Mercy Ships, which houses American doctors who are on a medical mission in Africa. Those physicians help the residents, some of whom have never seen a doctor.

But Mat Staver of Liberty Counsel reports that no money will be raised this year, thanks to a complaint from Mitch Kahle, founder of the Hawaii Citizens for Separation of Church and State. According to the Hawaii Reporter, his letter to the Department of Education was written on Freedom From Religion Foundation stationary.

"This is absurd, because this concert is permissible," Staver asserts. "They've raised many, many dollars for good causes, and it's certainly not unconstitutional for a public school orchestra or other singers to go to a religious venue like, in this case, New Hope Church and have a concert."

The Liberty Counsel founder notes that his firm offers free advice on how to combat these kinds situations.

"Our 'Friend or Foe' Christmas Campaign is designed to educate and, if necessary, to litigate to make sure that Christmas is not censored, to make sure that these kinds of situations do not occur," Staver details. "We have a lot of free information there on our website. We also give free legal advice, free legal defense."

The award-winning orchestra has reportedly raised $200,000 over the last six years through their annual Christmas concert. TheHawaii Reporter explains that even though last weekend's concert was canceled, New Hope planned on trying to make up for the $30,000 that was promised to Mercy Ships this year by holding its own concert.

 

Links

TEXT "follow HawaiiFreePress" to 40404

Register to Vote

2aHawaii

Aloha Pregnancy Care Center

AntiPlanner

Antonio Gramsci Reading List

A Place for Women in Waipio

Ballotpedia Hawaii

Broken Trust

Build More Hawaiian Homes Working Group

Christian Homeschoolers of Hawaii

Cliff Slater's Second Opinion

DVids Hawaii

FIRE

Fix Oahu!

Frontline: The Fixers

Genetic Literacy Project

Grassroot Institute

Habele.org

Hawaii Aquarium Fish Report

Hawaii Aviation Preservation Society

Hawaii Catholic TV

Hawaii Christian Coalition

Hawaii Cigar Association

Hawaii ConCon Info

Hawaii Debt Clock

Hawaii Defense Foundation

Hawaii Family Forum

Hawaii Farmers and Ranchers United

Hawaii Farmer's Daughter

Hawaii Federation of Republican Women

Hawaii History Blog

Hawaii Jihadi Trial

Hawaii Legal News

Hawaii Legal Short-Term Rental Alliance

Hawaii Matters

Hawaii Military History

Hawaii's Partnership for Appropriate & Compassionate Care

Hawaii Public Charter School Network

Hawaii Rifle Association

Hawaii Shippers Council

Hawaii Together

HiFiCo

Hiram Fong Papers

Homeschool Legal Defense Hawaii

Honolulu Navy League

Honolulu Traffic

House Minority Blog

Imua TMT

Inouye-Kwock, NYT 1992

Inside the Nature Conservancy

Inverse Condemnation

July 4 in Hawaii

Land and Power in Hawaii

Lessons in Firearm Education

Lingle Years

Managed Care Matters -- Hawaii

MentalIllnessPolicy.org

Missile Defense Advocacy

MIS Veterans Hawaii

NAMI Hawaii

Natatorium.org

National Parents Org Hawaii

NFIB Hawaii News

NRA-ILA Hawaii

Obookiah

OHA Lies

Opt Out Today

Patients Rights Council Hawaii

Practical Policy Institute of Hawaii

Pritchett Cartoons

Pro-GMO Hawaii

RailRipoff.com

Rental by Owner Awareness Assn

Research Institute for Hawaii USA

Rick Hamada Show

RJ Rummel

School Choice in Hawaii

SenatorFong.com

Talking Tax

Tax Foundation of Hawaii

The Real Hanabusa

Time Out Honolulu

Trustee Akina KWO Columns

Waagey.org

West Maui Taxpayers Association

What Natalie Thinks

Whole Life Hawaii