With the Bill of Rights as its starting point, the ACLU is a principled organization that guides us in rationalizing our relationships with each other and with the state. 
The ACLU protects the freedom to practice any religion, or no religion at all. We work to prevent an excessive entanglement of government and religion, as the framers of our Constitution intended. We advocate for the free exercise of religion, including the rights of Muslims and Jews to wear religiously appropriate headgear, for Jehovah’s Witnesses to refrain from saluting the flag and accepting medical treatment, and for the Santeria to engage in ritual animal sacrifice. We oppose government endorsements of religion, including Latin crosses displayed on government buildings, prayer at public school graduation ceremonies, and the statutory command that school children pray or reflect during a daily moment of silence. We also oppose government aid to religious activity, including tuition tax credits for religious education, legislative earmarks for religious institutions, and special treatment for and direct sponsorship of the Boy Scouts (which practices religious discrimination).
Featured Items
Standing up for the First Amendment in Chicago
Protests and demonstrations often are aimed at an audience that would strongly prefer not to hear the message. For example, the First Amendment protects the right of labor unions to... Continue reading
ACLU of Illinois weighs in on Ten Commandments controversy
A proposal by members of the Saline County Board to post a plaque with the Ten Commandments on the property of the County Courthouse recently drew a sharp objection from... Continue reading
