For over two years, we have been locked in a

            battle with the ACLU to stop their radical

            agenda to criminalize Christianity. Just in

            time for Independence Day weekend celebrations,

            the ACLU's reign of terror in Santa Rosa

            County is coming to an end! This battle

            appears to be won, but the war rages on. We

            must keep the ACLU from invading your community

            like they did the Panhandle region of Florida.

            Please read my thankful (and hopeful!) message

            below - Mat. 

Two years ago, two senior school employees were charged with

criminal contempt and faced $5,000 in fines, six months in

jail, and the loss of their collective 70 years of retirement

benefits. 

      Their "crime" was asking a blessing over a meal.

This happened because the American Civil Liberties Union's

(ACLU) radical agenda to criminalize all expressions of

Christianity in public settings, in this case taking the

form of an unconstitutional Consent Decree, was implemented

in Santa Rosa County, Florida.

Now, after two years of intense legal confrontations, faced

with an imminent trial and damning evidence of their

extensive constitutional violations, the ACLU and the

Santa Rosa School District have agreed to settle Liberty

Counsel's federal lawsuit challenging their notorious

Consent Decree on behalf of 24 students, teachers, parents,

and community members.

      The Consent Decree that led to criminal indictments

      against school employees for prayer and banned simple

      expressions like "God bless" in Santa Rosa County

      Schools will now be totally dismantled and recreated

      as a document that AFFIRMS the constitutional rights

      of students, teachers, administrators, parents, and

      anyone else affected by this Northwest Florida schools

      district!

Actually, the amended Consent Decree will restore dozens of

constitutional religious freedoms that were previously being

infringed upon or denied to our clients.

As a result of this settlement, Liberty Counsel's clients

who are teachers will now...

      be able to pray at school during their break times;

      pray during school events in a non-official capacity;

      attend and fully participate in baccalaureate services;

      have a Bible on their desk; wear religious jewelry;

      and assign readings from the Bible to students when

      relevant to non-religious academic assignments.

Among other religious liberties peculiar to their status as

students, young people in Santa Rosa County will now...

      be allowed to voluntarily pray; submit religious answers

      in homework assignments; and freely participate in

      private after school religious programs.

Other client groups will have similar rights restored and

once again breathe the invigorating air of religious freedom

in this Northwest Florida school district!  Praise be to God!

This is a huge step in the right direction and a victory for

the citizens Santa Rosa County. This settlement ends our

two-year court battle against a Consent Decree that threatened

the religious freedoms of Americans everywhere and made

headlines across the nation for its anti-Christian attacks,

such as charging school leaders with crimes for saying a

prayer over their meal.

The notice of settlement was filed with the court this morning

and awaits official approval by the School Board and the Court.

++We are rejoicing but cannot become complacent!

Any military officer knows that the most vulnerable time for

his battle force is after a major victory.  That's because

an adversary is most likely to counter-attack after a long,

exhausting assault has depleted their opposition's resources.

As I have shared over the past several weeks, the ACLU and

their local confederates have tried to bury us in paperwork,

depositions, and all manner of excessive legal procedures.

But with God's help and the prayers and support of friends

like you, we persevered to the end and reached a successful

conclusion!

       To state the obvious, the ACLU is NOT HAPPY with the

       Santa Rosa School system's decision to settle and

       throw out their unconstitutional "Consent Decree!"

We also know that this ACLU "Consent Decree" initiative in

Santa Rosa County has been a template of what the ACLU wants

to do across the country, including your community. We

believe that we have not seen the end of this outrageous

ACLU strategy - and anticipate counter-attacks will begin...

possibly in a place near you or your loved ones.  

       Santa Rosa County, Florida, has truly been "ground zero"

       for America's religious liberty, but it has also been a

       "proving ground" for the ACLU's bullying tactics!

++The battle plan going forward.

Liberty Counsel MUST be able to continue standing up to the

ACLU until every situation in which religious liberty and

freedom are being threatened is fully resolved!  But please

know that these are very expensive battles. This case consumed

(and is still consuming) enormous amounts of our precious

time and resources, most of which will not be reimbursed. 

Patrick, I know that many of our key supporters have

already contributed to help us meet this challenge.  But

even if you have already taken action with us in Santa Rosa

County, the ongoing fight to stop the ACLU bullies is

worthy of every freedom-loving American's ongoing support. 

      Will you prayerfully consider making a tax-deductible

      gift today to help Liberty Counsel continue fighting

      on behalf of liberty, life, and family at this pivotal

      time in American history?

A gift of $30 or more will entitle you to receive a free

copy of the newly released best-selling book "Resurgent: How

Constitutional Conservatism Can Save America" by Ken Blackwell

and Ken Klukowski. This book is a vital read for all Americans

who want to "see the path forward" from the morass of

liberalism the Obama Administration and their sycophants

(like the ACLU!) has brought us. 

Click here to support Liberty Counsel's ongoing battle against

the deep-pocketed ACLU and many other litigation efforts,

including taking down ObamaCare, and to learn more about

"Resurgent":

http://www.libertyaction.org/r.asp?U=44187&CID=333&RID=31193592

++Liberty Counsel is aggressively restoring our culture!

The Santa Rosa County case is another example of the way in

which Liberty Counsel's body of work for over 21 years has

become an indispensible asset for all those who love liberty,

life, and family.  And with the help of thoughtful Americans

like you, we will continue to have an enormous impact on our

culture for good!

      Every day, Liberty Counsel's staff is engaged in legal

      advocacy on behalf of the public interest - like our

      resolute opposition to the ACLU's bullying in Northwest

      Florida.

A majority of the hundreds of cases in our current docket will

be handled without ever going to court. But the ones that do

go to court, like our epic battle in Santa Rosa County,

usually require extensive preparation and research.

Of all the cases we handle, 95% are resolved without going

to court.  Of the remaining 5% that goes to court, our win

ratio is 86% since 1989 and 92% since 2004.

And, as in this momentous outcome in Santa Rosa County, our

win ratio against the ACLU is even higher!

Much of what we do is never reported in the media. We

represent, free of charge, those people and organizations

whose liberties are threatened by the bullying tactics of

the ACLU and other anti-faith, anti-freedom, anti-family

groups.

      It's only because of friends like you that any of

      this can happen! Voluntary financial support from

      tens of thousands of thoughtful, modern-day patriots

      makes it possible for us to turn back assaults on

      our freedom.

Click here to tell me, "Yes, Mat! I (we) stand with you and

Liberty Counsel, and will make a special gift at this pivotal

time in our nation's history":

http://www.libertyaction.org/r.asp?U=44188&CID=333&RID=31193592

We depend on friends who give $25, $50, $100, $500, $1,000 or

even more - whatever the Lord leads.  And for a limited time,

your gift of $30 or more will entitle you to receive a free

copy of the newly released book, "Resurgent: How Constitutional

Conservatism Can Save America" by Ken Blackwell and Ken Klukowski.

Please go here:

http://www.libertyaction.org/r.asp?U=44189&CID=333&RID=31193592

Thank you for continuing to stand with us and God bless you!

And thanks be to God for giving us this monumental victory

in Santa Rosa County. To Him goes the glory! 

Your partner in the defense of true liberty,

Mathew Staver, Founder and Chairman

Liberty Counsel

P.S. It is extremely challenging these days to be fighting

both the ACLU and the Department of Justice (as in our lawsuit

against ObamaCare), both of which seem intent on running

roughshod over our unalienable, God-given rights and reducing

America into just another European-style socialist nation. 

God forbid!  Please consider a special gift to Liberty

Counsel today:

http://www.libertyaction.org/r.asp?U=44190&CID=333&RID=31193592     

+ + Comments? Questions?

http://www.libertyaction.org/r.asp?U=44191&CID=333&RID=31193592

Liberty Counsel, with offices in Florida, Virginia and

Washington, D.C., is a nonprofit litigation, education and

policy organization dedicated to advancing religious freedom,

the sanctity of human life and family. 

Liberty Counsel . PO Box 540774 . Orlando, FL 32854 .800-671-1776

July 1, 2011