Source: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

http://www.nccbuscc.org/comm/archives/2003/03-242.htm

On December 22, 2003 the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops reported that delegates of The National Council of Synagogues and The U.S. Catholic Bishops Committee for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs met on December 11, 2003, at St. Marys Seminary and University in Baltimore, MD to discuss their concern for a peaceful resolution of the Israeli-...

Source: Tolerance.org

http://www.tolerance.org/news/article_tol.jsp?id=915

On December 22, 2003 Tolerance.org reported on how the artwork of Cynthia Duxbury is educating Americans on the danger of anti-Arab stereotypes. Duxbury has recently completed a compelling image "playing Santa's hat off the turban of a bearded, faceless man. After creating the side-by-side Santa/turban images, Duxbury added the words: 'Funny how the tiniest thing can make people feel different...

Source: Richmond Times-Dispatch

Source: The Brattleboro Reformer

http://www.reformer.com/Stories/0,1413,102~8862~1843031,00.html

On December 20, 2003 The Brattleboro Reformer published an article on how Gurudharm Singh Khalsa, the new group and corporate sales director for the Putney Road Quality Inn, is turning his responsibilities of welcoming guests and serving his community into ways of educating others on Sikhism. Khalsa comments that his job provides the perfect secular opportunity...

Source: Religion and Ethics News Weekly

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/week716/profile.html

On December 19, 2003 the Religion and Ethics News Weekly reported on Jewish volunteers who are carrying out a tradition of doing good deeds while giving Christians the day off on Christmas. At the D.C. Jewish Community Center in Washington, DC, the annual December 25 community service project registers hundreds of Jewish volunteers to work throughout the...

Source: International Herald Tribune

http://www.iht.com/articles/122040.html

On December 19, 2003 the International Herald Tribune published an editorial responding to the recent French ban on headscarves, Jewish skullcaps and large crosses: "So far, thanks to God, karma and Constitution, nobody has proposed an outright ban on religious head gear on this side of the Atlantic. Yet it reminds us that the freedom to be religiously different is always fragile. For example, in August...

Source: The Associated Press

http://www.fac.org/rel_liberty/publiclife/news.aspx?id=12368

On December 18, 2003 The Associated Press reported, "Two women are seeking a federal court order to overrule a town's refusal to allow a Nativity scene to be displayed alongside a Christmas tree and menorah in a town park. Maureen Donnell and Fern deNarvaez filed a lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in West Palm Beach, arguing the town's policy violates their rights to...

Source: The San Francisco Chronicle

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/news/archive/2003/12/13/state0327EST0008.DTL

On December 13, 2003 The San Francisco Chronicle reported,"California corrections officials have agreed to serve kosher meals to Jewish inmates, settling a federal First Amendment lawsuit brought by a man serving a 60-year sentence for child molestation. The settlement arrived at this week requires...

Source: Americans United for Separation of Church and State

http://www.au.org/press/pr031202.htm

On December 12, 2003 Americans United for Separation of Church and State published an article criticizing "White House 'Faith Czar' James Towey for suggesting that 'fringe' religious groups won’t get funding under the Bush administration’s 'faith-based' initiative. During a Nov. 26 online 'Ask the White House' question-and-answer session, Towey was asked about the possibility...

Source: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

http://www.ajc.com/opinion/content/opinion/1203/12faith.html

On December 12, 2003 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution published an editorial taking a stand against recent comments by H. James Towey that pagans and other "fringe groups" won't benefit from the Bush Administration's Faith- Based Initiatives. The Journal-Constitution comments that "it's unclear what the president and governor's faith-based initiatives hope to...

Source: The Associated Press

http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/news/local/7474761.htm

On December 12, 2003 The Associated Press reported that "federal authorities say Philadelphia police wrongly barred a female officer from wearing a Muslim head scarf, a ruling that could lead to a civil rights lawsuit against the city.

The local U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission office ruled last month that the department appeared to have violated the rights of...

Source: The Idaho Statesman

http://www.idahostatesman.com/story.asp?ID=56317

On December 12, 2003 The Idaho Statesman reported that "Catholics, Protestants, Jews, evangelical Christians, gays, toughs, peace advocates, and passers-by in cars quietly countered a protest in Boise by a handful of relatives of Pastor Fred Phelps of the Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kan. Nine Westboro church members picketed churches Sunday and marched along Capitol Avenue to spread his...

Source: Richmond Times - Dispatch

Source: Contra Costa Times

http://www.bayarea.com/mld/cctimes/content_syndication/local_news/7475177.htm

On December 12, 2003 the Contra Costa Times reported that "a federal judge has decided that seventh-grade teachers in a small East Contra Costa school district did not violate the U.S. Constitution when they asked students to pretend to be Muslim in lessons about Islam. The case against the Byron school district fueled a national debate...

Source: Al-Jazeera

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/F447DB5C-38CB-472C-AD9E-C22B75D17E56.htm

On December 9, 2003 Al-Jazeera reported on the pervasive impact of September 11 on American Muslim charities. The article reports that "groups set up to assist impoverished peoples in areas such as the West Bank, Chechnya and Afghanistan are struggling to hold on to their base support, according to several representatives of the Muslim American...