Thread by @americansunited

Good morning, all! It's Sam (@samsokol19) back live-tweeting Day 3 of the #KavanaughHearings. We're all a little tired 😴... but let's do this!

Yesterday, Kavanaugh dropped some major hints about how he plans to undermine church-state separation on the Supreme Court. #StopKavanaugh

Yesterday, Kavanaugh clearly stated that he thinks it's ok for the government to fund religious activities with taxpayer funds.

Each of us should get to decide for ourselves whether & how our money supports religion–that’s a guarantee of the U.S. Constitution. #StopKavanaugh

So what does that mean if Kavanaugh is confirmed? Kavanaugh could force:
⚠️The gov't to fund religious programs
⚠️States to send public money to religious schools instead of public schools
⚠️Taxpayers to fund religious beliefs they disagree with, like LGBTQ discrimination

🚨The Senate Judiciary Committee is starting on Day 3 of Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing🚨

🎥Watch live here: bit.ly/2NXijE0 #StopKavanaugh

While the committee continues to question Kavanaugh, here's what you can do right now: ☎️Call your Senators and tell them to vote NO☎️ at [phone]! #KavanaughHearings

Kavanaugh portraying the far-right Federalist Society, which opposes the separation of church state, as balanced and fair to both sides. #KavanaughHearings

Kavanaugh just emphasized the constitutional promise that "religious people and nonreligious people are all equally American." We agree!

But his stance allowing the gov't to promote religious beliefs makes many feel like outsiders & second-class citizens. #KavanaughHearings

.@SenTedCruz currently asking Kavanaugh about his role fighting for public school-sponsored prayer in the Santa Fe case. In that case, Kavanaugh fought to allow a public school to broadcast prayers over the loudspeaker. #StopKavanaugh

Brett Kavanaugh: "Religious speakers are entitled to an equal space in the public square, including in the school auditorium or gymnasium."

Not quite, Brett. Young, impressionable kids should NEVER be forced to listen to prayers & proselytizing in public school. #StopKavanaugh

✔️Of course, kids have a right to express their religion in public school.
❌Kids don't have a right to force their public school to broadcast their prayers over the loudspeaker. #StopKavanaugh #KavanaughHearings

During questions from @SenTedCruz, Kavanaugh explained that the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) is "an important addition" for protecting religious freedom.

But Kavanaugh ignored that RFRA has been misused & twisted to allow religion to be used to harm others.

That's a MASSIVE omission. RFRA has been used, by some, to use "religious freedom" as an excuse to:
❌justify discrimination against women, LGBTQ people, & minority religions
❌deny access to healthcare
❌evade child welfare laws
#StopKavanaugh

We've been fighting to restore RFRA so that it can't be used to discriminate by supporting the #DoNoHarmAct. But Brett Kavanaugh doesn't seem to have a problem with using RFRA to discriminate. #StopKavanaugh bit.ly/2DQIVp3

.@TedCruz asked Kavanaugh about Priests for Life, a case where Kavanaugh argued that bosses should be able to use their religious beliefs to block their employees' access to birth control. #StopKavanaugh

.@tedcruz: Employers who want to use their religion to obstruct access to birth control coverage for their employees are the "little guy" fighting big, bad, government

He's wrong. The "little guys" are the women who just want to make their own healthcare choices.

hey brett,

religious beliefs
⊂_ヽ
　 ＼＼ don't
　　 ＼( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
　　　 >　⌒ヽ
　　　/ 　 へ＼
　　 /　　/　＼＼ give you the right
　　 ﾚ　ノ　　 ヽ_つ
　　/　/
　 /　/|
　(　(ヽ
　|　|、＼ to discriminate
#StopKavanaugh

Amazing piece by @BishopMinerva in the @sacbee_news about why Kavanaugh is a threat to religious freedom. 👏 bit.ly/2NVvuoW

Senator @MazieHirono to Brett Kavanaugh: "Does the freedom of religion clause supersede other rights?" #StopKavanaugh

.@MazieHirono just nailed it.

Filling out a 2 page form =/= a burden.

When employers use religion to obstruct access to birth control coverage, it's women who are unfairly burdened. #StopKavanaugh #HandsOffMyBC

Senator @MazieHirono is now asking Kavanaugh about the Muslim Ban case, in which #SCOTUS ignored Trump's attacks on Muslims. Will Kavanaugh continue to rubber stamp Trump-style discrimination?

Over the past 3 days, Kavanaugh said 4 times that the U.S. Constitution treats all people equally, whether they're religious or nonreligious.

But Kavanaugh just refused to stand up for Muslims discriminated against by Trump's shameful Muslim ban. #KavanaughHearing #WhatsAtStake

If equal justice extends to all faiths, why didn’t Kavanaugh say #NoMuslimBanEver? #KavanaughHearings

We thought so yesterday...Kavanaugh IS clutching a tattered copy of the U.S. Constitution! Hope that's not foreshadowing his plans for our founding document. 😬

.@SenKamalaHarris: Do you think marriage equality was correctly decided?
Kavanaugh: Brings up Masterpiece Cakeshop, the case where SCOTUS declined to decide if religious freedom could be used as an excuse to discriminate against LGBTQ Americans.

Wishful thinking? #StopKavanaugh

.@SenKamalaHarris just asked Kavanaugh if Obergefell, which legalized marriage equality, was a great decision like Brown v. Board of Ed.

Kavanaugh wouldn't answer.

Ok, we're onto round three with eight minutes of questions by each Senator at the #KavanaughHearings! It's gonna be a late night, friends.

BREAKING: 🚨In a second, newly leaked email, Kavanaugh wrote that the Constitution allows the government to fund religious organizations even when that means funding religious programs🚨 bit.ly/2NT8Ihl

Every American should get to decide whether and how their money supports religion. That's why we have the First Amendment. #StopKavanaugh

Wow. @SenFeinstein just asked Kavanaugh about his role as "walking point" for Pres. Bush's faith-based initiative, which allowed religious organizations to discriminate against LGBTQ people with taxpayer funds. #KavanaughHearings

Here's what Kavanaugh said about the faith-based initiative:
1) He doesn't remember particulars about employment discrimination against LGBTQ people.
2) He's had meetings with Log Cabin Republicans.
#KavanaughHearing

Brett Kavanaugh might say he doesn't remember allowing religious organizations to discriminate against LGBTQ Americans with taxpayer money, but we do. #StopKavanaugh

For the third time at the #KavanaughHearing, Kavanaugh brings up Masterpiece Cakeshop when asked about LGBTQ rights.

Why?

Will Kavanaugh limit LGBTQ rights by ruling in a case like Masterpiece that people can use their religion to discriminate against LGBTQ people?

Senator @MazieHirono quotes Justice Kagan: "The Supreme Court has been weaponizing the First Amendment" to advance political agendas. #KavanaughHearings

Here's an example: Religious freedom is meant to be a shield to protect us, not a sword to harm others. Many have been weaponizing religious freedom as a way to harm and discriminate against others. #StopKavanaugh