Though Americans United has been leading the fight to retain our religious freedom without governmental interference in a democratic and pluralistic society since 1947, our local chapter is relatively new.  We organized in January 2001 in the face of unprecedented attacks on the separation of church and state that we always thought were guaranteed in both the U.S. and Florida constitutions.

At the time of this writing, we already have over 300 local members.  We are holding monthly board meetings and quarterly membership  meetings, hearing speakers and debating threats to our religious liberties and freedom of
 conscience.  We are writing letters, telephoning, faxing and e-mailing our state and national elected representatives, urging them to oppose legislation imposing the heavy hand of government on freedom of religious choice and threatening our freedom of conscience.

We are trying, through these meetings, letters to editors, and by other means to educate the public on the importance of both religious liberty and keeping religious bodies and the government in their respective spheres.  We monitor local conditions, especially in our public schools, to ensure that misguided zealots do not use their positions of authority over our children to indoctrinate or impose their own religious beliefs.

We need your help and we invite your participation.  We are people of various faiths or no faith, but we are all dedicated to preserving our freedom of conscience and our right to believe and act on religious matters as we choose.  There is plenty for all of us to do.  Please join us.
Wade Matthews, President