Masked federal agents are taking immigrants as they leave court hearings. Those who are less at risk of being targeted by ICE are needed to stand up and offer protection to our neighbors. Borderlands Resource Initiative and Puente offer rapid response trainings on how to help. More info and trainings here.

As you're likely aware, religious extremists have been making a concerted, organized effort to take over school boards in order to push a Christian nationalist agenda. The Stand for Children Fellowship teaches you how to organize, engage with school boards, and push back effectively. Click here to learn more and apply.  

There’s something happening here 

What it is is ABUNDANTLY clear. 

There’s an orange man with no clothes over there

He’s so gross, we can’t help but stare. 

Or something like that. 

¿Holy frijoles, Secular FAMilia, como estas? Did you know that right now, where I’m sitting comfortably in my air-conditioned home in the ‘Slope was once Mexico? That’s right! And before that, it was Native land. Specifically the Huhugam (Hohokam) Tribe.

If there’s one thing white Americans love, it’s taking ownership of things that don’t belong to them. Human beings, land, language, music, food, pop culture, ideas, hope, I could go on and on.

Read the rest of this article on Secular AZ's Substack. 

THIS WEEK IN SECULAR NEWS

A devastating loss for transgender people and for the Constitution:  The Supreme Court's ruling in U.S. v. Skrmetti allowed Tennessee's ban on gender-affirming hormone therapies for transgender people under 18 to remain in effect. The Court determined that the law does not draw a sex-based line, thus requiring deferential review. The ACLU and Lambda Legal, who challenged the law on behalf of transgender adolescents and their families, emphasize this ruling's devastating impact on trans youth and their access to crucial healthcare, noting that over 100,000 transgender people under 18 now live in states with similar bans. Once again, the cruelty seems to be the point. More.

Protecting abusers and privileging religion: In a move that shocks absolutely no-one, the Trump administration is suing Washington State over a new law mandating clergy to report child abuse, calling it "anti-Catholic" and a violation of the First Amendment. Trump's Justice Department argues the law forces Catholic priests to choose between their religious obligations and criminal charges. This supports a lawsuit by Washington State Catholic bishops, who claim discrimination as attorneys are exempt from the reporting mandate. It's not surprising that an administration packed with adjudicated and accused rapists and sexual harassers seeks to shield and protect child abusers. More.

Two-shirts Kim back in court:  Kim Davis, the former Kentucky county clerk who likes the sanctity of hetero marriage so much she's personally sanctified it four times with three husbands, is still fighting the 2015 Supreme Court ruling that legalized same-sex marriage. After the passage of Obergefell v. Hodges (10 years ago this week), Davis gained notoriety for denying marriage licenses to same-sex couples, citing (of course) her "sincerely held religious beliefs." Despite a federal judge ordering her to pay $360,000 in damages and attorney fees to a couple she denied a license, Davis and her lawyers plan to appeal to the Supreme Court again with the goal of overturning Obergefell. More.

Not a safe space: Since 1952, non-religious leaders from around the globe have gathered at the World Humanist Congress to talk about secular issues. Next year's event was supposed to be held in Washington DC. However, organizers have relocated the 2026 World Humanist Congress from the U.S. to Ottawa, Canada. Citing safety concerns and hostility toward secular values under the Trump administration, event co-host American Atheists couldn't guarantee attendee security, especially for those from targeted regions. The decision reflects fears of escalating religious nationalism and executive actions restricting civil liberties, making the U.S. an "inhospitable environment" for an inclusive international gathering. More. 

Horse, barn, toothpaste, tube, etc: The U.S. is veering towards totalitarianism, an intensified form of authoritarianism, due in large part to religion, says historian Mike Lofgren. A significant portion of the American population prefers mystical beliefs over observable facts, a mindset that's receptive to fantastic promises and relentless demonization. These Americans are susceptible to totalitarian propaganda, where the leader's word is absolute. This deep-seated cultural and religious backwardness, coupled with a rotting of democratic institutions, creates fertile ground for exploitation by someone like Trump, who embodies a charismatic, totalitarian style. An electorally crucial segment of the population has proven receptive to the fantastic promises, nonstop lies, and relentless demonization integral to the totalitarian message. More.