News

The numbers are most telling among those who consider themselves religious, with 56 percent of those affiliated with historically black Protestant churches saying their faith has been strengthened by the pandemic, followed... READ MORE

In 1654, the first Jews arrived in New Amsterdam (present day New York City). Commemorating more than 350 years since that first landing, President George W. Bush proclaimed May 2006 the first annual Jewish-American Heritage... READ MORE

A Massachusetts member of a white supremacist group created an online calendar day designating April 3 as “Jew-killing day,” planting a five-gallon plastic canister filled with gasoline near a Jewish assisted-living home... READ MORE

“They were snickering, they started drawing red marks for blood,” recalled Jimmy McGee, Impact Movement president, who was leading the meeting. “Then they started calling out by our names. By that time we realized we... READ MORE

Human Rights Watch’s (HRW) 30th annual world report, compiled earlier this year and recently released, indicates that there is still much to do in eradicating human rights abuses, religious intolerance and violence. READ MORE

As the numbers of hate crimes, and other expressions of intolerance and bigotry continue to rise, and as actions once considered unacceptable have increasingly become the norm a ray of light surfaces each year at the fourth... READ MORE

“Let us renew our faith in one another and draw strength from the good that is gathering in troubled times as communities of diverse faiths and ethical traditions unite to care for one another. Together, we can and will... READ MORE

This year’s Holocaust Day marks the 75th anniversaries of the liberation of the Auschwitz concentration camp, the end of the Holocaust and the end of World War II. Recent polling from the Pew Research Center, however, shows... READ MORE

In an iconic show of unity and brotherhood, a Muslim and a Jew, paramedic partners in Israel, paused during one particularly busy day to pray—the Muslim kneeling on his prayer rug facing Mecca; the Jew donning his prayer... READ MORE

With thousands falling ill daily, sex-trafficking promoter Tony Ortega viewed COVID-19 as an opportunity to stir up hate against religion. He first intentionally misrepresented a bulletin issued to all Scientologists. READ MORE

“In every battle against ignorance and bigotry we have fought, we sought greater freedom for all faiths,” said STAND International Director Edward Parkin. “Our purpose is to enable every person on this earth to believe... READ MORE

In the year since the ban, which applies to teachers, police officers, judges, prison guards and other public servants, many religious Canadians in the public sector have seen their lives change. Some who can, have simply... READ MORE

The Secretary-General of the United Nations joined with the U.S. State Department and India’s External Affairs Ministry in denouncing the incident in which dozens of civilians were killed and injured. READ MORE

On Sunday, March 15, 2020, people of Christchurch gathered at the Al Noor and Linwood Mosques in a simple but powerful gesture of community. READ MORE

The lone bright spot in the terror was the courage and compassion of the community’s Sikhs, many of whom risked their lives to give food and shelter to their Muslim neighbors. READ MORE

“Today is a total victory for religious freedom,” said International STAND Director Edward Parkin. “The Superior Court of California’s decision to uphold the sanctity with which religious agreements are born is a vindication... READ MORE

In the wake of a rash of hate crimes against individuals and institutions of the Jewish faith, people from many religions gathered in Mineola, New York, to protest the attacks. READ MORE

Continuing a tradition established by Pope Paul VI in 1968, Pope Francis proclaimed January 1, 2020, the 53rd World Day of Peace. In a message commemorating the special day, he described peace as “a journey made together... READ MORE

While the world’s Jewish community came together to celebrate the Festival of Lights this week, three anti-Semitic attacks occurred in New York City in the span of 24 hours. READ MORE

The STAND team extends its wishes for a bright, happy holiday season to friends, allies and all those across the globe working to make the warmth of these few precious weeks a reality year-round, and to end suffering, hardship... READ MORE

A nationwide survey of 6,364 U.S. adults confirmed that the majority of Americans value churches and religious organizations . According to the poll by the Pew Research Center, 55 percent believe that churches and religious... READ MORE

According to a national survey of 1,639 adults released earlier this month by CNN, a substantial majority of Americans feel that the nation’s increasing diversity is a good thing. READ MORE

“Freedom of religion or belief, freedom of opinion and expression, the right to peaceful assembly and the right to freedom of association are interdependent, interrelated and mutually reinforcing. They are enshrined in articles... READ MORE

“Our hearts go out to the victims of the El Paso and Dayton shootings and their families. We stand with you, and, in so doing, join with all Americans who despise hate and discrimination in their many forms,” said STAND’s... READ MORE

Hailing the study as the “first-of-its-kind,” the university released a statement in which Chunara said, “We found that more targeted, discriminatory tweets posted in a city related to a higher number of hate crimes.... READ MORE

“STAND is proud to participate alongside officials of the Church of Scientology both in this historic Ministerial and the International Religious Freedom Roundtable, which has played a vital role in making this event possible,”... READ MORE

Nat Hentoff, the iconic journalist who had written for the publication since 1958 and was revered as “The Voice of the Voice,” was among the many staff terminations. In 2008, Ortega fired Hentoff via telephone. READ MORE

The Declaration stands as one of the greatest milestones along humanity’s long, winding and often rocky path toward greater freedom and human rights. READ MORE

“For 10 years, I’ve been telling people about the importance of human rights and mentioning the United Nations … but yesterday, I not only attended a Summit at the United Nations, I was given a Human Rights Hero Award….... READ MORE

During his tenure as Editor-in-Chief of The Village Voice, numerous arrests and prosecutions were conducted in connection with the sex trafficking of children via Backpage.com. As the Editor-in-Chief, how could it be... READ MORE