<p style=text-align: right;><span style=background-color: transparent;>July 22 2020</span></p><p>We are progressive Catholic theologians community leaders ministers and advocates who write to express our strong concerns about the current draft of the Commission on Unalienable Rights. As persons who live and serve in this nation we cherish and affirm our founding documents and the development of human rights in our country. These have enabled us to strive for a more perfect union and they affirm that all persons are created equal that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights that among these are Life Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.</p><p>First we note with dismay the inappropriate way in which the Report was rolled out. Soliciting Cardinal Timothy Dolan in order to all but baptize it through his inexplicable presence and prayer raises serious concerns for us as Catholics to the intentions of the Commissioners. Cardinal Dolans presence conveys the distinct impression that the Report reflects a Christian perhaps even a Catholic perspective rather than taking seriously the separation of Religion and State.</p><p>Second we enumerate three specific concerns about this Report related to: 1) the right to religious freedom 2) the global interdependence and indivisibility of human rights and 3) the selective ambiguous and problematic nature of the Reports historical interpretation of the development of human rights in our country.</p><p>(1) Religious Freedom. The Report focuses on inalienable rights and highlights religious freedom together with property rights as primary. Apart from a brief historical explanation and numerous references to these rights it does not address the development of religious freedom from the time of the Framers to the present. The ramifications of the plurality of religions respect for an individuals religious views and conscience and the legal ramifications of the separation of state and religion are missing.</p><p>The writers presuppose that the United States is a country that embraces its Protestant republican and liberal traditions without elaborating on what the cultural changes over the last two hundred years mean for their interpretation. Human rights are founded not only on a Christian (natural law) theory but have a home in many other religious and non-religious traditions. The Commissioners ignore the Universal Declaration of Human Rights perspective on religious freedom as well as the internal debates with regards to religious freedom race equal rights of women and LGBTQ+ rights.</p><p>Most egregiously the document misses the present context of religious freedom namely the discrimination and danger which members of various religions among them Islam and Judaism experience in the United States.</p><p>We therefore recommend more nuance regarding the understanding of religious freedom and its relation to other human rights.</p><p>(2) Global interdependence. The Report elaborates in several sections on the positive role of U.S. foreign policy. Yet it is very clear from the text that the U.S. not only cannot but should not be bound by international agreements. This position undermines the validity of the overall human rights project which seeks international collaboration and accountability in pursuit of global justice. This position contradicts our countrys self-understanding since the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948.</p><p>While the Report emphasizes the commitment to international development and recommends that the United States lead by example it fails to acknowledge that the United States has recently pulled away from several international agreements that seek to protect basic life conditions on Earth our Common Home including the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement. The United States has failed to ratify other Conventions including the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).</p><p>We respectfully recommend that the Commissioners take these facts into account and revise the position on international cooperation in order to reflect the will of the majority of the American people on these issues.</p><p>(3) The Reports historical interpretation of the development of human rights in our country. The authors offer their own interpretation of U.S. history as a history of progress in the implementation of human rights. It acknowledges that Progress toward the securing of rights for all has often been excruciatingly slow and has been interrupted by periods of lamentable backsliding (see page 9). However the authors are reluctant to clarify when they are writing descriptively and when they infer normative claims about the history of the U.S. They do not question their own philosophical and religious principles that frame their historical interpretations and the resultant ramifications for establishing criteria to assess the validity of claims to human rights.</p><p>Finally they never name the violations of human rights in the present even though there are ample examples by the current DignityUSAistration from the violation of religious freedom (Islam) to the violation of the right to asylum and refuge the caging of immigrant children and their families the failure to protect the political rights and the social and economic security of its citizens during the pandemic the re-installment of the federal practice of the death penalty and many more.</p><p>In order for the United States to lead by example as the Report states the Trump DignityUSAistration should account for its present human rights violations and address these immediately.</p><p>In contrast to the Commissioners our Catholic faith calls us to embrace the following commitments to universal indivisible human rights:</p><p>We reject this Reports efforts to undermine the cohesion of human dignity and all human rights. Faithful to the principles enshrined in our nations founding documents and equally committed to the core principles that shape our Catholic faith we seek to determine priorities of actions arising in contexts and situations of human rights threats and/or human rights violations rather than drawing a line between civil and political rights on the one hand and social and economic rights on the other. We affirm the necessity to fight for the realization of universal human rights both domestically and in U.S. foreign policy.</p><p>We hold that one of the core principles of Catholic Social Teaching namely the preferential option for the poor and vulnerable requires us as Catholics to demand that our government set action priorities with special regard for the human rights of women and children as well as political religious racial and sexual minorities.</p><p>We emphasize explicitly that the right to religious freedom comes with the obligation to protect the rights of members of all religions and those who adhere to no religion as well as the obligation to protect and promote all human rights. Furthermore religious freedom must not be prioritized over other human rights nor must it be weaponized to discriminate against any person community or nation.</p><p>We hold that more rights do indeed create more justice. Likewise rights for more people beginning with those who have been excluded from basic protections create more justice.</p><p>We hold that global justice requires the cooperation of all nations with no nation claiming to place itself first above others. The commissioners position that the United States may interpret human rights in view of its national interests requires the explicit clarification that such accommodation must occur within the framework of human rights not against it. Otherwise our country would undermine the international solidarity that the human rights framework calls for and needs today to respond to global threats such as climate change and pandemics like Covid-19.</p><p>As Catholics we stand in solidarity with all witnesses of human rights violations and we commit ourselves to assure the human rights of every member of the human family independent of cultural political or religious allegiances. We support civil political social economic and cultural human rights. We urge the U.S. to re-commit itself to the effort to overcome human rights violations wherever they may occur and to support fully international collaboration necessary for global justice and peace.</p><p><br>Sincerely</p><p>Dr. Simon Mary Aihiokhai</p><p>Karen A. Allen</p><p>T. Andino</p><p>Edward M. Andrews</p><p>Dr. Maria T. Annoni</p><p>Jorge A. Aquino Ph.D.</p><p>Jane Audrey-Neuhauser</p><p>Regina Bannan PhD</p><p>Frank L. Barham MD MSHA MMH</p><p>Michael Barrett</p><p>Joseph A Batya</p><p>Rev. Kathleen Bean</p><p>Betsey Beckman</p><p>Leoanrd Bernardo</p><p>Rev. Dr. Beverly A. Bingle</p><p>Kathleen Blank Riether</p><p>Rev. Bernard (Bob) Bonnot</p><p>Guilherme Borges&nbsp;Pires</p><p>Thomas Borkowski&nbsp;</p><p>Patricia A. Boroughs</p><p>Nora Borso</p><p>The Rev. Gene Bourquin</p><p>Sharon Brady</p><p>Robert F. Brady Jr.</p><p>Iris Brenk</p><p>Roy Brooks-Delphin&nbsp;</p><p>Helen Brown</p><p>Roberta Brunner</p><p>Bruce Byrolly</p><p>Rev. Joseph D. Calderone OSA</p><p>John Clay Calhoun</p><p>Sharon Carpenter</p><p>Gloria Ray Carpeneto</p><p>Susanne M Cassidy</p><p>Terrence Charlton S.J.</p><p>MaryEllen Cocks</p><p>Michael Contreras-Cheatwood</p><p>Nancy Corcoran CSJ</p><p>Tom Cordaro</p><p>Jeanne M. Cotter</p><p>Margarita Covarrubias</p><p>Elaine Crawford</p><p>Pastor Michael-Vincent Crea</p><p>Gordon Creamer</p><p>William Curran</p><p>Patricia A. Daly OP</p><p>Dr. Neomi De Anda</p><p>Nick De Los Reyes</p><p>Roger De Silva</p><p>Francis DeBernardo</p><p>Carol J. Dempsey OP Ph.D.</p><p>Kathleen DesautelsSP</p><p>Rev. Michael C. DeSciose</p><p>Miguel H. Diaz Ph.D.</p><p>Samuel (Sammy) Diaz</p><p>Dr. J. A. Dick</p><p>Elizabeth S. Dirr</p><p>David Dirr</p><p>Mary Kay Dobrovolny RSM</p><p>Rev. Penny Donovan</p><p>John Kevin Donovan</p><p>Eleanor Anne Dote</p><p>John Doyle</p><p>Denise Dreher</p><p>Heather DuBois</p><p>Marianne Duddy-Burke</p><p>Suzanne R Dunn</p><p>Adolph Dwenger</p><p>D. Alexandra Dyer</p><p>Patrick F. Earl S.J.</p><p>Dr. Jerry Fath&nbsp;</p><p>Ann Fenelon</p><p>Laura Fitzgerald OSF</p><p>Loretta J Fitzgerald&nbsp; <br>Val Flanagan</p><p>Brian P. Flanagan <br>Dr. Dave Fletcher</p><p>Susan J. Forbes</p><p>Fred M Fosnacht</p><p>Rev. Jeanne Fournier</p><p>Rev. Mark R. Francis C.S.V.</p><p>Jane Fredricksen</p><p>Jerry and Lucy Furlong</p><p>Rosalyn Gallo</p><p>Rosemary Ganley M.Ed.</p><p>William George</p><p>Kathleen Gibbons Schuck</p><p>Pat Gorman</p><p>Jeannine Gramick SL</p><p>Kathleen&nbsp; Greenaway</p><p>Fr. Joseph K Grieboski</p><p>Leslie C. Griffin</p><p>Susan M. Grimes</p><p>Joseph Grochowski</p><p>Kevin Grose</p><p>Richard D Gullion</p><p>Luis T. Gutierrez</p><p>Bertha Haas</p><p>Teri Hadro BVM</p><p>Elli Haffey</p><p>Hille Haker Ph.D.</p><p>Billy Halgat</p><p>Margaret Hanson</p><p>A D Harris-Jacobs Ph D</p><p>Sharon Hartley</p><p>Willey Michael Hartnett</p><p>J. Hassan Barbara Havekost</p><p>Judith Heffernan M.Div</p><p>Dr. L. E. Hess Jacqueline Hidalgo</p><p>John P Hilgeman</p><p>Scott Hill OMI</p><p>Susan Hillis</p><p>Rosalind F. Hinton</p><p>Paula Hoeffer</p><p>Ed Hoeffer</p><p>A.P. Hopper</p><p>Genevieve Hornof</p><p>Joseph Hostetler</p><p>Manford Dwight Hotchkiss</p><p>Rev. Joan M. Houk</p><p>Janice A. Hughes</p><p>Soline Humbert</p><p>Mary E. Hunt Ph.D.</p><p>Mary Jo Iozzio &nbsp;</p><p>Martha Jaegers</p><p>Scott Jessup</p><p>Zach Johnson</p><p>Andrea M. Johnson</p><p>Pat Shannon Jones</p><p>Joyce Kahle</p><p>Theresa Kashin <br>Lawrence Kavanaugh</p><p>Carolyn B Kellogg</p><p>Esther Kennedy OP</p><p>Dr. Claire King</p><p>Daniel J. Knepper</p><p>Elizabeth Koopman</p><p>Fr. Myron Kowalsky</p><p>Diane Krantz</p><p>Barbara Krawczyk</p><p>Isaac Daniel Kreutzer</p><p>Mary Kay Kusner</p><p>Phil Laughlin</p><p>Bradley A. Leger</p><p>Robert D. Lepisko</p><p>Elizabeth Linehan RSM</p><p>Mariana Lpez&nbsp;</p><p>Robert Lord-Schell</p><p>Lara Lynch</p><p>Bernrd J. Lynch</p><p>Patrick Lyons</p><p>John M. Kingery</p><p>Timothy J. MacGeorge MDIV LCSW&nbsp;</p><p>Pax Christi Maine</p><p>LaDonna Manternach</p><p>Nancy and Henry Mascotte</p><p>I Christopher Mathews M.D.</p><p>Kevin B. Matthews</p><p>Michael J Mattioli&nbsp; PhD.</p><p>David S. Matz CPPS</p><p>Michelle McDonough</p><p>Muriel McDonough</p><p>Arlene McGarrity</p><p>Rev. Elsie Hainz McGrath</p><p>Jim McIntosh OFM</p><p>Brian McLauchlin</p><p>Brian McNaught</p><p>Ginger Megley&nbsp;</p><p>Dr. Peter Mena</p><p>Danila S. Mendoza&nbsp;</p><p>Joan Mertens</p><p>Scott Meyer</p><p>Nancy L. Meyer</p><p>Lawrence Mick</p><p>Susan M Mielke</p><p>Alexander Mikulich</p><p>Br. Ernest J. Miller FSC</p><p>Maria A. Miranda</p><p>Kyle B. Moninger</p><p>Mary Montour</p><p>Michael Moran</p><p>Eugene S. Morris</p><p>Kenneth Morrision</p><p>Michal Morsches</p><p>John Mulreany SJ</p><p>Silvia M Munoz</p><p>Jim Musumeci</p><p>Michael Myers</p><p>Dr. Diann L. Neu</p><p>Jon Nilson</p><p>Darlene Noesen</p><p>Patricia Novinski&nbsp;</p><p>Patrick and Vera Nugent</p><p>Dr. Lauren O'Connell</p><p>Myrna Ohmann</p><p>Jennifer O'Malley</p><p>Dr. Kate Ott</p><p>Mary D. Ott</p><p>Kori R. Pacyniak</p><p>Charles Paglia</p><p>Ronald Pagnucco</p><p>Sr Dorothy Pagosa</p><p>Beatrice Parwatikar</p><p>Ruth Payn</p><p>Kat Pearthree</p><p>Jane Pelletier</p><p>Ann Penick</p><p>Joseph Pepe</p><p>Elizabeth Perry</p><p>Rhodes Perry</p><p>Bro. Dylan Perry FSC</p><p>Linda Pinto</p><p>Ralph Pinto</p><p>Paul Pisano</p><p>Claire Donohue Pluecker</p><p>Tom Pluecker</p><p>Edward Poliandro Ph.D</p><p>Elizabeth Powell Piekarczyk</p><p>Shawn Priggel</p><p>Sara Hutchinson Ratcliffe</p><p>Rev. Chava Redonnet</p><p>Conor Reidy</p><p>Maureen Reimer</p><p>Noraleen Renauer&nbsp;</p><p>Michael Reynolds</p><p>Katie Riney</p><p>Dolores Ritter</p><p>Charles A. Rizzuto LICSW</p><p>Dr. Marian Ronan</p><p>Helen Rose</p><p>Richard J. Rosendall</p><p>Dr. Susan A. Ross</p><p>Ish Ruiz</p><p>Prof. Jean Sanborn</p><p>Patricia Sandall</p><p>Joy Scavo <br>Susan Schessler</p><p>Judith Schiavo <br>Rev. David E Schlaver</p><p>Arline M. Schoenberger&nbsp;</p><p>Betty Scholten</p><p>Christine Schroder</p><p>Francis Schssler Fiorenza</p><p>Karen A. Schwarz Ph.D.</p><p>Irene Senn</p><p>Janice Sevre-Duszynska&nbsp;<br> Joan P. Shea</p><p>Martha Sherman</p><p>Annette Shine</p><p>William Shine MD</p><p>Don E. Siegal</p><p>Meg Siewert</p><p>Mary E Sikora</p><p>Father Norbert Sinski</p><p>Prof. William H. Slavick</p><p>S. Kathy Slesar OP</p><p>Mary Smith</p><p>Rev. Mary Frances Smith</p><p>The Reverend Murdock Smith PhD</p><p>Kenneth F. Smits</p><p>Dr. Jose A. Sols-Silva</p><p>Mary Nicholas Sommerfeldt</p><p>Lewis Speaks-Tanner</p><p>Kathy Sprague</p><p>Mary Ann Steutermann</p><p>Carolyn Stobba-Wiley</p><p>Art Stoeberl</p><p>Jeffrey A. Stone</p><p>Anthony Surez-Abraham</p><p>Larry Sutter</p><p>Maureen Tate</p><p>Yannik Thiem&nbsp;</p><p>Dr. Terrence W. Tilley</p><p>Rev. Toni Tortorilla</p><p>Cristina L.H. Traina</p><p>Terry Travis</p><p>Gloria Ulterino</p><p>Jerry Valenta</p><p>Medora Van Denburgh</p><p>Wayne Vanek</p><p>Patricia Keane Vhay</p><p>Thomas Vhay</p><p>Mary Elizabeth Vigil&nbsp;</p><p>Ted von Eiff</p><p>Kim Wayne</p><p>Rev. Dr. Diane S. Whalen</p><p>Win Whelan OSF</p><p>Gary Wiesmann</p><p>Tamara Wilcox</p><p>Donna Wilhelm SSJ-TOSF</p><p>Kathleen F. Wilson</p><p>Jane Wilson-Marquis</p><p>Rev. Steve Wolf</p><p>Mary T. Yelenick Esq.</p><p>Carmen Zabalegui</p><p>Ann Zech</p><p>Robert Zillich</p><p>Dr. Nancy P. Zimmerman&nbsp;</p><p></p><p></p>