We Dissent - podcast cover

We Dissent

Rebecca Markertwe-dissent.org
We Dissent is a monthly law podcast hosted by two secular women, who are also attorneys at the Freedom From Religion Foundation and Americans United for Separation of Church and State. Join us as we discuss developments affecting the separation of church and state in the US Supreme Court and lower federal courts. We’ll also explore other advocacy work we do to help atheists and other nonreligious people outside the courtroom. We know there are so many atheist podcasts and legal podcasts and you have a lot to choose from, but we hope you’ll join us, the only legal podcast for atheists and agnostics hosted completely by women lawyers. We can’t wait to start these conversations.

Episodes

No Victory for Religious Liberty: Discussing Coach Prayer with Rachel Laser

Liz, Rebecca, Monica and Alison recap the case, Kennedy v. Bremerton, discussed in Episode 5 and review the decision handed down by the Supreme Court at the end of June. Later in the episode they’re joined by the pod’s very first guest, Rachel Laser, President and CEO of Americans United, who represented Bremerton at the high court. Rachel joins for a conversation about being a woman leader in the fight to keep state/church separate, and what our future holds after a dismal June. It’s a long epi...

Sep 01, 20221 hr 24 minSeason 1Ep. 9

Bonus Episode! Shurtleff v. City of Boston

Rebecca and Liz recap the case, which was discussed in Episode 2, and review the decision handed down by the Supreme Court earlier this year. They also discuss the importance of this decision in the context of all other religious liberty cases from the high court’s term this past year. Background SCOTUS Decision Check us out on Facebook and Twitter . Our website, we-dissent.org , has more information as well as episode transcripts....

Aug 02, 202217 minSeason 1Ep. 8

Bonus Episode! Carson v. Makin Update

Liz and Rebecca recap the case, which was discussed in Episode 1, and review the decision handed down by the Supreme Court at the end of June. They also discuss the impact this has for the separation of state and church moving forward. Background SCOTUS Decision Check us out on Facebook and Twitter . Our website, we-dissent.org , has more information as well as episode transcripts....

Jul 28, 202235 minSeason 1Ep. 7

The Abortion Episode

Liz, Rebecca, Alison and Monica discuss the decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which overturns the fundamental right to abortion care. The co-hosts break down the decision, the ramifications of the decision, and commiserate over the future of the rights of women to make their own health care choices. Background Oral Arguments SCOTUS Blog Page Text of SB8 FFRF, CFI, and AA coalition amicus brief AU, AHA, Bend the Arc: A Jewish Partnership for Justice, and Interfaith Allianc...

Jul 20, 20221 hr 9 minSeason 1Ep. 6

You, Coach Kennedy, are no Tim Tebow

Liz, Rebecca, Alison and Monica break down the latest case threatening the separation of church and state, Kennedy v. Bremerton, which involves a Christian high school football coach praying at the 50-yard line after games. The hosts review the facts of the case, outline what happened at oral arguments and make predictions on what this means for the rights of public high school students of minority faiths or no faith at all. Background Oral Arguments SCOTUS Blog page FFRF, CFI, SCA, and AHA’s co...

Jun 22, 20221 hr 5 minSeason 1Ep. 5

Religious Liberty and the Death Penalty

Rebecca, Monica, Alison, and Liz discuss the religious liberty issues arising in death penalty cases. Since 2019, questions about what religious liberty rights are afforded to those sentenced to death at the moment of their execution have been featured at the high court. Rebecca walks us through four notable cases on this issue and the hosts discuss what it means for religious liberty cases overall. Background “Court blocks execution, will weigh in on inmate’s religious-liberty claims” Death Pen...

Jun 08, 20221 hr 8 minSeason 1Ep. 4

Secular State Advocacy in the Age of Christian Nationalism

Alison, Rebecca and Monica discuss another tool in our kit to keep religion and government separate: legislative advocacy. Alison, as our resident policy expert, guides us through the many bills that threaten church/state separation wending their ways through state legislatures this year. Background Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 (RFRA) BlitzWatch Relevant Cases Obergefell v. Hodges (2015) Tandon v. Newsom (2021) Employment Division, Department of Human Resources of Oregon v. Smith (1...

Jun 01, 202246 minSeason 1Ep. 3

The So-Called Establishment Clause: Shurtleff v. City of Boston

Monica, Liz, Rebecca, and Alison review the case, Shurtleff v. City of Boston, in which the city of Boston denied a religious organization, Camp Constitution, its request to fly the Christian flag at city hall. The hosts discuss the free speech and religion clause arguments presented at oral arguments in December 2021. *Note, this episode was recorded prior to the Supreme Court handing down the decision on May 2, 2022. An update to this episode is forthcoming. Background Oral Arguments SCOTUS Bl...

May 25, 20221 hr 1 minSeason 1Ep. 2

The Sleeper Case: Carson v. Makin

Liz, Rebecca, Alison and Monica discuss the “sleeper case” of the Supreme Court term which could upend prohibitions on government funding to religious schools. The lawyers break down the arguments from the case out of Maine, Carson v. Makin, and discuss ramifications and potential outcomes. Background Oral Arguments SCOTUS Blog The Atlantic - “The Sleeper SCOTUS Case That Threatens the Separation of Church and State” Slate - “The Supreme Court’s New Religious Liberty Case Could Destroy Public Ed...

May 18, 20221 hr 8 minSeason 1Ep. 1

We Dissent Promo

Please listen to the We Dissent Podcast promo, and stay tuned for our first episode!

Apr 18, 20221 min