Carol Platt Liebau: A Good Week for Religious Liberty

Religion had a good week at the Supreme Court. The justices ruled unanimously in favor of a Catholic group. They held that Wisconsin improperly discriminated based on religion when it denied Catholic Charities a tax exemption.

Catholic Charities Bureau in Superior, Wisconsin, cares for disabled people. It was denied the tax exemption routinely given to religious organizations. Shockingly, lower courts actually justified the denial on the grounds that the organization provides services without proselytizing—and serves non-Catholics!

Justice Sotomayor wrote that the Wisconsin Supreme Court’s interpretation of the state’s tax exemption discriminates between religions along theological lines. Catholic doctrine requires caring for all those in need without condition.

This decision vindicates the American constitutional right to religious freedom and free exercise — as well as common sense.

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