In 1999, the overt effort to restrict the rights of people of faith was in full swing. While liberal lawmakers and social engineers are busy compelling Americans to embrace "tolerance," the rights of conservative Christians continue to be systematically stifled.

This column is designed to illustrate this disturbing national effort designed to terminate the rights of religious Americans to express their faith -- at work, at school, and even at home.

In Manatee County, Fla., the school district had, since 1987, denied the Fellowship of Christian Athletes Club "equal access" to school facilities, despite the fact that other school clubs freely meet on campus. The Orlando-based Liberty Counsel, after attempting to reason with school officials, filed suit. However, just days before the trial, the school board agreed to open school doors to the FCA club. Today, that club is the largest on campus, hosting about 200 students at its meetings!

In Crown Point, Ind., Pastor Steve Bushelt's congregation began renting a local school for its meetings, until they were abruptly informed that the superintendent of schools was evicting them. The school board policy specifically allowed rental of the facilities to secular groups but denied use to religious groups. Again, after a lawsuit was initiated, the school board retracted their eviction of the church.

In Hagerstown, Md., Winston Blenckstone, owner of the Hagerstown Suns minor league baseball team, established a policy wherein families bringing a church bulletin to Sunday afternoon games would receive a discount. However, a local agnostic activist complained that this policy was hostile to him and recruited the ACLU to bring a case against the team. Thankfully, the state Commission on Human Relations determined that the policy could stand because it favored no particular religion. Mr. Blenckstone has promised to maintain the policy.

In Waukesha, Wis., Robert Thompson was barred from distributing Bibles and copies of the U.S. Constitution in a public park. Again, Liberty Counsel entered the picture by filing suit. The county agreed to settle the case and redrafted their law so that political and religious material may now be disseminated.

In Indianapolis, Ind., Liz Anderson was told by her employer that she could no longer wish co-workers and visitors "a blessed day" because it was deemed offensive by an individual. After being threatened with termination, she has now taken her case to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in hopes of winning the right to continue uttering the phrase at her workplace.

In Syracuse, N.Y., kindergarten student Antonio Peck made a poster stating that Jesus is the only way to save the world. His teacher rejected it and told Antonio to make another poster. He did. This time he utilized a simple drawing of Jesus. School officials hung that poster with other students' posters, but they folded Antonio's so that Jesus could not be seen. Americans United for Separation of Church and State argued in support of the school's decision to purge Jesus from Antonio's poster. The outcome of this case is pending.

In Galveston, Texas, school board members have requested the U.S. Supreme Court to overrule a lower court ruling that said student-led prayers over public-address systems during football games violate the so-called separation of church and state. Again, Americans United agrees that student speech should be censored. "It will sound like an officially-sanctioned religious statement, and that's what has no place at a high school football game," said spokesman Barry Lynn.

In York, Pa., a Christmas sign with the message "Jesus is Alive," was erected on Sybil Peachlum's private property. She received several citations from the city and was threatened with daily fines until the sign came down. Zoning officials claimed that she did not obtain a permit to raise the sign. However, Sybil argued that secular signs (for garage sales, moving sales, even those with birthday messages) are frequently raised by individuals who do not obtain permits. When government begins assaulting the rights of private landowners -- specifically when individuals are singled out for expressing a religious message -- we stand at a dangerous precipice.

In Denver, Colo., Diane Reiter was told by city zoning administrators that she could no longer host her home Bible study. Diane and her husband filed a federal lawsuit accusing the city of violating her constitutional rights. She complained that other home gatherings, such as "Monday Night Football" parties and home poker games, were not given cease-and-desist orders, as she was. "The last time I checked," noted Charles Donovan of the Family Research Council, "the First Amendment was more explicit about the free exercise of religion than the right to try for a royal flush."

In Mazeppa, Minn., after months of negotiations between school officials and constitutional attorneys, a middle school principal has been granted permission to continue wearing a bracelet with the phrase, "What Would Jesus Do?" Principal James Lehman had been charged with religious harassment by a teacher after refusing to remove the bracelet. "If our public schools are going to preach tolerance and acceptance of others, this must also include those who are Christian," said Rutherford Institute attorney James Ron Rissler, following the legal victory.

In Gilbert, Ariz., the state ACLU chapter filed suit against the celebration of "Bible Week," suing the city and its mayor. However, U.S. District Judge Roslyn Silver ruled the suit invalid because the plaintiffs suffered no legal injury. (I wonder if the ACLU would sue the city if it declared a "gay-pride" week.)

These are just a few of the cases that targeted religious Americans last year. I could document many other disconcerting cases where people of faith came under attack for simply attempting to express their faith.

Tolerance is an attractive word, but it has virtually no meaning when it comes to applying it to religious conservatives in our nation.

While our government authorizes the use of taxpayer dollars to fund "art" that brutally assails Christ and those who choose to follow Him, religious Americans are simultaneously outlawed from posting the Ten Commandments on a school wall ... or erecting a manger scene or menorah on public ground ... or praying over a high school intercom ... or briefly thanking God during a graduation speech.

I thank God for individuals like Mathew Staver of Liberty Counsel, David Gibbs Jr. and David Gibbs III of the Christian Law Association, Jay Sekulow of the American Center for Law and Justice, Brad Dacus of the Pacific Justice Institute, John Whitehead of the Rutherford Institute, and many other men and women who are committed to preserving the legal rights of religious Americans.

In his book, "The Theme is Freedom," Author M. Stanton Evans wrote, "In point of fact, America's constitutional settlement -- up to and including the First Amendment -- was the work of people who believed in God, and who expressed their faith as a matter of course in public prayer and other governmental practice."

Today, however, in direct contrast to the intentions and objectives of our Founding Fathers, many government officials are conducting disgraceful efforts to completely purge religious speech and influence from the public square.

At the dawning of the 21st century, it appears that this concerted battle against people of faith will relentlessly continue. It behooves us all to be prepared to fight for our rights, as many of the heroes above have already done.

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