U.S.A.

"There is no doubt that, in connection with the pledges,
the flag salute is a form of utterance. Symbolism is a primitive but
effective way of communicating ideas. The use of an emblem or flag to
symbolize some system, idea, institution, or personality is a
short-cut from mind to mind. Causes and nations, political parties,
lodges, and ecclesiastical groups seek to knit the loyalty of their
followings to a flag or banner, a color or design. The State announces
rank, function, and authority through crowns and maces, uniforms and
black robes; the church speaks through the Cross, the Crucifix, the
altar and shrine, and clerical raiment. Symbols of State often convey
political ideas, just as religious symbols come to convey theological
ones. Associated with many of these symbols are appropriate gestures
of acceptance or respect: a salute, a bowed or bared head, a bended
knee. A person gets from a [p633] symbol the meaning he puts into it,
and what is one man's comfort and inspiration is another's
jest and scorn."

"Existing law, the Reproductive Privacy Act, provides that
every individual possesses a fundamental right of privacy with respect
to reproductive decisions. Existing law provides that the state shall
not deny or interfere with a woman’s right to choose or obtain
an abortion prior to viability of the fetus, as defined, or when
necessary to protect her life or health. Existing law specifies the
circumstances under which the performance of an abortion is deemed
unauthorized.
This bill would enact the Reproductive FACT
(Freedom, Accountability, Comprehensive Care, and Transparency) Act,
which would require a licensed covered facility, as defined, to
disseminate a notice to all clients, as specified, stating, among
other things, that California has public programs that provide
immediate free or low-cost access to comprehensive family planning
services, prenatal care, and abortion, for eligible women. The bill
would also require an unlicensed covered facility, as defined, to
disseminate a notice to all clients, as specified, stating, among
other things, that the facility is not licensed as a medical facility
by the State of California.
The bill would authorize the
Attorney General, city attorney, or county counsel to bring an action
to impose a specified civil penalty against covered facilities that
fail to comply with these requirements."

"1. The freedom of religion is a fundamental right of paramount
importance, expressly protected by federal law.
Religious
liberty is enshrined in the text of our Constitution and in numerous
federal statutes. It encompasses the right of all Americans to
exercise their religion freely, without being coerced to join an
established church or to satisfy a religious test as a qualification
for public office. It also encompasses the right ofall Americans to
express their religious beliefs, subject to the same narrow limits
that apply to all forms of speech. In the United States, the free
exercise of religion is not a mere policy preference to be traded
against other policy preferences. It is a fundamental right."

"Section 1. Policy. It shall be the policy of the executive
branch to vigorously enforce Federal law's robust protections for
religious freedom. The Founders envisioned a Nation in which religious
voices and views were integral to a vibrant public square, and in
which religious people and institutions were free to practice their
faith without fear of discrimination or retaliation by the Federal
Government. For that reason, the United States Constitution enshrines
and protects the fundamental right to religious liberty as
Americans' first freedom. Federal law protects the freedom of
Americans and their organizations to exercise religion and participate
fully in civic life without undue interference by the Federal
Government. The executive branch will honor and enforce those
protections."