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WASHINGTON, DC – On June 22, 2009, Liberty Counsel asked Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus to stop religious discrimination and reinstate users’ free speech rights on the Navy for Moms Website. Liberty Counsel’s letter to Secretary Mabus was prompted by actions of the United States Navy and the Website’s administrators prohibiting religious speech. 

Www.navyformoms.com was set up by the United States Navy to provide support and a means of communication for mothers and other loved ones of current and potential sailors. Sponsored by the Navy, the site is produced and maintained by the Campbell-Ewald company.

A group called “Christian Chat” was established on the website in September 2008. On June 12, 2009, a website administrator informed the group that it could not use the name “Christian Chat.” The administrator said that the group’s name had to be changed because such blatantly religious speech is too divisive for a public forum. Navy for Moms community guidelines were also recently revised to prohibit the posting of religious discussions except for prayers offered for sailors.

In its letter, Liberty Counsel told Secretary Mabus that avoiding controversy is not a valid reason for restricting speech in a public forum. Furthermore, the letter states, these kinds of restrictions on private speakers using a government-sponsored forum are not required in order to avoid a violation of the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment.

David Corry, Senior Litigation Counsel for Liberty Counsel, stated, “The exclusion of religious groups and religious speech by the Navy on its Navy for Moms website is unconstitutional. The government may not create a public forum of support and then proclaim that religious views are not welcome -- to do so is clearly unconstitutional viewpoint discrimination. Liberty Counsel asks that the United States Navy not put itself in the position of opposing the First Amendment rights of its closest supporters.”