We now wish to continue pursuing our intentions to establish a program for non-religious prisoners.

Government entities, as you may know, may not discriminate on the basis of one's religious beliefs or lack thereof. If you allow many religious perspectives to be represented and not allow a non-religious perspective to be represented in the prison via a program for non-religious prisoners, this seems to be a very clear case of discrimination including favoring religious perspectives over non-religious perspectives and not allowing for non-theistic prisoners to have equal access to programming in the prison such as religious prisoners do. One of our NEPA Freethought Society members was previously incarcerated in Luzerne County. During his time in the prison and now, it is and was very evident that programs for non-theistic prisoners are not offered although programs for religious prisoners are offered. Our member, while in prison, wanted access to a program for non-theistic prisoners, but did not have the access to such a program that religious prisoners do. Further, some current prisoners want a program for non-theistic prisoners, but they are not afforded this opportunity. We are aware that multiple faith perspectives are represented in the correctional facility and that if a prisoner requested religious programming, the prisoner would receive such a program. Governmental entities may not say that they do not approve of such a program or such a religious perspective, but rather have to be neutral in regards to religious beliefs or lack thereof. Non-theistic prisoners should, like religious prisoners, be able to receive programming that is aligned with their religious beliefs or lack thereof. It is very evident simply from looking at demographics across the United States and in prisons that Americans, whether they be free or incarcerated, hold a very wide array of beliefs regarding religion whether they be atheists, Muslims, Christians, Hindu, or something else. Luzerne County should allow prisoners equal access to available programming whether prisoners are religious or non-religious. The NEPA Freethought Society is dismayed with your previous action to largely ignore our request and believes that the correctional facility is not only discriminating against non-religious prisoners and non-religious persons who want to facilitate non-religious programming, but also is showing favoritism toward religious programming over non-religious programming by not allowing an atheistic perspective to be represented in prison programming. We await your response to this letter and hope for your compliance. Please send your response by email to jvacula@nepafreethought.org or by postal mail to the address listed at the top of this letter.

Justin Vacula NEPA Freethought Society Co-organizer, spokesperson, board member -2-