To the Editor:

John J. DiIulio Jr. and David Kuo insist that the President's much-touted faith-based initiatives are "constitutionally secure" so long as the programs do not proselytize or engage in sectarian instruction and do not discriminate.  Unfortunately, the reality is very different: the initiative's proponents actively want religious providers of taxpayer-funded services to be permitted to discriminate against employees or service recipients on the basis of religion.

Here are just a few examples:  In Iowa, prisoners were given special privileges when they enrolled in a Christian rehab program.  In Idaho, residents of a city owned homeless shelter were subjected to mandatory proselytizing before being served a free meal.  And in New York, employees of a government-funded social welfare program allege that they were fired after their employer, The Salvation Army, decided to re-emphasize its religious orientation.

Religious institutions have always been able to hire those who share their religious views, just so long as they did not accept government funding.  The faith-based initiative marries public funds and religious discrimination – putting at risk America's great tradition of religious pluralism and freedom.