State Rep. Cherrish Pryor (D-Indianapolis) is standing with the community and local faith leaders to advocate for religious freedom.
Pryor attended a “Faith Over Fear” religious freedom gathering at the Indiana Statehouse on June 11, which issued a call to action for Gov. Mike Braun to “take meaningful steps to protect religious freedom for all Hoosiers,” according to a press release.
“I was happy to attend the Faith Over Fear event, but disappointed that the gathering was necessary,” Pryor said in a statement. “As someone who represents constituents of many faiths, I felt called to join my fellow Hoosiers in calling for an end to the type of religious discrimination that has become commonplace in our state government for the last eighteen months.”
The interfaith event was organized by State Sen. Fady Qaddoura (D-Indianapolis) in partnership with local faith leaders and community organizations. Their goal was to call for state leadership to affirm Indiana’s commitment to religious freedom and stand up against religious discrimination.
READ MORE: ACLU of Indiana names Nikkita R. Oliver as next executive director
This public call against religious discrimination comes only a few weeks after Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith faced backlash over comments he made about Islam, calling the religion a “demonic death cult,” and arguing that Americans should be given “permission to hate again” while participating on a conservative Christian web show.
Even after facing public backlash from local religious groups, including the Indiana Muslim Advocacy Network, Beckwith refused to back down, taking to social media to state that he would “never apologize for saying the United States of America is now and always should be one nation under God.”
Rep. André Carson (D-Indianapolis), one of a few Muslim members of Congress, condemned Beckwith’s comments, stating that the lieutenant governor’s remarks were “outrageous, dangerous, and completely unacceptable from a public official.”
“As Christians, God calls us to love and accept everyone, but Gov. Braun and Lt. Gov. Beckwith have consistently sought to undermine religious freedom and marginalize non-Christian Hoosiers since taking office,” Pryor stated. “This kind of treatment for some Hoosiers is a disservice to all Hoosiers.”
Pryor also stated that Indiana wouldn’t have “true religious freedom” until all Hoosiers felt safe and free to practice their chosen faith, and that she was “happy to support” the religious protections proposed at the event.
“If Lt. Gov. Beckwith has so little interest in protecting and preserving the religious rights of non-Christian Hoosiers, then his office has no business running the Faith-Based Institutions Initiative,” Pryor stated. “Indiana is better when every Hoosier is respected, valued and free to practice their faith. That’s why I will always advocate for religious freedom and individuals’ rights to worship however they choose.”
For more information, visit iga.in.gov.
Contact Arts & Culture Reporter Chloe McGowan at 317-762-7848. Follow her on X @chloe_mcgowanxx.
Chloe McGowan is the Arts & Culture Reporter for the Indianapolis Recorder Newspaper. Originally from Columbus, OH, Chloe has a bachelor's in journalism from The Ohio State University. She is a former IndyStar Pulliam Fellow, and has previously worked for Indy Maven, The Lantern, and CityScene Media Group. In her free time, Chloe enjoys live theatre, reading, baking and keeping her plants alive.
 is standing with the community and local faith leaders to advocate for religious freedom.){kind=link}