[To ACLU] Sep 29, 2005 3:32 AM

[Rev. Héctor Lee Rodríguez]

[To:]

William Ramirez, Esq.

Executive Director

ACLU Affiliate, Puerto Rico
Union Plaza Building, Suite 205
416 Avenida Ponce de Leon
San Juan, Puerto Rico 00918
Phone: 787-753-8493

E-mail: [aclupr@prtc.net]

  Dear Sir,

 I write you in earnest hope that the American Civil Liberties Union may take interest in the case of a violation of religious rights in Puerto Rico.

 This case begins on the 25th of May, 2001. Two religious organizations sought incorporation in the Department of State of Puerto Rico, with aims to exercise constitutional rights expressed in both the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and that of the United States of America. These organizations would have been named “M.E.H.O.O, Inc.”, and “Federación Pagana de Puerto Rico, Inc.”

 At the time, Mrs. Gricel Falgas Rodríguez, titled the Interim Director of the Corporations Registry in the Department of State, denied the incorporations. Her words directly stated that Pagan organizations could not be churches in Puerto Rico.

 In appeal, I requested that the certificates of incorporation be submitted to a higher authority. Upon this, Mrs. Falgas informed me that this would be done and she would send them to Janet Cortés in the legal affairs annex to the corporation registry.

On the 19th of June, 2001, we received a letter via postal correspondence stating (translation from Spanish), “According to the Office of Legal Affairs, the corporations are not authorized to celebrate marriages, in accordance with Article 75 of the Civil Code of Puerto Rico.”

 In light of the above, I quote the stated article

 Todos los sacerdotes u otros ministros del evangelio, debidamente autorizados u ordenados, rabinos hebreos y los Jueces del Tribunal Supremo, Jueces del Tribunal Superior o de Distrito, el Juez de la Corte de Distrito de los Estados Unidos para Puerto Rico y los Jueces de Paz, pueden celebrar los ritos de matrimonio entre todas las personas legalmente autorizadas para contraerlo. (Enmendado en el 1952, ley 11)

31 LPRA sec. 243, Art. 75 Código Civil

 While the exact answer denying the incorporation of said organizations may skirt the law – the above mentioned law directly violates several constitutional rights guaranteed in Article II of the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico (I include in Spanish):

 Sección 1. Dignidad e igualdad del ser humano; discrimen, prohibido.

La dignidad del ser humano es inviolable. Todos los hombres son iguales ante la Ley. No podrá establecerse discrimen alguno por motivo de raza, color, sexo, nacimiento, origen o condición social, ni ideas políticas o religiosas. Tanto las leyes como el sistema de instrucción pública encarnarán estos principios de esencial igualdad humana.

 Sección 3. Libertad de culto.

No se aprobará ley alguna relativa al establecimiento de cualquier religión ni se prohibirá el libre ejercicio del culto religioso. Habrá completa separación de la iglesia y el estado.

 Sección 6. Libertad de organización.

Las personas podrán asociarse y organizarse libremente para cualquier fin lícito, salvo en organizaciones militares o cuasi militares.

 Two letters were sent in appeal to the decision to deny, one to Giselle Román, Esq., Auxiliary Service Secretary of the Department of State, and to Ferdinand Mercado, then Secretary of State. Neither letter was answered and the subject has lain in rest since.

 Even without this happening, Art. 75 violates the right of any religion to incorporate by denying some the privilege of official celebration of the act of marriage and denying others. It distinctly discriminates on grounds of religious ideology (Art. II Sec. 1, Constitution CPR). While not denying free practice of religion, it seems to make official two religious ideologies (Christian and Jewish), while denying the rest – effectively violating complete separation of church and state (Art. II Sec. 3, Constitution CPR). And, in this case, violates the right organization of a group of people intent on creating a juridical personality.

 I am certain that if this case were repeated, the same denegation of incorporation would ensue.

 I look forward to you correspondence.

 Rev. Héctor Lee Rodriguez

[Extra-official remarks have been clipped.]

[From ACLU] Sep 29, 2005 9:27 AM

We will be holding press conferences on the Ojeda case all day today.  I assure you your email will be read in detail by tommorrow, and will be answered.

William Ramirez
Executive Director
ACLU of Puerto Rico

[To ACLU] Oct 1, 2005 6:24 PM

Dear Sir,
 
I greatly appreciate your prompt reply. I have included, in this email, text I wrote for a Pagan "church's" constitution (by-laws). It is sad that this organization had to resort to the age-old practice of implication by omission, the Department of State presumed it Christian. Nevertheless, I have erased all references to the organization's name and incorporation for its own protection.
 
This text supports the interpretation of Article 75 of Puerto Rico's Civil Code as one that includes duly formed ministers in the specific tradition (equal to denomination) of Pagan practice. Please understand this does not include fetishist or neogothic ideals, rather a religious following in accordance to that stipulated in the US Army's Chaplain Handbook and shown in federal jurisprudence for the past decades.
 
I maintain rights for this text and any exposition of it thereof, although the organization has full liscense to its use.  
 
------ (encl) -------
[El Concilio] ..., debidamente incorporado y registrado en el Departamento del Estado del Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico el día [fecha y hora] bajo el número de registro [#####], ha ratificado bajo el consenso de miembros en la Primera Asamblea Constitutiva la siguiente constitución. Se rige esta organización religiosa según lo permite las leyes del Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, específicamente la Ley de Corporaciones del 1995. Por disposición de las leyes que gobiernan los efectos religiosos comunitarios y las funciones sacerdotales como el matrimonio, se consideran los siguientes puntos como manifiesto particular [del Concilio]:

 

  1. Definición de "evangelio"
    1. La verdad según estipulada por creencia religiosa y el aferro dogmático, doctrinario o tradicional de la misma.
  2. Definición de "sacerdote"
    1. Persona quien, por comunicación y comunión directa con Divinidad, expresa una relación personal con Deidad y la comparte  mediante ritos, rituales o vivencia particular.
    2. Sacerdote y Sacerdotisa son sinónimos separados sólo por género del practicante.
  3. Evangelio [del Concilio].
    1.  [El Concilio] mantiene que su evangelio es aquel expresado por Divinidad mediante ley y orden natural. Se expresa Deidad mediante Su creación y, por consecuente, dicta su sagrado evangelio todo aquello que es puro en su naturaleza creada.
  4. Creencia y filosofía
    1. [El Concilio] mantiene un código antiguo de relacionarse con Divinidad que trasciende dogma y doctrina cimentada por la ortodoxia religiosa; sigue preceptos engranados en la humanidad desde tiempos inmemorables y recuerda, mediante ritos religiosos, la relación antigua de Divinidad con humanidad.
    2. [El Concilio] no es anti-cristian[o], empero no se considere dogma paulina ortodoxa la base de la cristiandad, sino las enseñanzas de Jesús como mostradas en los cuatro evangelios canónicos. La filosofía religiosa de la Hermandad se considerará aquella expresada por el término "Wicca" según lo define el texto de la Hermandad que se titulará, "Base teológica de la Hermandad".

           [El Concilio] cumple con las disposiciones exigida por ley que aquellos autorizados a ejercer la oficialización del matrimonio como contrato legal sean "…sacerdotes u otros ministros del evangelio…"

 Se aferra, [El Concilio], en reconocer, promulgar y esforzar la necesaria separación entre la iglesia y el estado.

 --------------------- (end encl

Cordially,

 Rev. Hector Lee Rodriguez

[To ACLU] Oct 14, 2005 9:18 PM

Dear sir,
 
I understand that ACLU in Puerto Rico must conform to its own political agenda and sees no benefit to itself in responding to this case.
 
I apologize for presuming that ACLU in Puerto Rico would be different to any other Puerto Rican organization. My last missive is dated October 1st.
 
Blessings upon you,
 
Rev. Hector Lee Rodriguez

 

[From ACLU] Oct 14, 2005 11:00 PM

Mr. Rodriguez,

It will be our pleasure to attend to your request as soon as possible.  We will get to your  request of a fews weeks ago just as soon as we get through our August and September 2005 requests.  We receive many requests from within Puerto Rico and from stateside latinos, many of which involve immediate and very urgent concerns.

Every request is important to our staff of One (1) attorney-director, and One (1) assistant, but they must be addressed in the order they arrive unless the matter is so urgent as to require immediate attention.  Nothing in your Email suggests that there is an immediate need.  As you may notice it is past 10:00pm on Friday night and we are still working on requests.

The ACLU  functions the same in Puerto Rico, as it does in any state in the United States, however with much less resources.   If you wish us to consider your request we will do so,  however you must be patient as we do not control the amount of requests we receive.


William Ramirez
ACLU of Puerto Rico

[To ACLU] Oct 14, 2005 10:29 PM

I appreciate your response, nevertheless, I ask that you understand mine. The only response any other organization has given me thus far (it has been 4 years) has been silence.
 
I will await patiently - should the ACLU need volunteer assistance (unlinked to religious ideology or collateral treatment), let me know - I am sure I could rally ongoing support given ACLU's standing goals.
 
Rev. Hector Lee Rodriguez

 

[To ACLU] Oct 21, 2005 12:49 AM

Dear sir,
 
Thus far I have been able to achieve a pledge of volunteer work for the ACLU from three people, counting myself: one of them a dean from one of the UPR campuses.
 
Please let me know if we can help.
 
Rev. Hector Lee Rodriguez

 

[To ACLU] Jun 10, 2007 7:47 PM

Dear sir,
 
Our last communication was (as noted in the quoted message) on the 2[1st] of October of 2005. Your lack of interest or basic human courtesy is not expemplary of the American Civil Liberties Union and your apathy is increasingly remarkable.
 
It seems the Pagan Community of Puerto Rico, whose number increase radically each year, can not count on receiving at least a modicum of response from the Puerto Rico chapter of ACLU as represented by you. My counsel to those asking on the status of our request for aid is, as demonstrated by you, not to expect anything from ACLU in Puerto Rico.
 
I am deeply saddened by your lack of action. Though I believe no consequence will ensue, I shall at some moment in the near future refer all communications between us to Anthony Romero [Executive Director of ACLU] and hope for the best.
 
Enjoy your search for publicity; it seems to take precedence over fighting for our rights.
 
Good day,
 
Rev. Hector Lee Rodriguez, PhD/c

 

[From ACLU] Jun 11, 2007 1:56 PM

Dear Mr. Rodriguez,

 I am in receipt of your email of June 10, 2007.  If you are a member of the ACLU you are probably aware that we have for the past two and a half years been developing our Puerto Rico office to handle many requests on many issues from around Puerto Rico with few resources, including Religious Freedom.  We depend heavily on volunteers with expertise in the diverse areas we address.  Unfortunately, Religious Freedom is an area in which we get no volunteers in Puerto Rico – other than general offers with no follow up.  We do however get many requests related to cases in litigation. 

 We get hundreds of emails every month, which get prioritized according to the urgency involved.   Unless you call to inquire, absent an urgent matter, it is very likely we will miss a request. 

 Although you are always welcome to write to any office of the ACLU – we in Puerto Rico have established a procedure to follow when requesting assistance. 

 Go to www.aclu-pr.org  - hit   ACLU of Puerto Rico  at the top of the page -  on this next page hit Get Help.

 Please fill out the form and send it in for our new attorney to review, after which you will be interviewed in person.  Any follow up will be addressed to staff attorney Josue Gonzalez.

William Ramirez, Esq.
Executive Director
ACLU of Puerto Rico
Union Plaza, Suite 205
416 Ave. Ponce de Leon
San Juan, Puerto Rico 00918

Tel. (787) 753-8493
Fax (787) 753-4268

Donate to the ACLU Now:   

http://action.aclu.org/site/PageServer?pagename=FJ_donationhome

ACLU Membership form:

[Images ommitted]

http://www.aclu-pr.org/ES/Membresia/Formulario.htm

[To ACLU] Jun 13, 2007 12:13 PM

Dear sir, 
I am in receipt of Mr. Ramirez' email of June 11, 2007. In his response, Mr. Ramirez delegated follow up correspondence to you, Mr. Josué González, Esq. Please allow me to clarify the intent behind this missive by specifying an inherent goal of clarification beyond any reproachable doubt of this issue.
 
Many of the words written by Mr. Ramirez make no sense. I am sure that reasoning and logic are important factors in an attorney's work and should have been well expounded upon at whatever law school Mr. Ramirez attended. Nevertheless, reason and logic seem to have abandoned Mr. Ramirez as he wrote – or perhaps the truth of the matter is that he has not even deigned to read the correspondence written to him in its entirety. Whatever the reason (or lack thereof) Mr. Ramirez is best advised to read mail prior to responding to it – it allows him to maintain his appearance of professionalism.
 
Since Mr. Ramirez is an officer of a highly visible political company and subject to public scrutiny, I am under the presumption that our communications were not confidential and are subject to exposure. Under this presumption I have published our conversation on the Internet: http://dirgemoot.50webs.com. Furthermore, I will be directing traffic to this cybernetic publishing from several sources, PRPagan, Pagan Unity Campaign, and many other Internet communication groups. My purpose in so doing is to discuss and critique how the ACLU has handled a simple request under direction from Mr. William Ramirez. Feel free to make comment on this at your leisure
 
When I read "Unfortunately, Religious Freedom is an area in which we get no volunteers in Puerto Rico – other than the general offers with no follow up" in Mr. Ramirez' response, my immediate emotional response was one of anger. Please see the email dated October 21, 2005 wherein I approach Mr. Ramirez with an offer of three volunteers, including myself. Mr. Ramirez did not respond to this email, although he has had more than two and half years to do so. Mr. Ramirez has no idea of the background these volunteers possess, although I made clear one of the volunteers is a dean in one of the University of Puerto Rico's campuses. It is difficult not to take offense from Mr. Ramirez' poorly chosen words and illogical arguments
 
Should Mr. Ramirez have taken a few seconds to direct my inquiry two and half years ago, we would have followed whatever procedure he had in place, although at the moment he had no such procedure implemented and proved an irascible conversationalist.
 
Regardless of these past emails, after research, I see that Mr. Ramirez has no experience in a Federal forum and ACLU of Puerto Rico has only one litigated case before a Federal judge led by Mrs. Nora Vargas, Esquire (Doe vs. Rice, 1991). I understand ACLU is considered a firm practicing constitutional law – one that would most importantly fight rights violations at both state and federal levels. The expectation of such a firm in the Federal arena is much higher than just one case, but I am not an attorney and my understanding of such matters may be limited.
 
Understand that my faith in ACLU has been shot by Mr. Ramirez and my expectations diminished to nil. I will approach your national directive, although I expect the same answer from that office as I have received of this one. My interest in pursuing an important case of constitutional rights violation by the state continues, but my interest in ACLU has disappeared.
 
Excuses are not replacement for basic human courtesy, urbanity, and civility. Such features commonly associated with an attorney seem severely lacking in Mr. Ramirez and reflect very poorly upon ACLU of Puerto Rico. Perhaps other people reflecting upon the correspondence between us may feel the same.
 
Please understand that ACLU of Puerto Rico is not invited or requested in whatever legal debate may ensue from the violations expressed in this correspondence series
 
Note: I have worked very hard for both my current standing as candidate for Doctor of Philosophy in Counseling and my ordination as, first a Unitarian minister and, subsequently, a Pagan minister. I would very much appreciate being addressed as either Doctor or Reverend, whichever at both your and Mr. Ramirez' pleasure.
 
In addition to my previous recrimination, allow me to offer thanks for ACLU's work towards Equal Rights for the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transsexual, Transgendered community of Puerto Rico – although ineffectual in the legal arena, your work allowed much of the public to understand the matter as a secular one, not religious.
 
Cordially,
Rev. Hector Lee Rodriguez, PhD/c

 

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