Contact: Aileen Blachowski, Spokesperson, 949-292-5580, mediainfo@u4rf.org

SANTA ANA, Calif., May 30, 2012 /Christian Newswire/ -- On Friday, June 8, as the United States Supreme Court prepares to issue its ruling on the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare), concerned citizens of Orange County will take to the public square to voice opposition to the Administration's Health and Human Services Mandate. The HHS Mandate forces all employers -- including religious schools and hospitals, faith-based charities and medically self-insured individuals -- to purchase insurance which provides free contraceptives, surgical sterilizations (for women only), and abortion-inducing drugs through their health plans, regardless of religious or moral convictions.

Event Details:

What: Stand Up for Religious Freedom Rally: Orange County

When: Friday, June 8, 12 noon to 1 p.m.

Where: Plaza of the Flags in the Santa Ana Civic Center (behind the Orange County Superior Court building) 700 Civic Center Dr., West, Santa Ana, Calif., 92702

Who: Hundreds of local citizens of all ages, colors and creeds opposed to the HHS Mandate, united for religious freedom

The local Stand Up for Religious Freedom Rally will be the first held in Orange County. The event kicks off at 12 noon at the “Plaza of the Flags” in the Santa Ana Civic Center, behind the Orange County Superior Court building, located at 700 Civic Center Dr., West, in Santa Ana. The local rally joins at least 140 other cities and towns from Maine to Hawaii that are participating in this national event -- the same day and time. A complete list of rally sites and other details are available at StandUpRally.com.

The Ground-Swell: The June 8 Religious Freedom Rally, builds on the tremendous momentum created by the first nationwide Stand Up Rally held on March 23, with over 63,000 citizens of all faiths attending local rallies in 145 cities. On March 27, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments on the constitutionality of the healthcare law. On May 21, 43 lawsuits were filed against the Obama Administration over the Mandate by faith based employers, adding more fuel to an already heated topic. With the Supreme Court’s Obamacare ruling expected at the end of June and the November elections in sight, the June 8 Stand Up Rally is expected to draw even larger crowds.

The Santa Ana Stand Up for Religious Freedom Rally has been a local, grassroots organizational effort led by members of newly formed United 4 Religious Freedom (www.u4rf.org). Guest speakers and live performers will reflect the rich diversity of community, cultural and religious leaders of several faiths including:

Kathleen Eaton, Executive Director, Birth Choice Health Clinics
(Ret) Pastor Tim Timmons, Founder, Mariners Church, Newport Beach
Martha Sears, RN, Catholics for the Common Good, and co-author of several best-selling parenting books
Jack Hammett, US Navy (Ret), Pearl Harbor Survivor
Jesse Romero, Catholic radio host & founder, On Fire Evangelization
Renee Bondi, quadriplegic, vocalist, speaker and recording artist

Additional speakers will be announced soon.

"We hope Obamacare will be struck down," said Aileen Blachowski, the Santa Ana Rally's spokesperson.

"But even then, we still must ensure that religious freedom will be protected in any subsequent health care law. Our goal is to educate and activate local citizens, and send our representatives and the federal government a clear message. Freedom-loving Americans, who are active voters, are not going to relinquish their rights quietly. Religious freedom is a fundamental First Amendment freedom and there is no place in this great nation to have to choose between being a good person of faith and a good citizen. The two have been, and always should be synonymous in America."

Blachowski emphasized that the Stand Up Rally has nothing to do with access to contraception. "There is no 'war on contraception' in our country. Contraception is already widely, cheaply available. We recognize that line of thinking as a decoy for the real issue. What's really under attack today is religious freedom."

"More and more people are realizing this every day. The ground swell of opposition is becoming a tsunami. If the feedback we’re getting is any indication, expect to see a very diverse multi-cultural, multi-generational and multi-denominational crowd coming together with strength of numbers, in a peaceful and unified effort, to stand firm on the right to live according to one's conscience," Blachowski added.

The date for the Stand Up Rally was chosen to highlight the HHS Mandate's unconstitutional infringement of religious freedom. June 8 coincides with the 223rd anniversary of the day James Madison introduced the Bill of Rights to the 1st Congress, including what would become the First Amendment.

"Citizens from all over Orange County are standing up as a united coalition to support First Amendment religious freedom rights and demanding that all our health care laws respect those freedoms," Blachowski explained. "This is the essence of what it means to be American. And you will see that beautifully demonstrated in Santa Ana on June 8th."

Media Alert to follow.
Join the Facebook event page: Stand Up for Religious Freedom: Orange County
See also StandUpRally.com.