Activism Archives - American Atheists

American Atheists’ Holiday Banner Adds Diversity to Florida State Capitol

American Atheists — Fri, 13 Dec 2019 18:48:22 +0000

Tallahassee, FL—Today, American Atheists installed its holiday banner at the Florida Capitol. This is the first time that the atheist organization has hosted such a display in the rotunda. “The purpose of this banner is to share a positive holiday message with all Floridians, faithful and faithless alike,” said Devon Graham, American Atheists’ Assistant State Director, who petitioned to have the banner displayed. The display depicts a snowy background with the phrase, “This season, no matter what you celebrate or why, Happy Holidays! —Your atheist neighbors.” “About a quarter of all Florida residents do not identify with any faith tradition whatsoever and many holiday displays neglect this substantial segment of the population,” said Graham, who also serves as the Vice President for the Humanists of Tallahassee (HOT), a newly formed group in the region. “This is the time of year when people gather with their family and friends to celebrate the season. We hope that by having an all-encompassing holiday message everyone feels included in the festivities,” she added. American Atheists’ banner will remain on display on the House side of the Rotunda until December 20.

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Floridians, American Atheists is coming to a town near you!

American Atheists — Thu, 10 Jan 2019 17:35:49 +0000

Do you want to take atheist activism to the next level? If so, attend an official American Atheist event near you! Jim Helton, National Field Organizer, will cover it all. He’ll expose the current state of atheist activism, explain how to break out of the status quo, and give you concrete tools to boost your group’s activist presence. RSVP now! Miami Secular Humanism – Tuesday 1/15, 6:30 p.m. at Sports Grill 9090 SW 97th Avenue Kendall, FL Florida Atheists and Secular Humanists (FLASH) – Wednesday 1/16, 7:00 p.m. at 21212 St Andrews Blvd, Boca Raton, FL 33433 Free Inquiry Group of SWFL – Thursday 1/17, 6:30 p.m. at 2756 McGregor Blvd, Fort Myers, FL 33901 Humanists of Sarasota Bay – Friday 1/18, 6:30 p.m. at 1226 N Tamiami Trl, Sarasota, FL 34236 Tampa Bay Coalition of Reason – Saturday 1/19, 11:00 a.m. at 8916 N Blvd, Tampa, FL 33604, USA Central Florida Freethought Community (Orlando) – Sunday 1/20, 1:00 p.m. at 841 N. Park Avenue, Winter Park, 32789 First Coast Freethought Society Jacksonville – Monday 1/21, 6:30 p.m. at Buckman Bridge Unitarian Church, 8447 Manresa Ave., Jacksonville, FL 32244 Freethinkers’ Forum of Tallahassee – Tuesday 1/22, 7:00 p.m. at Unitarian Universalist Church of Tallahassee, Room L – 2810 N. Meridian Rd, Tallahassee, FL 32312 Humanists of West Florida Pensacola – Wednesday 1/23, 6:30 p.m. at University of West Florida, Student Commons – 11000 University Pkwy, Pensacola, FL 32514 Jim Helton knows firsthand how to grow an atheist group through activism. After co-founding the Tri-State Freethinkers in 2012, he implemented the ACES program. Jim will go over how activism, community, education, and social can strengthen your group and reach a whole new audience of atheists. About Jim Helton Jim G. Helton is the National Field Organizer for American Atheists. After attending the 2012 Reason Rally, he co-founded the Tri-State Freethinkers and was appointed American Atheists’ Kentucky State Director. Under his leadership, Tri-State Freethinkers adopted the highway in front of the Creation Museum and Ark Encounter and led a protest that received international attention. He played a key role in eliminating Gideon’s bible distributions in public schools and removing abstinence-only sex education. Mr. Helton’s activism at the Creation Museum and Ark Encounter landed him appearances in the 2017 documentary film Bill Nye: Science Guy and the forthcoming documentary We Believe in Dinosaurs. He has been quoted in countless news outlets, including The New York Times, Miami Herald, and Washington Post. He is a fixture in local media and has given interviews for international television specials in France, Switzerland, and elsewhere. As National Field Organizer, Mr. Helton works with affiliates, local partners, and state directors to challenge religious privilege and fight to protect church/state separation at the local level by building coalitions around specific issue campaigns, including medically accurate sex education, LGBT non-discrimination ordinances, and religious exemptions.

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American Atheist Holiday Banner Makes History in Iowa

American Atheists — Wed, 12 Dec 2018 23:01:55 +0000

Des Moines, IA—American Atheists’ holiday banner is making history today with the first explicitly atheist holiday display in the Iowa State Capitol. The American Atheists banner reads, “This season, no matter what you celebrate or why, Happy Holidays! (From) your atheist neighbors.” It joins a display created by the Freedom From Religion Foundation and sponsored by Iowa Atheists & Freethinkers that features the founding fathers looking down on the Bill of Rights in a manger. This will mark the first time in statehouse history that two atheist/secular displays have stood together over the holidays. Justin Scott, Iowa state director for American Atheists, said that the goal of the atheist banner was to promote inclusion during the holiday season. “The holidays are a special time, but too often, non religious Iowans and those of minority faiths can feel left out,” said Scott. “We hope visitors to the statehouse read our banner and leave feeling welcome regardless of their beliefs.” This marks the third year that the rotunda has included both the Bill of Rights display and the nativity scene and the first year for the American Atheists display. “Our displays also serve as a reminder about the importance of the separation between religion and government,” said Geoffrey T. Blackwell, litigation counsel for American Atheists. “Our banner’s inclusion this year showcases how religious freedom is supposed to work. “I’m proud that our state has shown that no single religion or worldview has a monopoly on holiday cheer,” added Scott.

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Atheists Donate National Motto Displays to Arkansas Schools

American Atheists — Thu, 23 Aug 2018 15:17:03 +0000

Bentonville, AR—In response to a 2017 law that requires Arkansas school districts to post in all classrooms donated signs or displays that show the national motto, American Atheists Monday announced a donation of nearly 1,000 posters to the Bentonville School District. The posters donated by American Atheists include both the current national motto, “In God We Trust,” and the original de facto motto of the United States, “E Pluribus Unum,” accompanied by a brief explanation of the changes made to the national motto in 1956. The displays also include a representation of the American flag, the Arkansas state flag, and a link to an instructional webpage that provides additional historical context and information about the national motto: www.atheists.org/motto “We’re pleased to donate these displays that present the full truth and historical context of our national motto,” said Nick Fish, American Atheists’ national program director. “Proponents of Act 911, including Bentonville’s State Representative Jim Dotson, claim that mandating these displays is about acknowledging our nation’s ‘history and heritage’ in classrooms. But we think students deserve all the facts, not just a poster of an exclusionary and divisive motto devoid of any additional context or information.” Fish, joined by representatives of the local atheist community, attended the August 20 Bentonville School Board meeting to present the donation. American Atheists has delivered a letter to the district requesting logistical information to complete the donation. “It’s interesting to note the displays donated by Rep. Dotson don’t actually conform to the law he himself introduced. We look forward to seeing our displays, which do conform to the law, hanging in every classroom in Bentonville,” added Fish. “As Dotson pointed out at the February 19 meeting he attended to make his donation, the school district is required under the law to display the posters that have been donated.” In 2018, more than 70 bills, many of them similar to Act 911, were introduced nationwide as part of “Project Blitz,” a nationwide campaign by Christian Nationalist groups to reshape state and federal laws by using a distorted interpretation of “religious freedom.” The proponents of these bills hope to roll back civil rights protections and inject the false idea that America was founded as a Christian nation into our public schools. “This concerted effort to use religion as a weapon against atheists, religious minorities, LGBTQ people, and women is dangerous and un-American,” said Alison Gill, legal and policy director of American Atheists. “This legislation being pushed by Christian Nationalists undermines religious freedom by instilling into the law only one religious viewpoint, theirs, while attacking the separation of religion and government which is the bedrock of our tradition of religious liberty. They admit to starting with ‘low hanging fruit’ like these national motto displays and building momentum to use religion as an excuse to allow discrimination in public accommodations, adoption services, and medical care. We must protect religious liberty from these extremists.” Fish’s Prepared Remarks to the Bentonville School Board Letter Sent to the Bentonville School Board

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‘Firebrand Atheist’ Silverman Recognized for Advocacy, Community Building

American Atheists — Tue, 05 Sep 2017 20:06:31 +0000

Atlanta, GA—In recognition of his advocacy on behalf of the atheist community, Atheist Alliance of America presented American Atheists president David Silverman with the 2017 Richard Dawkins Award on Saturday, September 2 at its annual convention at DragonCon. It’s estimated that DragonCon attracted more than 83,000 attendees this year. In recognizing Silverman, Atheist Alliance of America cited his “tireless advocacy for political and social justice causes for more than 20 years” and his work bringing together the atheist community for the 2012 Reason Rally in Washington, DC. “It means so much for AAoA to present me with the Dawkins Award,” said Silverman. “Our community is strongest when we stand together and this is another example of the progress we have made to set aside the differences of the past and work toward the common goals of a society that is more accepting of atheists and less tolerant of religious privilege.” “Atheist activism has come a long way in the years since David started his work,” said Mark W. Gura, vice president of Atheist Alliance of American. “So much of that progress can be directly attributed to his outspokenness and his work at American Atheists. “We’re proud to recognize David with this award,” added Atheist Alliance of America’s executive director, CW Brown. “I wouldn’t be standing here today without David’s work. His outspokenness inspires people to become activists.” Previous recipients of Atheist Alliance of America’s Richard Dawkins Award include: Christopher Hitchens, James Randi, Ann Druyan, Penn Jillette, Julia Sweeney, Daniel Dennett, Ayaan Hirsi Ali, Bill Maher, Susan Jacoby, Eugenie Scott, Steven Pinker, Rebecca Goldstein, Jerry Coyne, and Lawrence Krauss. After receiving the Richard Dawkins Award, Silverman discussed his book Fighting God, which makes the argument that firebrand, outspoken atheism is the most effective—and most humanistic and compassionate—approach to atheist activism. For More Information Contact: Atheist Alliance of America, (678) 321-0212, info1@atheistallianceamerica.org Mark Gura, Vice President, Atheist Alliance of America CW Brown, Executive Director, Atheist Alliance of America

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Atheists Invite San Antonio Mayor to Meet Constituents After Anti-Atheist Remarks

American Atheists — Mon, 24 Apr 2017 17:38:25 +0000

San Antonio—In remarks at a candidate forum this month, San Antonio, TX mayor Ivy Taylor linked systemic poverty to a lack of a “relationship with [a] creator,” adding that those without such a relationship did not have good relationships with their families and communities and were “not being productive members of society.” You can watch the full question, and the rest of the exchange, below (starting at 1:07:40) After facing outcry, Mayor Taylor posted the following statement on Facebook. Taylor’s follow-up does nothing to resolve the core problem of her statement: that people are “broken” until they forge a relationship with a god. There is nothing that could have “clarified” that statement. American Atheists’ National Program Director Nick Fish sent the following open letter to the Mayor, challenging her to meet with members of the atheist community to dispel negative preconceptions that she seems to have about atheists and our role within her community. At an event earlier this month, you were asked your thoughts about the root causes of generational poverty. In your response, you said: “…to me, it’s broken people. People not being in a relationship with their creator and therefore not being in a good relationship with their families and their communities and not being productive members of society.” I can’t begin to tell you how disappointing—and frankly hurtful—comments like these are to the more than 40% of your city’s residents who are atheists and non-religious. Let me be clear: Atheists are not “broken people.” Having a relationship with a creator or being religious have nothing to do with the relationships people have with their families, their communities, or their contributions to society. Atheists are your doctors, your police officers, members of your staff, your friends and family. If you think you don’t know any atheists, you’re wrong. It may simply be that the atheists in your life are uncomfortable telling you that they don’t share your religious convictions because they worry about your reaction. Thankfully, these comments present an opportunity. I challenge you to meet some of your atheist constituents. American Atheists has a vibrant affiliate group, the Freethinkers Association of Center Texas, located right there in San Antonio. I will be more than happy to make the introductions. Learn about our community. Learn about us as people. And, most importantly, learn why your statements hurt us. Atheists in America face bigotry, distrust, and intolerance daily. Your state’s senator, Ted Cruz, said during the 2016 presidential campaign that atheists are unfit to serve as President. I urge you, Mayor Taylor, to take this opportunity to connect with hundreds of thousands of your constituents. You represent all San Antonians, including atheists. So please, let us show you why we care about the direction of San Antonio, of Texas, and of our nation. You can read the letter here.

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American Atheists Joins March for Science as Partner Organization

American Atheists — Thu, 20 Apr 2017 19:53:36 +0000

Cranford, NJ—American Atheists is pleased to announce that it is partnering with the March for Science, joining a diverse coalition of science advocates, educators, environmental groups, and others in championing the role of science and reason in society and in policymaking. “The rhetoric and actions of policymakers in Washington, D.C. has been a source of great concern for those of us who value the use of science in making decisions that impact us all,” said David Silverman, President of American Atheists. “From denying climate change and attempting to inject creationism into public school classrooms, reason and science are under near constant attack in American politics. We must do better for the sake of future generations.” Nick Fish, American Atheists’ national program director added, “We are standing with the March for Science because we know that science should be above partisanship. Making investments in research and education ensure that the challenges we face today, and the challenges we’ll face tomorrow, will not go unanswered.” American Atheists asks members and supporters to join us at the southwest corner of 15th Street and Constitution Avenue NW, directly across the street from the African American History Museum, at 1pm. We are marching with supporters of the Secular Coalition for America, the American Humanists Association, and the Center for Inquiry. We will supply signs to attendees at the Washington, D.C. march, but if you would like to print our signs, they are available here and here. If you are unable to attend the march in Washington D.C., we ask that you march in solidarity at one of the many satellite march across the world. To find location information, visit www.marchforscience.com/satellite-marches/ Please register for the March for Science by visiting www.marchforscience.com/rsvp

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Atheists Award $4,000 in Scholarships to Student Activists

American Atheists — Mon, 27 Mar 2017 15:18:51 +0000

Cranford, NJ—American Atheists is pleased to announce the seven student awardees of $4,000 in scholarships for the 2017-2018 school year. This year’s winners include an ex-Muslim from Bangladesh, a student who founded an atheist group at his southern university, two women who combine their atheist activism with efforts to ensure LGBT equality, a student who uses discussions with Christians to educate about atheists, and two students using political activism to educate their elected representative about the atheist community. “Student activists are the key to normalizing atheism in the United States,” said American Atheists President David Silverman. “Their outreach and ability to be open about their lack of religious belief is invaluable to the atheist community at large. We applaud these students as leaders and activists.” This year’s awardees are: $1,000 O’Hair Scholarship: Therrin Wilson Wilson is a sophomore at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. After arriving at school, he found there were no student groups or organizations for atheists to come together so he founded a chapter of the Secular Student Alliance. “I am very honored to be the recipient of such an honorable award. It is organizations like American Atheists that give people like me (African American Atheists) a home-like sense,” said Wilson. $500 Chinn LGBT Scholarship: Amanda Scott Scott is a student at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. She is from Alabama where she was the youngest person to serve on the board of the ACLU of Alabama. She advocates for the LGBT community as an atheist, helping to raise the profile of nontheism among her peers and the wider community. “It is an incredible honor to receive the Chinn LGBT Atheist scholarship as an openly atheist and bisexual woman. My atheism and bisexuality are both critical to my identity and motivate the activism I do for atheists, the LGBTQ community, and other marginalized communities,” Scott said. $500 Chinn LGBT Scholarship: Megan Douthitt Douthitt will be attending the University of Kentucky in the fall. As an atheist, she has volunteered for organizations such as AIDS Volunteers, Inc. and Lexington Fairness. “I am beyond grateful to receive the American Atheists’ Chinn LGBT Scholarship. To experience support from American Atheists in my beliefs regarding the separation of church and state and in my educational goals is an extraordinary gift. I will continue to use my education and eventually my degree to vehemently support the LGBT community and the normalization of atheism,” Douthitt said. $500 President’s Scholarship: Raul Alexis Meza Arenaza Meza Arenaza attends the University of Florida, and he video records his discussion about religion and atheism to show others how to positively spread the message of critical thinking. “I will cherish the help given to me and use it to continue spreading a message of friendship and love for critical thinking.” $500 President’s Scholarship: Zerin Firoz Firoz attends Genesee Community College in New York, and as an ex-Muslim from Bangladesh, Firoz writes and speaks out about the dangers of religious fanaticism. “I am extremely grateful to American Atheist for supporting Bengali atheist like me. I have struggled a lot for my education. This is my first scholarship and all […]

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Atheists Declare Support for Women’s March on Washington

American Atheists — Tue, 17 Jan 2017 17:53:10 +0000

American Atheists is pleased to announce that it is partnering with the Women’s March on Washington, joining a coalition of more than 300 groups, to advocate for the rights of women, LGBTQ people, and religious minorities in the Trump Administration. “The incoming administration has given us cause for great concern and we must ensure that the voices of atheists are heard by the President-elect, members of Congress, and other officials,” said Amanda Knief, national public policy director of American Atheists. “We stand in solidarity with women, LGBTQ people, and other religious minorities who are alarmed by the rhetoric of the President- and Vice President-elect and their cabinet nominees.” American Atheists has announced its opposition of Attorney General nominee Jeff Sessions, Secretary of Health and Human Services nominee Tom Price, and Secretary of Education nominee Betsy DeVos. “These nominees have expressed their hostility to atheists and protecting the separation of religion from government, and they seem to believe that government should be used to advance their religious beliefs and force their dogma on the rest of Americans,” said Knief. In addition, American Atheists has strongly opposed President-elect Trump’s pledge to repeal the Johnson Amendment, which prohibits churches and other 501(c)(3) organizations from engaging in politics. “Churches and other houses of worship are not required to disclose their funding to the federal government so if the Johnson amendment is repealed, churches can become political mouthpieces of candidates without any financial disclosures to the public,” said Knief. American Atheists asks members and supporters to join us at the (UPDATE: Due to a change in scheduling, we’ve moved the meeting location) U.S. Navy Memorial Plaza on Pennsylvania Avenue between 7th and 9th Streets NW Hirshhorn Museum Fountain at Independence Avenue and 7th Street SW, near the L’Enfant Plaza or Smithsonian Metro stops at 8:30am. American Atheists will be marching with the Secular Coalition for America. For more information about the march, visit the Women’s March website. If you are unable to attend the march in Washington D.C., we ask that you march in solidarity at one of the more than 600 sister marches across the world.

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TAKE ACTION: Urge the Senate Reject Attorney General Nominee Jeff Sessions

American Atheists — Mon, 09 Jan 2017 21:19:20 +0000

President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for Attorney General, Jeff Sessions, has a troubling record with respect to his understanding of the Establishment Clause, the separation of religion from government in general, and his support for religious groups engaging in politicking from the pulpit in violation of federal law. Even more troubling, it now appears that the Senate Judiciary Committee is moving forward with hearings to confirm Sessions without having him complete the standard disclosures and questionnaires required of nominees. Senator Sessions’ record on the First Amendment is very troubling for atheists and defenders of true religious freedom. Sessions has publicly supported the placement of religious monuments on public land, railed against the “secularization” of the world, and even once asked the Department of Justice, which he is nominated to lead, to investigate a church/state separation group for “voter intimidation” after they sent letters reminding churches about their obligation to not engage in politicking during election season. For all of these reasons, American Atheists will oppose the nomination of Senator Sessions to serve as the Attorney General of the United States. In addition to the substantive objections we have to Senator Sessions’ nomination, his responses to the Judiciary Committee’s nomination questionnaire are incomplete. Even after submitting a supplemental questionnaire, Sessions’ record and views on a variety of issues facing the Justice Department, including on matters of religious freedom, are still lacking. Take Action Now We are asking you to call the Senate Judiciary Committee members at 877-959-6082 to voice your opposition to Senator Sessions’ nomination using the language below: Hi, my name is _______________ and I am a constituent of Senator _________________. I would like Senator ____________ to oppose the nomination of Jeff Sessions for Attorney General, or, at the very least to delay the hearing until Mr. Sessions has submitted his full record for review. His record on the separation of religion and government and the First Amendment are very troubling to me and Senators voting for his confirmation, and the American people, deserve to know where he stands on the issues. Thank you. Sessions’ Record on the Issues Senator Sessions has a long track record of injecting religion into his policymaking, including on LGBT issues, women’s reproductive health, and government endorsement of religion. Ten Commandment Monuments Sessions has consistently supported the placement of religious monuments to the Ten Commandments being placed on government property, including government offices and courthouses. Sessions has said that it is time to end “government hostility” toward the display of the Commandments. “It defies common sense to prohibit the display of such an important part of the nation’s history,” Sessions said. “The irrationality of the prohibition is highlighted by the fact that the U.S. Supreme Court, the highest authority on our Constitution, displays at least three representations of the Ten Commandments.” In 1997, Sessions introduced a resolution supporting the display of the Ten Commandments by Judge Roy Moore. During remarks on the Senate floor, Sessions said, in part, “The Founders devised a Constitution that depended on religion serving as a civilizing force in societal life.” School Prayer When Sessions was running for Senate in 1996, […]

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