Cranford, NJ—American Atheists joins advocates nationwide Wednesday in celebrating the Supreme Court’s announcement finding Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) unconstitutional on equal protection grounds for singling out certain types of legal marriages for unequal treatment, thereby requiring the federal government to recognize legal marriages of same-sex couples.
The Supreme Court also found that supporters of California’s Proposition 8, a state constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriages, had no standing to appeal, meaning that the lower court’s ruling striking down Proposition 8 stands.
“The only objection to government recognition of gay marriage, to gay marriage at all, is clearly rooted in religion,” said President David Silverman. “The religious can object until they’re blue in the face, but America is not a theocracy, and religious bigotry has no place in American law. Our mission is separation of religion and government, and this is a day of great victory for us, for the future, for what it means to be an American. I am proud of America and of humanity today.”
Although conclusionary atheists make up approximately 6% of the general US population, a full 17%—a nearly threefold increase—of LGBT Americans are conclusionary atheists, according to a Pew Forum study released in June 2013. Similar figures are reported for those claiming no religious affiliation: 20% of the general public and nearly half of LGBT Americans at 48%, according to the same study.
“This is a great day in American history,” said Public Relations Director Dave Muscato. “It is absurd to me that it took this long to recognize such a basic human right as the freedom to marry, but I am proud of our country for doing the right thing. Same-sex marriage is not legal in every state yet, but this is a step in the right direction.”
AMERICAN ATHEISTS is a national 501(c)(3) organization that defends civil rights for atheists, freethinkers, and other nonbelievers; works for the total separation of religion and government; and addresses issues of First Amendment public policy. American Atheists celebrates its 50th anniversary this year.
American Atheists, Inc.
P.O. Box 158
Cranford, NJ 07016
Tel: (908) 276-7300
Fax: (908) 276-7402
Keywords: American Atheists, Prop 8, DOMA, same-sex marriage, marriage equality, LGBT, equal protection, Supreme Court, atheism, humanism, freethought, SCOTUS, separation of church and state, separation of religion and government
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