AMERICAN ATHEISTS ACTION ALERT

June 27, 2002

DEFEND THE DECISION! KEEP THE PLEDGE "RELIGION FREE"

Action Needed To Stop Possible Constitutional Amendment, Other Efforts To Overturn NEWDOW Ruling!

From: American Atheists
To: All Atheist, Freethought, Secular Humanist groups & individuals

On Wednesday, June 26, 2002, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals handed down a historic decision, a case challenging the inclusion of "under God" in our nation's Pledge of Allegiance, Immediate efforts are underway to overturn this ruling, which found that the Pledge -- as revised in 1954 -- violates the separation of church and state, and endorses "monotheistic religion."

* MEMBERS OF CONGRESS are outraged, and are asking the government to intervene by seeking a full "en banc" hearing in front of the full Ninth Circuit or, if necessary, taking the case to the U.S. Supreme Court. There are also plans to promote a constitutional amendment to include the "under God" slogan in the Pledge.

It is questionable at this time whether any U.S. Senator or Representative, or major candidate for public office would have the integrity, principles and fortitude to oppose such a "politically expedient" amendment. Even Democrats like Joe Lieberman are trying to outdo their religious right counterparts by demanding legislative action!

* RELIGIOUS GROUPS ARE FURIOUS and have launched a "full court press" in the news media.

America's Atheists, Freethinkers, Humanists and others
"of no religion" need to take action NOW and fight back,
especially in the media and public opinion "culture war"
raging over this controversial issue.

AMERICAN ATHEISTS is urging you to take action NOW to mobilize public opinion. Media, the general public, and elected officials need to hear our point of view. Here's how you can help.

* GET THE BACKGROUND ON THIS CASE! Visit Flash Line for information about this case, and check out our "talking points" section below.

* CONTACT MEMBERS OF CONGRESS! Write letters, send faxes, make phone calls to your U.S. Senators and Representatives, telling them that you oppose any tampering with the Constitution in order to restore the "religionized" Pledge of Allegiance. Visit our Contact Congress page for information on how to "Contact Congress". Make your letters polite, concise and to-the-point. Be sure to include your name and return address. Sign your letter/fax, and be sure to ask for a reply.

* ENGAGE IN MEDIA DEBATE! Let's win the public opinion war. Letters to the Editor of your local/regional newspapers, as well as national publications are an important tool in affecting public opinion. Don't be afraid to identify yourself as an Atheist, Freethinker or other nonbeliever! Remember, according to the American Religious Identification Survey (ARIS) you are part of a growing, thriving community in America. Over 14% of us fall into the "no religion" category, some 30 million Americans!

* PARTICIPATE IN CALL-IN PROGRAMS AND OTHER PUBLIC FORUMS ABOUT THIS AND RELATED ISSUES! Express your opinion when and where possible on such programs.

* SEND SAMPLE LETTERS FOR OTHERS TO SEE!

"TALKING POINTS"

* The "under God" portion of the Pledge of Allegiance was not part of the original content, but rather was added by an Act of Congress in 1954, during the cold war period. The intent was clearly and explicitly religious. The public profession of religious belief through slogans like "under God" became a political litmus test of loyalty in the confrontation with so-called 'atheistic communism."

* The NEWDOW suit did not examine all of the possible legal implications the case might have. Thus, politicians and clergy -- from Rep. Bob Barr to Jerry Falwell -- are asking, "What's next? What about 'In God We Trust' on our money?"

AMERICAN ATHEISTS takes the position that, yes, "In God We Trust" and other religious slogans need to be challenged as well! Inclusion of "In God We Trust" on paper currency and coinage was signed into law in 1955, a year after the Pledge of Allegiance was modified. The following year, Public Law 851 was enacted and signed by then-President Eisenhower. It replaced the secular national motto, "E Pluribus Unum" or "Out of Many, One" with the theistic "In God We Trust."

* Rev. Falwell and others are arguing that this law interferes with free speech and religious expression. Many of the clerics and politicians attacking the Ninth Circuit decision are not known as civil libertarians who are committed to free expression, especially when it involves political or ideological nonconformity. But the NEWDOW case focuses on government endorsement of religion. Religious people in America have ample opportunity to worship the god or gods of their choice. There is an abundance of churches, chapels, mosques, temples and other houses of worship where they may pray, sing, burn incense, and do whatever else they feel is required. Check out "The Yellow Pages Test"

* What about Congress, the Supreme Court and other government bodies calling upon a deity? The NEWDOW case focused, in part, on the effect of the Pledge of Allegiance in a public classroom setting. The nation should engage, though, in a debate over whether prayers and other religious activities in government violate the separation of church and state, and have the effect of promoting religion. These religious activities have the effect of identifying the state with religion, and often a particular (monotheistic, Judeo-Christian) religious heritage. This is unfair, especially in a diverse nation such as the United States which was founded as a secular republic.

* The Founding Fathers "would be rolling in their graves" over the Newdow ruling! Jerry Falwell believes this to be the case; however, determining the intent of the Founders is a delicate and complicated legal process for the courts. The Constitution and the Bill of Rights are considered "living" documents. The goal is to not only protect rights, but expand them as well! The original Constitution, for instance, did not abolish slavery, nor did it give the franchise to women. Those rights were instituted over time.

* "No child is required to recite the Pledge of Allegiance." While that is correct in theory, the reality is that often, those students who refuse to stand for the Pledge or participate are marginalized by peers and sometimes treated as "outsiders." When mandatory school prayer and Bible verse recitation in public schools was struck down by the Supreme Court in the 1960s, prayer defenders used a similar argument. They insisted that students who did not wish to pray could remain silent, or leave the classroom while others engaged in religious ritual.

This ignores not only the effects of dividing a classroom into two segments (those who worship and those "others" who do not), but the fact that such a practice violates the separation of church and state, and promotes religion. It identifies government with religion and religious belief.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: CONTACT INFORMATION:

The New York Times
Letters to the Editor
The New York Times (or) The New York Times Magazine
229 West 43rd Street
New York, NY 10036
Fax: (212) 556-3622. E-mail (newspaper): letters@nytimes.com
E-mail (magazine): magazine@nytimes.com
Web forum: http://forums.nytimes.com/comment/
Length: approx. 150 words

USA Today
Letters to the Editor
USA Today
1000 Wilson Blvd., 22nd
Arlington, VA 22229
E-mail: editor@usatoday.com
Length: 250 or fewer words

The Wall Street Journal
Letters to the Editor
4300 Route 1 North
South Brunswick, NJ 08852
E-mail: editors@interactive.wsj.com

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