December 29, 2001

In the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks, some media pundits and columnists are busy attacking anyone who denies or questions their religious assumptions. Flash Line Article

* Conservative pundit William Buckley blamed the terrorism not on Islamic fanatics but on "Atheists" who supposedly live "un-Islamic" lives. Flash Line Article

* Commentator Bill O'Reilly criticized efforts to avoid entanglement between church and state during the Christmas holiday, charging "The secularists who would destroy this joyous tradition are destructive fascists who seek to control the free flow of expression..." Flash Line Article

O'Reilly also referred to nonbelievers. "Now, this might offend some atheists out there, but so what? The arrogance of a person who dismisses the thought of a higher power offends me..."

* Fox News Channel "host" Sean Hannity is known for his aggressive "attack" style on the air, interrupting guests before they can finish a sentence, switching the subject and resorting to other unfair, biased tactics. Recently, he used these ambush-style methods unsuccessfully during an interview with Ron Barrier, Communications Director for American Atheists. Hannity uttered 255 words during this "interview," compared to only 206 for Mr. Barrier and 121 for the show's co-host, Alan Colmes.

It is doubtful that these remarks or tactics would be used against a representative of the Catholic, Jewish or Muslim faith. Media pundits who level unfair charges, and resort to questionable tactics need to hear from some of America's nearly 30 million persons of no-religious-faith.

We urge you to contact these and other media commentators who misrepresent and insult Atheists, Freethinkers and other Secularists who defend the separation of church and state, and the right of nonbelievers to speak out in the public square.

* CONTACT NATIONAL REVIEW to comment on William Buckley's unfair statements blaming international terrorism on "un-Islamic" Atheists. Our commentary on this can be found at http://www.atheists.org/flash.line/islam16.htm. Buckley's December 14 column may be found at http://www.nationalreview.com/buckley/buckley.shtml. Send an e-mail to National Review, or National Review Online by visiting http://www.nationalreview.com/letters/letters.shtml.

* LET BILL O'REILLY HEAR FROM YOU. His column, "Santa Is Appalled" can be found at http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=25758. This piece was also carried in the New York Post, which can be contacted through letters@nypost.com or Letters to the Editor, The New York Post, 1211 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10036-8790.

* CONTACT SEAN HANNITY AND ALAN COLMES (HANNITY & COLMES on the Fox News Channel). The interview with Ron Barrier can be found at http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,40984,00.html. Send comments to Sean Hannity at hannity@foxnews.com or Alan Colmes (colmes@foxnews.com).

TAKE A STAND for fair treatment of Atheists, nonbelief and secularism in the media!

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