all it serendipitous and fortuitous.

   The House of Representatives is poised for a vote on H.R. 7, the "Community Solutions Act" which is considered the first step in funding President George W. Bush's expansive program to involve religious groups in the operation of tax-funded social services. Should the measure clear Capitol Hill, it would seriously alter the tenuous separation of church and state, and result in what critics charge is the imposition of a "Religion Tax" on the American people. H.R. 7, though, could face unexpected opposition, especially since -- if all goes according to plan -- hundreds and thousands of letters, phone calls and faxes are landing in Washington from the country's diverse community of nonbelievers.

   After two months of planning, organizing, and a press conference in Washington, DC last week, the day has arrived. It is Tuesday, July 17, "The Day That Counts."

   "It's been quite a challenge, but we think we're about to make a difference with this campaign," said Ellen Johnson, President of American Atheists. In May, Johnson set out to enlist the nation's numerous and sundry Atheist, Freethought, Secular Humanist and other nonbeliever groups in an effort to close ranks around a single issue -- the federal faith-based initiative -- and get people in touch with their elected representatives in Washington.

   "The whole campaign has been very modest yet very bold at the same time," said Johnson. "Getting all of us together is, well, a bit like herding butterflies, and everyone wants to go their own way.

   "We thought that government funding of religion-based programs was one issue we could work together on, and I think we've done that."

   The idea is to have all of these different people-of-no-faith, whatever label they choose in calling themselves, to send letters and faxes to Congressional Representatives and Senators on one day in hopes of influencing the end game on bills like HR 7.

   "So far, everything about this debate has involved religious groups," said Johnson. "Some denominations favor the faith-based initiative, and others are against it. And what public input there has been over this issue has involved churches and other houses of worship, not us."

   The "us" is the 27 million or so Americans who describe themselves with words like "Atheist," "Freethinker," Humanist," "Agnostic" or some other term. For Johnson, this is a sizable minority that has been sidelined in the discussion of public policy issues concerning the First Amendment, including the creation of Bush's new White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives.

   "When Congress holds hearings on these types of issues, they bring in panels of 'experts' from all of the different religious denominations. 'The Day That Counts' is a step in trying to break this exclusionary policy," she added.

   To build that broad, ad hoc coalition together in opposition to HR 7, Johnson began by sending out over 150 letters to national, regional and local groups. A few were returned, but slowly organizations began signing up and pledged to mobilize their members. Along the way, there was some complaining and bickering over the sort of issues that have divided nonbelievers for years; but Johnson says that the response was generally gratifying, even a bit overwhelming. The small list of endorsing organizations and individual supporters began to grow, and as of this evening, 78 have signed on for "The Day That Counts." Over 2500 individuals have lent their names in support as well.

   "For me, the high point was last week in Washington," said Johnson. "Who would have thought that all of these different organizations would get together and have their representatives standing next to each other and speaking out against the faith-based initiative?"

   The media nibbled a bit, and while the conference wasn't carried on C-SPAN as had been hoped, stories appeared in The Washington Times, Religion News Service and other outlets. "It was important to break that 'digital blackout' that has existed, and allowed only religious organizations to have their say in their media," said Johnson.

   Ron Barrier, who spoke at the press conference as a representative of the Staten Island Metro Atheists, noted that "a lot more newspapers and news services would be here today if we were a coalition of religious groups supporting or opposing this legislation... that's an example of the bias that we still have to put up with."

   Will "The Day That Counts" make a difference? Johnson says 'yes.' "

   "It was a big step in building the kind of single-issue unity that we need if we're going to have any clout on legislative issues," she said. "We're always going to have different groups and different labels, styles and agendas, but we can sometimes work together on the important public policy concerns that all of us face."

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