AMERICAN ATHEISTS, INC.
PRESS RELEASE
APRIL 29, 1999

http://www.atheists.org
http://www.americanatheist.org

AMERICAN ATHEISTS BLAST "VOUCHER FEVER"
Anti-American legislators peddle "competition" illusion

	American Atheists today criticized the renewed push for private and
religious school vouchers as "anti-American and government involvement with
faith peddling."
	Ron Barrier, national spokesman for American Atheists, claimed that
the argument for competition "is an illusion by those who kowtow to
religious interests for their own personal gain."
	"The argument for  school vouchers is false for three reasons," said
Mr. Barrier.
	"First, the argument for competition is an illusion.  Competiton
implies a level playing field.  There is no competition when each side plays
by completely different rules.
	"Second, most private schools are religious - and religious schools,
as with all religious businesses, are exempt from any and all civil rights
laws.  This nonsense should not, and cannot, be rewarded with public
dollars.
	"Third, vouchers force each and every American to support a religious
outreach they normally would not do so voluntarily.  The primary focus of
religious schools is to push faith - education is merely a means to that
end.
	"Since a large portion of religious schools in America are owned by
the Vatican, a foreign, anti-democratic dictatorship with diplomatic ties to
the United States, one can conclude that it is outrageous for our elected
officials to want to send American dollars overseas - laundered under the
guise of 'vouchers.'
	"To force Americans to support schools whose agenda is Vatican
propaganda, or any religious propaganda for that matter, is unconscionable
and anti-American."



For more information, please contact:
Ron Barrier, Spokesperson		(718)967-6453
Ellen Johnson, President		(973)334-5110