AMERICAN ATHEISTS, INC.
PRESS RELEASE
Sept. 14, 1999

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



                 American Atheists: "See You At The Pole"
                          Sectarian Harassment
 Government involvement with religious activities violate 1st Amendment

    Tomorrow's "See You At The Pole" (SYATP) event, a yearly exercise by
which Christian students use specific flagpoles located only on public
school property, as religious altars, "is not, as some would have you
believe, an issue of free speech or free association," noted Ron Barrier,
National Spokesperson for American Atheists.
    "Any claims that this event is 'student-led and/or student-initiated,'
is simply not the case.  It is a premeditated strike to recruit minor
children while they are in the public schools.  This is no more than a
marketing tool, spearheaded and instigated by adults, pastors, churches and
other outside evangelical organizations," he added.
    "Evangelical groups are attempting to sow discontent in the public
school milieu by attempting to coerce students to publicly identify their
religious inclinations.  Not only is this type of 'sectarian harassment'
illegal, it is 'majority-rule religion' which is the type of situation our
Bill of Rights is designed to discourage," Mr. Barrier noted.
    "It's a show of force, not a show of faith," he said. "No one wants
their religious inclinations to be dictated by the community, or the result
of a popularity contest."
    "Recent court decisions allowing 'student-led' or 'student-initiated'
prayer are missing the point.  It's the organized ritual- not the
administrator of the prayer - that's illegal.  If a minister cannot walk
onto school property and perform a supernatural function, the government
cannot name a 'substitute minister' that magically turns the event into
something legal.
    "The government, restricted by the First Amendment, cannot designate who
or who cannot lead religious choreography. That is government involvment
with internal religious activities," concluded Mr. Barrier
    Ellen Johnson, President of American Atheists, noted that "the real
agenda of SYATP officials is to target young people for evangelism. They
want access to school children in an environment where parents are liable to
exercise the least amount of control over their child's welfare and ethical
upbringing."


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

American Atheists, Inc.
P.O. Box 5733
Parsippany, NJ 07054-6733
Tel: (908)276-7300  Fax: (908)276-7402