AMERICAN ATHEISTS, INC.
PRESS RELEASE
Feb. 15, 2000

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


            ATHEISTS: CONGRESSIONAL AWARD FOR CARDINAL O'CONNOR
            UNFAIR TO TAXPAYERS, SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE

    American Atheists today charged that the U. S. House of Representatives
is acting unfairly in giving its top honor, the Congressional Gold Medal, to
Roman Catholic Cardinal John O'Connor of New York.  This morning, congress
voted 413-1 to present O'Connor with the prestigious award.  Rep. Ron Paul
(R-Texas) was the lone dissenter to the measure, H.R. 3557.  Congressman Paul
praised O'Connor as a "true hero," but he said that Congress had no business
appropriating $30,000 of public money for such a purpose.  He asked instead
that the 435 Members of Congress each match his own personal contribution of
$100 toward the award.
    "For the record, not a single Representative who solicited my support
for spending taxpayer's money, was willing to contribute their own money to
demonstrate the courage of their so-called convictions and generosity," Mr.
Paul said in a press statement.
    "We don't always agree with Rep. Ron Paul, but on this issue, we applaud
his willingness to stand against the use of public money to honor a sectarian
leader," said Ellen Johnson, President of American Atheists.  "But we go a
step further;  Congress is clearly 'playing favorites' in an election year by
giving its top honor to a Roman Catholic leader who has attracted
considerable criticism for his views on gays, civil liberties, abortion, free
expression and other issues."
    Ms. Johnson pointed out O'Connor's hostility toward the gay rights
movement, and noted that he was one of the premier American religious leaders
who denounced novelist Salman Rushdie for his book "The Satanic Verses,"
Yesterday was the eleventh anniversary of the fatwa or death sentence against
Rushdie by the late Ayatollah Khomeini.
    "Congress seems to forget that at the time, Cardinal O'Connor refused to
stand up for freedom of expression, and instead described Rushdie's book as
'offensive' and 'blasphemous,' even though he had not read it," added Johnson.
    "I seriously doubt Congress would be willing to recognize humanitarian
contributions from an Atheist." noted Ron Barrier, National Spokesperson for
American Atheists.
    "Congress has no business handing out Gold Medals to foreign appointees
who preach hostility against over 20% of the American public, and using our
taxpayer money to do it!" Mr. Barrier added.

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