AMERICAN ATHEISTS, INC.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 17, 2000

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


                AMERICAN ATHEISTS: FLORIDA PRAYER RULING
                  CONDONES RELIGION BY "MAJORITY RULE"
             First Amendment trashed by Federal Appeals Court

    American Atheists today criticized the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals for
upholding a Florida school system's policy of allowing prayers at graduation
ceremonies.
    The court ruled that graduation prayers could be included if students
voted to have them. The court reasoned that "the total absence of state
involvement" legitimized the inclusion of religious rituals in graduation
exercises by student ballot.
    "We are disturbed by the court's refusal to acknowledge the obvious
differences between private and public religious expression," said Ellen
Johnson, President of American Atheists.
    "Private religious expression does not require a human audience.
    "We are equally shocked by the continued attempts of organized
Christianity in using children as a 'faith shield' to further exploit the
captive audience.
    "The court, as well as Gov. Jeb Bush, clearly ignores the fact that our
basic freedoms - speech, religion, and the right to assemble peacefully -
are not subject to majority rule or the ballot box. Our religious
inclinations are not subject to the whim of the community. Nor are they to
be dictated by the votes of children!
    "The 'Ballot Box Ritual' seems to be a new mutation in the evolution of
the Christian religion as it continues to undermine what it means to be a
freethinking American," noted Ron Barrier, National Spokesman for American
Atheists.
    "The courts are beginning to play fast and loose with the Bill of
Rights. American policy on freedom of religion, as well as freedom from
religion, is now going to be dictated by whichever faith is the majority
faith.  The current 800 lb. gorilla is now Christianity. Some day it may not
be, and Christians will rue the day when they are forced to participate in
someone else's prayer.
    "Prayer is intellectual submission to an idea we find offensive and
repugnant.
    "There is an incredible lack of 'long-term' thinking behind such prayer
policies. We can only hope that when and if this hits the Supreme Court
docket, it will fail."

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