AMERlCAN ATHEISTS, INC.
FOR lMMEDlATE RELEASE
July 6, 2000

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


                  ATHElSTS CALL FOR PRESlDENT CLlNTON
                    TO RESlGN AS HEAD OF BOY SCOUTS

In the wake of last week's U.S. Supreme Court decision in BOY SCOUTS OF
AMERlCA v. DALE, American Atheists is now calling upon President Clinton to
resign as honorary head of the Boy Scouts.

American Atheists President Ellen Johnson sent a letter to the White House
urging Mr. Clinton to "step down as honorary president of the Boy Scouts of
America and end the practice of giving Presidential approval to
discrimination against young children on the basis of sexual orientation and
Atheism.  These are two attributes that, in and of themselves, say nothing
about any lack of character or good citizenship. We are asking America's
Atheists to contact the White House with e-mails, faxes and phone calls on
this issue.

"As the parent of a boy who could not join the Boy Scouts I am furious that
the President is so insensitive to the pain it causes Gay and Atheist
parents and their sons.

Mr. Clinton should see the anguish on a young boy's face when he is told he
cannot join a group his friends join because of his theological differences
or sexual orientation, two attributes that have nothing to do with pitching
tents.

Ms. Johnson called the boy scouts "bigots in training".  "In the past, the
Boy Scouts of America excluded Jews and blacks as members but realized that
they couldn't get away with that any longer in this day and age," said Ms.
Johnson.

"Bigotry against gays and Atheists is much harder to stop" said Ron Barrier,
National Spokesman for American Atheists.

"The scouts, in my opinion, are celebrating religious relativism over any
real substantive honesty. This type of peer pressure does not breed good
character," noted Mr. Barrier.  "The scouts have now joined the churches as
carriers of bigotry, fear, and ignorance. I am truly ashamed of my scouting
past."

For more information, please contact:
Ellen Johnson, President   (973) 334-5110
Ron Barrier, Spokesperson  (718) 967-64531

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