FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
OCT. 8, 2000

AMERICAN ATHEISTS, INC.
http://www.atheists.org
http://www.americanatheist.org

For more information, please contact:
Ellen Johnson, President   (973) 334-5110
Ron Barrier, Spokesperson  (718) 967-6453
Wayne Aiken, NC Director   (919) 954-5956


                  CANDIDATES AVOIDING "DIRTY SECRET" -
                     PUBLIC FUNDING OF RELIGION

Atheists To Speak Out Against "Charitable Choice," "Faith-Based
Partnerships" At October 11 Debate In Winston-Salem, N.C.

    Vice President Al Gore and Texas Gov. George W. Bush are downplaying
their "dirty secret" during scripted television debates and appearances that
they favor policy programs that would subsidize religious groups to operate
religion-based social service programs.
    "Schemes like 'charitable choice' and 'faith-based partnerships' have
suddenly become too hot a political issue for the candidates to address,"
charged American Atheists President Ellen Johnson.  "Neither presidential
hopeful wants to now admit that he supports policies that would  impose a
'religion tax' on the American people, and undermine the wall of separation
between church and state."
    Ms. Johnson noted that after the initial post-convention outburst of
public religiosity, especially statements from Democratic vice presidential
nominee Sen. Joseph Lieberman, the two major political parties are saying
little about their plans to throw open the door of the U.S. Treasury to
sectarian groups.  "The closest we have are  admissions from Gov. Bush that,
yes, he supports vouchers to aid parochial and other religious schools.
    Ms. Johnson also added. "Bush and Gore need to be more up-front in
telling the American people just how far they would go in taxing millions of
American Atheists - and everyone else - for the benefit of religion-based
social outreaches."
    Ron Barrier, National Spokesperson for American Atheists, said that the
group will "participate by protest" in next week's Presidential Debate on
Wednesday, October 11 at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, N.C.  "The
candidates may want to ignore this issue, but we won't," said Mr. Barrier.
"It may be their religion they're trying to promote, but it's our money."
    American Atheists is a nationwide First Amendment public policy
organization defending civil rights and the total separation of state and
church.

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