Don’t stay “SAT” on the sidelines

I’m Mike, and I’m from the great state of Maryland, where I serve as State Director for American Atheists and co-chair of the Maryland Secular Advocacy Team (SAT). 

You’ve heard about SATs before from the staff of American Atheists, but as a fellow member and supporter of this organization, I wanted to offer a first-hand account of what we do, how it matters, and why we volunteers need you to support the SAT program. 

When you support local groups and SATs, you know that every bit of that money will be used at the front lines in the fight for atheists’ civil rights. Please join us today to make a real difference!

Here in Maryland, our legislative session ended a week ago, and I am beyond thrilled to report that:

• Our SAT stopped a bill to put religious chaplains in schools. 
• We defeated a mandate to display the Ten Commandments at our Capitol. 
• We blocked an anti-transgender sports ban. 
• We refused — twice — to opt into Trump’s federal school voucher scheme. 
• We rejected a sweeping, so-called “Religious Freedom Restoration Act.”
• And we passed protections against religious coercion in the workplace! 

I don’t need to tell you that each and every one of these were major victories for nonreligious folks and for anyone who cares about defending the separation of church and state. 

What I do want you to understand is how instrumental American Atheists has been in achieving these successes. The policy team tracked legislation, alerted us when bills of interest were introduced, broke down complex legal issues, helped us understand the technicalities and real-world ramifications of every piece of legislation, showed us how to craft and present compelling testimony, and mobilized supporters across our state at critical moments.

That level of support and grassroots organizing is invaluable.  And when our volunteers weren’t able to show up in Annapolis, we could still rest easy, knowing that Victoria, Sam, and other staff members were working tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure nonreligious voices were still heard. 

Look, I’m a skeptic, too, so you’re forgiven for thinking I sound a little biased. But the data are clear: In the seven states with active Secular Advocacy Teams like ours, we’re winning more often and stopping harmful legislation before it becomes law. 

That’s not just true in blue states like Maryland, either. Ruby-red states with an SAT outperform those without one by more than 15%! 

With religious nationalists gaining ground across the country, we can’t afford to keep this program small. To protect church-state separation everywhere, we also need to urgently expand Secular Advocacy Teams to all 50 states, including yours. 

By giving today, you’ll not only help sustain this momentum but help grow the movement nationwide.

I’m not aware of any other secular civil rights organization that is more committed than American Atheists is to organizing people at the state level and equipping them with all the tools, resources, and knowledge they need to fight back against efforts to dismantle the separation of church and state and advance positive legislation. 

And I’ve seen the results with my own eyes: This policy team knows what they’re doing, and what they’re doing works. 

But wins like these take strategy, persistence, and people willing to show up and speak out. That’s where Secular Advocacy Teams come in, and why your continued and generous support of this program matters so much.

Sincerely,

Mike Reid
Maryland State Director