– September 13, 2007

Speak Out for Atheist Free Speech! Support Kathy Griffin, Target of Catholic League Bullying, Emmy Academy Cowardice!

A monologue by comedienne Kathy Griffin delivered at her acceptance of a creative arts Emmy award will be heavily censored when the program airs this Saturday on the E! entertainment channel. The move comes after the Academy for Television Arts & Sciences caved-in to demands from the Catholic League that Ms. Griffin be chastised for a “vulgar, in-your-face brand of hate speech” and “blasphemous” remarks.

Ms. Griffin, who is an open Atheist, told those attending the awards ceremony that “a lot of people come up here and thank Jesus for this award. I want you to know that no one had less to do with this award than Jesus … Can you believe this shit? Hell has frozen over. Suck it, Jesus, this award is my god now.”

Ellen Johnson, President of American Atheists, told reporters, “It’s permissible to make religious comments at the Emmy Awards and other public events as long as they do not criticize or threaten the self-appointed ‘Religion Police.’ Celebrities can go on national television to ‘thank’ Jesus, or Allah, or Scientology for their success, but an Atheist cannot make an honest and forthright statement that their success came from developing their talents and working hard…”

SUPPORT KATHY GRIFFIN, CONTACT THE ACADEMY

American Atheists is asking all free expression to speak out on this important issue! Atheists, Freethinkers, Humanists and other nonbelievers deserve equal rights, and the opportunity to express out opinions in respect to religion. The Academy “caved in” to a Roman Catholic pressure group known for making extreme and unwarranted comments about artists, writers and political figures who criticize, protest, “insult” or make humorous remarks about religion, specifically Catholicism.

Here’s what we can do…

• SUPPORT KATHY GRIFFIN. You may sent a comment via Ms. Griffin’s web site. We suggest that you identify yourself as an Atheist or some other appropriate appellation, and tell her that you oppose the “religious bullying” of the Catholic League. You may also wish to copy your message to her agent, Mr. Tim Curtis, at the William Morris Agency: tc@wma.com.
• THE ACADEMY FOR TELEVISION ARTS & SCIENCES needs to hear from Atheists and other nonbelievers throughout America! Tell the Academy that they cannot selectively pro-religion remarks, while censoring humorous comments or other monologues made by Atheists! The Academy can be reached at:

  Academy of Television Arts & Sciences
  5220 Lankershim Blvd.
  North Hollywood, CA 91601-3109
  Phone: (818)754-2800
  Fax: (818)761-2827
  E-mail (Richard Askin): dick.askin@emmyleader.org
  E-mail: webmaster@emmys.org

  Please be polite when contacting the Academy! Encourage them to reconsider their hasty decision to censor Ms. Griffin’s remarks, and urge them to run the full text of her monologue when the awards ceremony airs this Saturday night on the E! network.
• Share your letters and replies with us
• Spread this Action Alert!

Letters to the Academy

As an Atheist, I find it hypocritical for you to censure Kathy Griffin for her ridicule of Christianity while accepting the statement of the Catholic League bully to the effect that she did not dare to ridicule Islam because she knew they would blow her head off. Why should he get away not only with ridiculing a non-Catholic religion but even with spreading the hurtful stereotype that all Muslims are murderous terrorists? What's sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander. Better to laugh at all religions than to take any of them seriously.

Frank R. Zindler, editor
American Atheist Press

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