– July 19, 2006

National Guard Official Needs to Apologize for “Agnostics, Atheists, Bigots” Slur at NAACP Convention!

Will prominent human rights group ignore inappropriate remarks?

A top official with the National Guard has chastised “Agnostics, atheists and bigots” serving in our nation’s military!

Ironically, Army Lt. Gen. H. Steven Blum made this inappropriate slur during an address to the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) at its 31st annual Armed Services and Veterans Affairs Award ceremony held yesterday in Washington, DC. According to a news report by Rudi Williams of American Forces Press Service:

“As for the military’s diversity, Blum said, the battlefield might be the greatest equalizer. ‘Agnostics, atheists and bigots suddenly lose all that when their life is on the line,’ Blum said. ‘Something that they lived their whole life believing gets thrown out the door, and they grasp the comrade next to them, and they don’t care what color their skin is, and they don’t care when they pray…’”

AMERICAN ATHEISTS has called for an apology from both Lt. Gen. Blum and the NAACP, an organization that for years has been on the forefront in the struggle for human rights, tolerance and equality! Atheists, Agnostics, Freethinkers and other nonbelievers deserve the same respect as other individuals, including religionists. Nonbelievers are serving, and have served, in our nation’s military with distinction!

This double stereotype – that we are somehow the equivalent of “bigots” and that Atheists, Agnostics and other nonbelievers may be singled out for these baseless and unfair remarks – needs to be addressed, especially by Gen. Blum. Imagine if he had made a similar statement about Jews, Muslims, people of color or some other group!

What we can do…

We urge you to contact Lt. General Blum and the NAACP leaders. As the general to repudiate these remarks; and request that the NAACP disavow this stereotyping. Ironically, Blum expressed enlightened and tolerant attitudes about various groups in the military during most of his speech. Singling out any groups, though, because of religious beliefs – or the lack of religious belief – is inappropriate! Blum presented no verifiable evidence for his rash statement insinuating that Agnostics, Atheists, Freethinkers or other nonbelievers are to be compared to “bigots,” and may have problems integrating into the larger structure of military units.

Make your communiques polite, brief and to the point. Ask for an apology from Lt. Gen. Blum. If you are active duty military or a veteran, note that. Do the same when communicating with NAACP Bruce S. Gordon. Ask that the organization repudiate any offensive stereotyping of individuals and groups based on Atheism. Religion must not be a litmus test of patriotism and willingness to defend our nation!

• If sending a letter, be sure to include your return address. Sign the letter!
• Always ask for a reply to your concerns!
• Share your letters and replies on this web site
• Spread this Action Alert!
• Be polite.

Contact Info…

Here is the latest available contact information we have.

Lt. Gen. H. Steven Blum
Chief, The National Guard Bureau
1411 Jefferson Davis Highway
Arlington, VA. 22202-3231

Email: Dan Donohue, National Guard Bureau, Director of Public Affairs Daniel.Donohue@ngb.ang.af.mil

President Bruce S. Gordon
NAACP
National Headquarters
4805 Mt. Hope Drive
Baltimore, MD 21215
(877) NAACP-98

Email: washingtonbureau@naacpnet.org

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