Thank Prsident Obama!

AMERICAN ATHEISTS ACTION ALERT
http://www.atheists.org
November 9, 2009

THANK PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA FOR
RECOGNIZING NONBELIEVERS IN MILITARY!

Once again, President Obama has praised nonbelievers and cited us as participants in American society.

In his weekly radio address, the president touched on the tragedy at Ft. Hood, Texas. Citing the diversity of our armed forces, he declared: "They are Christians and Muslims, Hews and Hindus and nonbelievers."

It's not the first time Mr. Obama has mentioned America's growing cohort of Atheists, Freethinkers, Rationalists and other who profess "no religion." (See the 11/08 issue of AANEWS reproduced below).

We ask you to join us in expressing thanks for President Obama's remarks by flooding the White House with e-mails, phone calls and, if possible snail mail (which usually has the most impact.)

Here's how you can participate...

* Visit the White House web site and fill out a comment form. Visit http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact

* Send a "snail mail" to:

President Barack Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
Washington, DC 20500

Be sure to sign your letter and provide a return address/

* Call the White House switchboard to leave a recorded comment.
Phone: 202-456-1111
FAX: 202-450-2461
TTY/TDD: 202-456-6213

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A M E R I C A N A T H E I S T S
A N E W S
#1289 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 11/08/09
http://www.atheists.org
http://www.americanatheist.org
http://www.atheistviewpoint.tv

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A Service of AMERICAN ATHEISTS, a nationwide movement that defends
civil rights for non-believers; works for the total separation of
Church and State; and addresses issues of First Amendment public
policy.
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"ATHEIST is really a thoroughly honest, unambiguous term, it admits
of no paltering and no evasion, and the need of the world, now as
ever, is for clear-cut issues and unambiguous speech."
-- Chapman Cohen
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OBAMA CITES "NONBELIEVERS" IN FT. HOOD SHOOTING COMMENTARY

President Barack Obama on Saturday praised members of the military
on Saturday in the wake of a tragic shooting at Ft. Hood, Texas
which has claimed over a dozen lives.

While the suspected perpetrator was apparently a strident Islamist,
the Commander-in-Chief extolled the actions of those who came to
the aid of victims, declaring "They are Christians and Muslims,
Jews and Hindus and nonbelievers."

For a nonbeliever community long stigmatized and isolated on the
American cultural landscape, Obama's comment was another example
of the progress made over the last several years in finding new
acceptance and cultural visibility. Dr. Ed Buckner, President of
American Atheists, applauded the president for his inclusion of
those who profess "no religion" during his weekly radio commentary.

"Nonbelievers go by a variety of labels -- Atheists, Freethinkers,
Humanists, Rationalists -- and we make up more than 15% of the
population," said Buckner. ":We thank the president for including us
in the diverse population that is the people of the United States.
We appreciate the fact that President Obama has acknowledged what
we have always known. Of course there are Atheists in foxholes,
and there are and always have been men and women who have worn the
uniform of the nation and have served with courage in the military
and in many other ways."

Obama's address was not the first time he has referred to a
growing cohort of non-religious Americans; a group identified as
"seculars" in studies like the American Religion Identification
Survey. In his inaugural address nine months ago, Mr. Obama
opined that America "is a nation of Christians and Muslims,
Jews and Hindus and nonbelievers"--language identical to
that used in the weekly presidential address. Politico.com
discussed the support Atheists and other nonbelievers are
demonstrating for the president ("Atheists keep faith with Obama"
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0609/23488.html, noting that
Mr. Obama also reaches out to religious groups and uses religious
rhetoric and themes in many speeches.

Even the president's use of religion, though, seems to have been
tempered, and contrasts sharply with that used by previous residents
of the White Housed occupants such as George W, Bush. In February,
during the National Prayer Breakfast, Obama warned of the use of
sectarian religion to divide and advance specific political agendas.

The president's inclusiveness and tolerance for diverse points
of view has its limits, though, and serious problems remain.
Kathleen Johnson, a veteran now working as a civilian employee
at Ft. Hood, said that difficulties remain. As Military Director
for American Atheists, Johnson is well aware of the problems with
religious proselytizing in the ranks. She told media, "The tragedy
of Ft. Hood claimed soldiers regardless of what they believe in
respect to religion. Our armed forces -- at all levels -- need to
be united."

Johnson added, "It's good to know that the Commander-in-Chief shares
that vision."

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**

(AMERICAN ATHEISTS is a nationwide movement that defends civil rights for Atheists, Freethinkers and other nonbelievers; works for the total separation of church and state; and addresses issues of First Amendment public policy.)