To Friends of Ellen Johnson and Members of American AtheistsEllen Johnson is no longer President of American Atheists for personal reasons. It would be inappropriate for American Atheists to comment further on this matter as we await a public statement from Ms. Johnson.Frank R. Zindler, Acting PresidentAmerican Atheists, Inc.
Ellen is welcomed to post on this blog at any time.
She found Jesus? (He was stuck between the sofa cushions)
Seriously, if it`s for personal reasons, why the pressure to lay it out in the open? A statement she quit and wasn`t fired would suffice, I think.
sword strike
That was the 1st thing I thought of too – wouldn’t that make some folks giggle with glee
cjn
Someone said she found God.
Chomochone,
If you’re only here to spread rumors then go away.
Nobody is spreading rumors about you, so why stoop to that level?
character |?karikt?r| noun
the mental and moral qualities distinctive to an individual -
fifth column | is a group of people who clandestinely undermine a larger group to which it is expected to be loyal -
To: American Atheists Board of Directors
Through your collective lack of character, in the handling of your firing of Ellen Johnson, you?ve managed to make me ashamed of having been a member of American Atheists.
Through your collective lack of character, in this matter, you?ve gained a reputation for being unworthy of trust.
Through your collective lack of character, in this matter, you?ve done more to substantiate the claim of the religious that Atheists lack moral character than any of the faithful have ever been able to accomplish.
Which leads me to wonder if you are not, collectively a Fifth Column.
Good bye
atheistud@lycos.com
Well I’m very sad about Ellen being fired. I don’t understand why this happened. If it’s this upsetting for me, a comparative newbie, I can imagine what it’s like for long-time American Atheist members.
From my point of view as a new member, this is a very wrong choice on the part of the board.
I was all enthusiastic about the future and the work we’d all do together and this development is demoralizing. I can’t imagine what the board was thinking.
Sincerely,
Betsy Gordon, NYC
Farewell Ellen you have done a good job and you can be proud.
People, Ellen was not the pope, if she was removed or quit or asended into the heavens there to sit at the right hand of the pink jellyfish, she served her time and will be replaced by whom we hope will be a strong and vocal representative of the American Atheist movement.
Christ, Athiestud, is Ellen your mother or something?
To say I’m unhappy about her termination is a gross understatement. I’m hoping she’s not the victim of a bunch of “Starched Shirt” types.
I always cringe when I hear words like “board of directors” & “corporations”
Ellen, please let us know what happened. We are supporting you and need to hear from you.
Ellen, please let us know what happened. We are supporting you and need to hear from you.
The general public looks at Atheists with repugnance…they believe that we are hedonistic, sacreligious, immoral, untrustworthy, etc., etc., etc. Ellen is a shining example of an Atheist the American mainstream public could possibly take seriously, and really listen to. She is beautiful, intelligent, warm, quick, and she has a sense of humor, etc., etc., etc. I was proud to say that I, like Ellen, am an Atheist. Who will represent us now, in the media and elsewhere? I would like to hear more from this person, and especially, I would like to know the truth about why Ellen no longer represents us. I will miss her.
The Board Members have already shown their “new direction”, and it shows no capability nor pre-planning for the eventuality of the loss of the position of President.
In even the smallest organization, individuals are groomed to succeed others in important positions
In this situation, the word pathetic keeps cropping up as the best description of the Board Members.
From: elljhns8@aol.com
Subject: Re: SignOnSanDiego.com News Nation
Date: April 30, 2008 8:46:05 PM PDT
To: robinarmour@cox.net
Hi Robin,
??I will no longer be available next week. ?The board fired me last night. ?Sorry.
Regards,
Ellen
That would be the night of Tuesday, April 29th, she was fired, one whole week into ?the walk?, and over two weeks ago, as of now.
Pathetic, really pathetic.
Come on, Board of Directors. Time ’s up.
It’s been eighteen (18) days since you fired Ellen.
Time to come out of hiding and explain yourselves.
You’ve had plenty of time to concoct a story, or, better yet, tell the (gasp) truth.
atheistud@lycos.com
Bart,
This is from Gil and Jeanne Gaudia.
We want to take you up on your call for everyone to start working together in order to get American Atheists back on track. Therefore we would be willing to resume our volunteer work with Ellen (and any board members we can assist, in any way we can) in order to return to the status quo ante. If Arthur needs help or Rachael, and we can do it via email or telephone, we would be happy to offer this service, without compensation (as it has always been) in an effort to spark a resumption of business as usual.
Sincerely,
Gil and Jeanne
Dear friends,
I have thought long and hard about the decision I made about withdrawing my sponsorship of “The Atheist Viewpoint”.
This has not been an easy decision to make because I am torn between what the board did to Ellen and the fact that the voice of Atheism and rational thought must never be dimmed.
Today I read and heard numerous times of the comments that “reverend” John Haggee made about the catholic church and also that “god sent Adolf Hitler to the jews”…
I am attaching just one of the articles on Hagge and how John McCain has now rejected the Haggee endorsement. Hopefully this will show the nation how ridiculous and frightening fundamentalist religion really is.
After seeing that Haggee will be picking up where the (thankfully) departed delusional Jerry Falwell left off in his outrageous “faith filled” mindless spewing of hate, I have decided while I do not agree with the boards decision to fire Ellen, I must (after really thinking hard about this) yield to the greater good of continuing to give American Atheists a “voice” in the very catholic and evangelical/ protestant populated city of “saint” cloud, MN.
I have decided to continue my membership in American Atheists as well as continue to sponsor “The Atheist Viewpoint ” here on Charter Cable Channel 12 on Tuesday evenings at 7:30 PM Central Time.
Please know that my greatest and most sincere hope is that Ellen and the board can work through all of their difficulties and Ellen will be re-instated as President and Co-Host of “The Atheist Viewpoint”.
I care about Ellen and I care about the future of American Atheists.
I finally had to realize that much, much more was at stake here than we realize…..
The very survival of the human race is in jeopardy if fundamentalist, irrational religious zealots like John Haggee are not challenged with rationality, proof of the lies and errors of the bible and stopped.
I hope that all of you, especially Ellen can understand my position.
I met so many of you wonderful people at the American Atheists convention in Minneapolis and you all made me proud to be counted among you as a fellow secular humanist.
Please. Make me proud again. Let’s all try to work together for a rational world and put our differences aside once and for all for the common good. Our world and the future of our human species is literally at stake here.
Timothy, please continue to mail me Atheist Viewpoint Episodes.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Jack Richter An American Atheist…just like YOU!