A number of e-mails and comments have been received criticizing the Board of Directors of American Atheists for its dismissal of Ellen Johnson as President. Acting President Frank Zindler has been answering at least some of these critics as time has allowed.In reply to one person who suggested that the dismissal was rash, precipitous, or even without cause, Zindler replied:
“Thank you for writing to American Atheists concerning the dismissal of President Ellen Johnson. Please be assured that this was not an action that was taken lightly or without an immense amount of agonizing on the part of all members of the board. Two special meetings of the Boards of Directors of American Atheists, Inc., and its four affiliated American Atheists corporations were held for the purpose of allowing Ms. Johnson to discuss policies concerning which she and the boards disagreed. For reasons known only to Ms. Johnson, she did not take part in those meetings and did nothing to resolve the issues in question. Consequently, at a third special meeting of the boards, a majority of the directors felt it their fiduciary responsibility to remove Ms. Johnson from the office of President, although she has not been removed from membership on the boards themselves.”
Several critics have argued that it was unfair or even treacherous to dismiss Ms. Johnson while on her civil-rights march to Mississippi. Zindler’s reply was
“Concerning Ms. Johnson’s ‘Bill Moore March’ through Alabama and Mississippi, I must inform you that this was carried out without the sponsorship of American Atheists, Inc. For complex legal reasons, the Board of Directors had instructed her not to do that in any way that would give the impression that the action was an official activity of American Atheists, Inc.”
Several of Zindler’s letters have contained the following paragraph:
“I hope you will understand that most of the members of the boards of directors are seasoned Atheists with long experience in American Atheists, Inc., going back to an early period in the career of Madalyn Murray O’Hair. We care deeply for the organization she founded and wish to see it prosper. We honor her memory and seek by all legal means available to advance her cause — the cause of Atheist civil liberties, separation of state and church, and the liberation of the human mind. We feel now more than ever that this is the most important Atheist organization in America — not only in what it is trying to do but also in what it is in fact doing.”
One writer has even alleged that the boards dismissed Ellen for reasons of power or personal gain, to which Zindler replied:
“Your assertion that the Board dismissed Ms. Johnson ‘for seemingly no better reason that to exercise power’ is particularly troubling, as it presumes either that we acted out of whim — i.e., with no compelling reason of fiduciary responsibility — or that we somehow will enjoy personal gain from this painful action. I cannot expect you to believe that we did in fact have important reasons of fiduciary responsibility for the simple reason that I am not at liberty to tell you what those were. However, as for the second assumption — that of personal gain from exercise of power — I would have you know that all the Directors of the Board serve without salary, as do the Secretary and Treasurer. Although Ms. Johnson as President did receive a very modest salary, as Acting President I am serving without pay — as I have done for 13 years as Managing Editor of American Atheist Press (itself a full-time job). “I will be Acting President probably for only five or six months, until a new President can be selected. Nevertheless, I hope you will stay with us and help us in our fight against the forces of ignorance and superstition — not only through my brief tenure in an office I never sought, but also into the future with whomever succeeds me.”
Zindler also has expressed gratitude for Ellen’s accomplishments in many of his replies, for example “I agree with you perhaps more than you can appreciate that Ellen Johnson has been a brilliant and effective leader of the Atheist movement and has made many extremely important contributions to the cause of reason, Atheist civil liberties, and separation of state and church.”
Josh writes:
“And not everything negative that happens to a woman is from misogyny.”
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Of course not. Did I say it was?
But when a predominantly male Board of Directors (two women, I believe, and one of them is the wife of the new president)dismisses the wonderful, competent female president over something as trivial as this, you gotta believe it’s misogyny. You know how it would have been handled if Ellen were a male: the Board Boys would have listened to him, slapped him on the back, taken him out for a beer and said, OK, but next time…
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josh also wrote:
“No matter who runs them, freethought groups have always been disproportionately male..”
Interesting. Do you have any idea why that is? It seems to contradict what several people on this blog have been saying: that male Atheists are actually less anti-woman than men in other groups.
It seems to me that we are losing women in Atheist groups and I have no explanation for it. Perhaps it’s that Atheism attracts strong-minded women and then, once they’re in, these strong-minded women find that Atheist men don’t really appreciate this strong-mindedness.
I stand corrected regarding the Bill Moore Walk. It was an atheist thing, after all.
The fact that I did not know that – and I’m an A.A. member – speaks to the lack of information provided about the event.
Smartgal-
You’re on the brink of an epiphany.
Thanks, Matador. Coming from you, that means a lot to me. You are big enough to do a turnaround on this topic.
Now if only we could touch the hearts of the Board of Directors of AA, have them reach out to Ellen Johnson and draw her back into our Atheist family.
Hey Board guys, everyone makes mistakes. This one was trivial, inconsequential. If your son or daughter had decided to go on a Freedom Walk and you said no, and they did it anyway, and nothing bad happened, would you exile that child forever? Would you disown that child? Would you change the house keys and cut off all communication?
Families don’t do that. They stick by their kids no matter what, even if those kids become druggies or dropouts or change sexes or join a cult. You don’t give up on a family member just because they did one thing you didn’t like.
Ellen is a good person, a hardworking person, honest, a wonderful speaker, a joy to behold. Come on guys, it’s time to open the door a little and see if she will come in.
It’s been twenty-eight days since the firing of Ellen was announced on this blog. The current president has done absolutely nothing to instill any confidence in AA’s members.
We were lied to, and then told to sit down and shut up when we caught on.
Support is better placed in another organization, one without an incompetent board.
Hi Smartgal,
Despite our previous unpleasant exchange, I applaud your recent statement about Ellen, and want you to know that we have told Ellen that we would be happy to resume our volunteer work with her should she choose to (and be given the option to) resume her duties.
Your statement of loyalty applies equally well to friends.
Gil and Jeanne
It seems almost unanimous….BRING ELLEN BACK! Ellen Johnson has brought intelligence, passion, dedication, diligence, loyalty, charm, and, yes, beauty (what’s wrong with that?) to the cause of American Atheists. It would seem that if enough “noise” is made, this Board, which acted (obviously) in haste, will be chastened to reinstate Ellen in a job she was meant for from the very beginning. This would certainly be a way to overcome the divisiveness of this past month. She certainly has my vote.
Thanks Gil and Jeanne Gaudia.
I always knew we were on the same page.
Let’s work together to get Ellen back.
Smartgal, If we knew how, there is nothing we’d like more, and be willing to work for, but other than writing these futile comments, it seems like we are not able to accomplish much. Is there any reliable indication that Ellen even wants to return? After all, she has been grievously wounded.
Gil and Jeanne
SG-
I was referring to the speculative statement you made in the post before mine.
However, it appears that as of recently Ellen is no longer a board member, either.
The Board, at the time of the disappearance of MMOH, was very lucky to have found someone as passionate and dedicated to the group called “American Atheists”. I can’t imagine how they will be able to find another.
If even one current board member had the vision or talent Ellen did, that person would have already been chosen from among them.
I felt secure in the knowledge that someone like Ellen was in charge of the group. She made it special. Now, I don’t feel it is any different from any other group, as far as attracting new members. It will have to compete with all the other groups now, but there had better be something special about it, or new members will not choose this one over any others. It is going to need a niche in the market.
However, it appears that as of recently Ellen is no longer a board member, either.
The Board, at the time of the disappearance of MMOH, was very lucky to have found someone as passionate and dedicated to the group called “American Atheists”. I can’t imagine how they will be able to find another.
If even one current board member had the vision or talent Ellen did, that person would have already been chosen from among them.
I felt secure in the knowledge that someone like Ellen was in charge of the group. She made it special. Now, I don’t feel it is any different from any other group, as far as attracting new members. It will have to compete with all the other groups now, but there had better be something special about it, or new members will not choose this one over any others. It is going to need a niche in the market.