American Atheists will fly either “God-LESS America” or “Atheism is Patriotic” over 26 states on July 4th, celebrating our growth as a movement and our freedom to live without dogma and religion. Patriotism article HERE.

(SEE FLIGHT SCHEDULES IN TABLE BELOW!)

WE NEED PICTURES! If you will be in the area of one of our ads, please take some good high-quality pictures for our website and magazine. If we use your picture, we will give you a free Convention T-shirt! Email your pictures to Blair at bscott@atheists.org.

ALSO – Please find your local news TIP line and call in when you see the banner. If you are a member of a local group or run a local group, take advantage of this opportunity to get some local press as well! Let this rising tide raise your ship, too!

Photo taken by "Andy" at Hales Corners, WI (just south of Milwaukee)

Why are we doing this? How many times have you heard theists refer to atheists as un-American, anti-American, or un-patriotic? How many times have you heard theists insist “there are no atheists in foxholes?” These canards are an insult to all atheist Americans who love and support the United States. The very fact that we stand up to defend the constitutional separation of church and state, fight for the civil rights of all non-theists, and work to ensure true freedom of religion is one of the most patriotic things anyone can do! By defending against theocracy, we are acting patriotic and defending the founding document of this country. What better day to emphasize this than on the birthday of our great country?

This campaign is not about pushing the “atheist agenda” or shoving our views down people’s throats. This is about advertising and raising the tide for all atheists across the United States. This is about getting Americans to recognize the role atheists play in this country and our dedication to its constitution. This is about generating public discussion about atheism, religion and the role of religion in politics and our national identity. This is an opportunity for public discourse about the very issues that are important not only to us, but to every American (whether they realize it or not). For more details about why atheism is patriotic, please visit our Patriotism article HERE.

Why only 26 states (so far)? American Atheists went to great lengths to get flights in all 50 states, representing the fact that atheism is the fastest growing segment in every state . The reality is that there is still a lot of bigotry out there and many companies refused to fly our banners. This just emphasizes the importance of doing this campaign! In fact, on 6/30 our count went from 27 to 26 because a company in North Carolina refused to fly the sign because, “I’m not going to Hell flying that sign!”

SCHEDULE:

Wedding plans are blooming, now that New York has become the sixth state to legalize same-sex marriage. Couples who had talked about going out of state to wed changed their plans. Wedding planners anticipate picking up business. And churches that accept gay unions say they’re looking forward to hosting ceremonies.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed same-sex marriage into law late Friday, shortly after the Senate approved the measure for the nation’s third most-populous state, with 19.4 million residents.

Read more

I’m thrilled, but not surprised.

I have said over and over that same-sex marriage is a church and state issue. I regard this as a solid victory for the good guys, and a big fat loss for the Religious Right and the Catholic Church (get used to it). Morality has won a battle over religious oppression, and there are many more to come.

I’m not surprised because we, the good guys, will eventually win all these battles. Same-sex marriage victories are themselves symptoms of the rising tide of intolerance of religious bigotry, as well as support for secularism and the separation of church and state. In the coming years, same-sex marriage will become the norm, and the next battle lines will be drawn. We will win there too.

This is what happens when we speak, when we yell, and when we raise picket signs. This is all the result of activism. I would like to personally extend a hearty handshake to the activists who participated in this win.

By Dave Silverman

Tonight, Friday June 24th, Edwin Kagin will be speaking in Louisville, Kentucky at the Louisville Atheists and Freethinkers. Edwin, the National Legal Director for American Atheists, will be speaking on Church-States cases. For additional details and to RSVP, please visit the Louisville Atheists and Freethinkers.

In addition, on June 25th, Skepticamp will be in Louisville, KY. It’s a free event with local speakers and a range of topics including homeopathy, logical fallacies, data science, cognitive bias, and more! You can brown bag your lunch and listen to a live recording of the Critical Eye Podcast as well. After the main event, it’s Skeptic’s in the Pub at the BBC in downtown Louisville!

Edwin Kagin (National Legal Director), Ed Hensley (Kentucky State Director) and Blair Scott (Communications Director) will be in attendance, so stop and say hi while you’re there! To register for this free event, please visit Skepticamp Louisville.

By Blair Scott

I will be traveling to Harrisburg, tomorrow, to visit a city where I once called home, now on the brink of financial disaster. I’ll be there to protest Mayor Thompson’s “Don’t blame me I’m Religious” attempt to protect herself from criticism using Christianity as a shield. Article here.

She’s apparently a religious bigot, having abused her authority and caused members of her own team to quit their jobs to escape religion-based insults, prayer-fests and conversion attempts. Also apparently, despite plenty of warning, she was incapable of doing her primary job of keeping the city out of financial trouble and is now pulling the religion card in order to keep her job.

She has broken the law she swore (to God) to uphold by asking her constituents to pray to God and join her in fasting to get her city out of debt. Hopefully, the employees who haven’t quit yet will be changed by the all-powerful ruler of the Universe and pull together, somehow allowing the city to get out of debt. You figure it out. The irony of such a divisive woman praying for unity does not go un-noticed.

What HAS gone unnoticed is her use of the Christian religion for her own personal gain. I am reminded of President Clinton who, after the Lewinsky scandal broke, immediately went to church to show how moral he was (I have vivid memories of him on TV leaving a church, clutching a Bible, flanked by preachers). Now, Mayor Thompson, having failed in her primary duty, is hiding behind her religion as well. It’s a smart move, and it’s apparently working very well, as religious sheep show their unwavering support for the woman so deeply religious that she is willing to break the law in order to divert everyone’s attention. If people were actually looking only at her performance with an objective eye, she’d be impeached immediately, but this religious stunt is allowing her to escape with her job, like Clinton. Clinton’s specter was immorality, Thompson’s is incompetence.

I can’t think of a better example (save Clinton) of a politician using religion for political gain. Christians fall for it over and over again, so the politicians do it over and over again. It’s regrettable that she is using churches to protect her job, instead of taxing the churches to pay off the city’s debt. It’s unfortunate that so few people voted in her election that they elected an incompetent mayor. But perhaps worst of all is the Teflon coating that protects those who use religion when they can’t handle their responsibility.

I hope I see some Christians on OUR side of tomorrow’s picket. No Christian should tolerate Christianity being used to protect the pathetic.

We will be handing out protein bars at the protest. Protein helps you think.

By Dave Silverman

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=118794661540375

By Conrad Goeringer