Perry/AFA Picket Report

The picket against Texas Governor Rick Perry and the American Family Associations’s big prayer event in Houston, went well. A great many diverse groups were represented, and the intense media coverage was shared by our side very nicely. They seemed to love our live music, which included a full walking jazz band.

The Westboro Baptist Church surprised me, by having more picketers than usual, around 20, and stayed longer than I expected, at 2 full hours. It was funny however, not hearing a roar of angry yelling at them, from anti-WBC protestors. They sang their songs, re-written covers, with really harsh anti-gay Christian lyrics, and were not shouted down at all. It seems that since they were picketing against Perry and the AFA as well, they weren’t the center of attention.
Everyone was.

There was lots of live music from the sane picketers too, including a walking jazz band, another acoustic guitarist, and myself on acoustic guitar as well. A few tv news camera guys zoomed in on me and my guitar, as I made up lyrics about Perry and the AFA, on the spot, which was fun.

The heat was on, literally, from early in the morning, but there were several large areas of sidewalk that had shade from big trees along the way, so picketers broke off into groups, and operated in the shade. I didn’t hear about anyone having a problem with the heat, though it did inspire a lot of folks to leave by noon.

AA was represented well on the sidewalk, as I brought a table and gave out a lot of AA magazines, pamphlets, buttons and business cards.
I met with a lot of AA members and was impressed with how many were picketing for the very first time in their lives. By the way, AA had the only table with literature. Plus free water and picket signs. All of which seemed to be a hit.

Some odd forms of protest seen there include a dancing Santa Claus, and a person blowing a ram’s horn in the general direction of the stadium. They were on a footbridge, high over Kirby Rd. and out of conversation range, so we couldn’t figure out which group, if any, they were with.

As you have probably heard by now, the turnout for the prayer rally was impressive, over 10,000, despite what their website registration implied. Of course we had a lot of Christians on our side too, compared to how many Christians we normally picket alongside.

Another type of Christian was driving by, and made a different kind of impression on us. We counted over a dozen different people in cars driving past us on Kirby, who gave us the middle finger. Some were adamant about it, slowing down and rolling down a window first. Then, perhaps even more disturbing, a child in a back seat, holding up a Bible to the window, looking at us, pointing it at each person she saw on the sidewalk, like the Bible was a lazer gun. Poor little girl, we all thought out loud.

A lot of picketers went inside the stadium and have posted pics from that, and some returned to the sidewalk with reports that Gov. Perry got all hellfire and brimstone, really loudly for a few minutes. Let’s all remember that, for the future, I say.

So after about 4 hours of picketing, I and my organizers were well heated, tired and hungry, so we left early, and went to Joe’s Crab Shack for seafood and beer. All in all it was a very good day to be an activist. Many thanks to everyone who helped and came out. We estimate that between 100 and 250 picketers in total were there, throughout the day, and that’s pretty nice. I look forward to the next one. )

Joe Zamecki
Texas State Director,
American Atheists
Austin

Why We Need To Kick It Up A Notch

The American Atheists, Inc. lawsuit regarding the 17-foot-tall Christian Cross Memorial has generated a lot of buzz about the method that some of us use to advance our cause. There are those who are adamant that we should be non-aggressive, respectful and tolerant of those who hold religious beliefs and that we should not be outspoken. However, there are those of us who just cannot adopt the “live and let live” philosophy, because the favor is not returned. While there is a place in our cause for diplomacy in certain situations, it is painfully obvious that in most areas diplomacy has miserably failed. Diplomacy only works when both sides are willing to compromise. While some may choose to remain silent or non-confrontational, there are a growing number of us who have decided that the time has come to no longer sit back and let the theocrats run the show.

The growing problem of the steady inclusion of church and state in the United States needs to be addressed with more urgency than many Atheists are affording it because the problem is increasing at very disturbing levels.  As Atheists, we already face an uphill battle for acceptance in the court of public opinion because nearly every singe time we protest one of these violations, we end up, for lack of a better word, crucified.  Unfortunately, there is no real way to avoid that.

Not only do individual Atheists have to deal with unavoidable negative publicity, but those groups that serve as our advocates, such as American Atheists, Inc., Americans United for the Separation of Church and State, The Military Association of Atheists and Freethinkers, Freedom from Religion Foundation and several others are also offered up for the same treatment.

Willful ignorance abounds about the religious beliefs of many of our founding fathers, and the erroneous conception that the US was founded as a Christian nation. This is more than just an inconvenience.  It is causing blatant violations to the First Amendment rights of not only Atheists, but to anyone else who is not Christian.   This country is systematically being converted into the exact opposite of what the authors of our Constitution intended it to be.

Our freedoms are being steadily stripped away and our precious constitution is being beaten, strangled and left bleeding to death.  In order to stem the tide that is destroying the United States as a secular nation, along with our precious First Amendment rights and protections, we must continue our concerted and organized efforts.

We cannot afford to go quietly into that good night. We cannot afford to be silent and watch our rights to freedom continually eroded. We cannot afford to do little or nothing about the fact that we remain the least trusted group of people in America. We need to stand, be counted and continue to raise our voices in unified reason and not go away until every American citizen realizes that we are sons, daughters, mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, husbands, wives, aunts and uncles.  We are politicians, doctors, lawyers, managers, employees, politicians, friends and neighbors.  We need to stay in the public eye and keep in the forefront of the minds of America that we are no longer willing to put up with the abrogation of our Constitutional rights.

Al Stefanelli is the Georgia State Director for American Atheists, Inc., and is also the author of “A Voice Of Reason In An Unreasonable World – The Rise Of Atheism On Planet earth.”  He also writes for the National Atheism Examiner

Posted by Kathleen Johnson

Texas lawmakers want Christian groups to be permitted to use Christian themes, prayers, speeches *without seeking consent* in every single military veteran funeral statewide. But that’s not how the story is being told.

I love being in the military, and I consider it an honor to serve this country. It makes me sad to hear about something like this. At least three Texas-based U.S. congressmen (all of whom self-identify with the Tea Party) are using military funerals for political gain: Ted Poe (R-TX) and John Culberson (R-TX), and Michael McCaul (R-TX).

And to top it all off, McCaul, Culberson and Poe are lying about it all.

They are ‘standing up for’ a few private groups who like to officially incorporate their Christian prayer and ceremonies at the funerals of military veterans. The problem is, well… there is no problem! They just need to be absolutely sure that their religious statements are actually welcome.

Basically, these groups just need to have it in writing that the families are Christians and/or willing participants. Then they can actually be a part of the official ceremony, with the cased flag, 21 gun salute, taps, etc. As tough as it might sound for them to get a grieving family to sign a prepared statement, it’s all for the sake of upholding the U.S. Constitution that all members of the military served to protect.

“”Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.”

So basically, the government can’t sponsor unwanted religion in the government-run funeral service. But these groups are most certainly allowed to disregard the wishes of these families by simply waiting until after the short government-run ceremony to use all the unwanted sectarian language they want. This would obviously be disrespectful, but I’dliterally fight for their right to do this (hoping they wouldn’t actually do such a thing.)

Slippery Permission

The VA has been even more gracious to the groups with a ‘default compromise’. They even offered to let these fringe third-party organizations participate in every official ceremony as long as they either: a) do not infringe on the establishment clause, or b) get written confirmation that such a ‘free exercise of religion’ is actually wanted by the families. Either one!

Quite reasonable. Just get a permission slip! But no… ”It’s my party and I’ll lie if I want to”

“This is shocking,” he said. “[It is] really abhorrent to our veterans that they can’t have a proper military burial and not refer to God or Jesus Christ.” - Rep. Michael McCaul

Wrong. They can and do have those references. It’s abhorrent that Jesus Christ would be brought up at non-Christian veterans’ funerals by weird little organizations who clearly can’t be bothered to check with families ahead of time.

“The federal government should not have a policy of being anti-religious especially at a religious ceremony – a burial of one of our veterans.” – Rep. Ted Poe

My funeral will not be religious. Do I not deserve respect? Does the Constitution I fought for not deserve respect? Nothing is anti-religious about this policy. You are actually anti-consent and anti-permission slip. But that wont sell, will it?

Responding to the astro-turfed faux controversy, the Department of Veterans Affairs annihilated their critics.

The idea that invoking the name of God or Jesus is banned at VA national cemeteries is blatantly false. The truth is, VA’s policy protects Veterans’ families’ rights to pray however they choose at our national cemeteries…

Most people would agree that it is wrong for anyone to impose their religion on a Veteran’s family without their consent, especially during a deeply personal burial service…

I guess these lawmakers would rather have ‘default permission’ granted to these Christian organizations. Thus putting the burden on the grieving families of non-Christian or disinterested military veterans. If they even know about it ahead of time, they *might* be able to stop it.

Notably, Rep. Culberson co-sponsored legislation (H.Con.Res.199) that would have allowed teacher-lead and coach lead-prayer in public schools. He also voted to abolish the entire federal public school system… (!?)

Christian prayer over my dead body.

Worse still, if their efforts were somehow successful, would mean that several Christian groups would have a central part in the funerals of potentially every military veteran. Atheist, Buddhist, Hindu, Jewish, and Muslim veterans being buried in Texas: this means you!

My official military ‘home of record’ is Texas, where I was born and raised. I may very well end up being buried there some day. As an atheist and as a soldier, I care deeply about our Constitution being subverted like this. I am shocked that Texas’ U.S. Reps are attempting to ensure that my funeral is going to feature a state-sponsored Christian message.

I promise you that if my family had to endure this sort of treatment, it would not be a pretty scene. I know my wife and sister would both be quite vocally outraged, and certainly not alone. I doubt they’d get 30 seconds into their ceremony before being shouted down, and rightfully so.

But why kick up an anthill like that anyway? Who the hell do these people think they are? If they really can’t be bothered to find out if somebody even wants their goofy ceremony, they should do it after the real ceremony. Or preferably not at all.

Kathleen Johnson - First Sergeant (US Army, Retired) is the former Military Director and current Vice President of American Atheists. She brought this story to my attention, sharing my outrage. Currently employed in Texas, Kathleen is right in the middle of the storm. She’s still teaching me the ropes, but these issues are being watched very closely at American Atheists, I assure you.

I don’t think they’ve really even thought this all the way through.

They are arguing for the right of any form of religious speech at state funerals. Rock Beyond Belief was formed partially in response to a “we would support any other group” line of reasoning. I can’t imagine that a group of atheists would ever do this sort of thing, despite the Public Forum solution the proponents seek.

I’m aware of a certain group that just might be interested in participating in the funerals of dead soldiers. And they are all lawyers. And they are fresh off a victory in the Supreme Court of the United States about this very topic.

These Texas lawmakers are basically setting the stage for Westboro Baptist Church trolls to not only protest at funerals of dead soldiers, but to be an official part of the ceremony.

These legislators are in virtually vote-proof districts for the most part. But you can still help. Be more informed, and spread the information. Their ‘controversy’ would be laughable if it wasn’t so offensive. Hopefully the journalists over at ‘no-atheists-in-Fox News’ will get ahead of this and quietly drop it from their talking points.

Or better yet, the rest of the media will start covering the real story. Some politicians want to sneak religion into government, and they want to do it at my funeral on your dime.

Posted by Kathleen Johnson

From Joe Zamecki, Texas State Director for American Atheists:

This is a peaceful demonstration to protest “The Response: A Call to Prayer for a Nation in Crisis,” an event initiated, endorsed, and promoted by Texas Governor Rick Perry and the American Family Association.

For those who are not yet aware of the AFA’s attitude on gays, please experience this: Fischer: Gays are Nazis (video).

The prayer event is scheduled to take place at Reliant Stadium in Houston, TX on August 6th 2011 from 10am-6pm with an early morning worship service starting at 8:30am. Please visit The Response for more details of Perry’s event.

Currently, Atheists, Agnostics, Secular Humanists and others interested in protecting state/church separation are planning to set up our demonstration at the corner of Kirby Dr and McNee Rd, just north of the stadium, but if the turnout is more than expected we may need to position several groups throughout the area. We’ll be on the sidewalk all along the perimeter of Reliant Park. This is our free speech zone.

Anyone who values the separation of Church and State is welcome to join– non-theists, non-Christians, Christians. Please be aware that we are NOT trying to convert or mock anybody’s religion. We are also not trying to prevent the prayer event from happening. If it doesn’t happen, we will have no picket. This is about a picket, not an effort to stop an event from happening.

GROUPS – Please let us know if you’d like your group listed here, as being a group that’s sending members to the protest, or just helping to organize or promote the protest.

More Info on Facebook!

Posted by Dave Silverman

Cody Barnes is a professional artist who lives in Birmingham, Alabama. He is currently doing a fund-raiser for American Atheists where 20% of the proceeds from atheist customers are donated to American Atheists. Cody’s portraits are $200 for a charcoal, $350 for a sepia painting, and $500 and up for a full color oil painting. Cody will donate $40 to American Atheists for every charcoal, $70 for every sepia painting, and $100 for every full color oil painting.

As Cody said, “I’d like to work for other atheists for a change! I’m tired of working for Christian conservatives!”

You can find “Sketches for Skeptics” on Facebook and contact Cody to arrange to have your portrait done and make a donation to American Atheists at the same time!

Thank you Cody for being an activist in the way you know best how!

Posted by Blair Scott