AMERICAN ATHEISTS, INC.
http://www.atheists.org
http://www.americanatheist.org

For more information, please contact:
Ellen Johnson, President (908) 276-7300
Dave Silverman, Communications Director (732) 648-9333

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 16, 2006


     MOVE TO INCLUDE CHRISTIAN "MIRACLE DEBRIS" CROSS AT WTC MEMORIAL
        INVITES LITIGATION, WARNS FIRST AMENDMENT WATCHDOG GROUP


A move to include a Christian "miracle debris" as part of a World Trade
Center memorial to the victims of the 9-11 terrorist attacks promotes
religion and invites legal challenges, an Atheist First Amendment watchdog
group warned today.

On Friday, officials with the WTC Memorial Foundation said that artifact
-- two intersecting metal beams -- "will be treated with utmost respect"
and would be placed in the underground WTC museum set to open in 2009, or
at an outdoor memorial on the property.

The 20-foot-high "miracle debris cross" was found by a construction laborer
who described its presence as an "act of God."  It quickly became an object
of religious veneration, religious services were held, and the metal
structure was blessed with holy water.  A priest labeled the cross, "our
symbol of hope, our symbol of faith..."

Ellen Johnson, President of American Atheists, said that her organization
has been opposing efforts to "religionize" the WTC memorial for the past
four years.

"The property is owned by a public entity, and any memorial must avoid the
promotion of religion," said Johnson.  "It is odd that from all of the
debris left from the 9/11 attacks on the Trade Center, officials have
conveniently decided to include a pair of intersecting metal beams that
form a cross and have become the focus of religious passions."

Johnson said that if groups want to display the cross, it should be located
on private property.

Dave Silverman, Communications Director for American Atheists said that the
"miracle debris cross" as part of a memorial ignores the diverse background
of those victims who perished in the 911 attacks.  "It wasn't just certain
types of Christians who died that day," said Mr. Silverman.  "Jews, Muslims,
Atheists and others were victims of the terrorists.  A memorial should be
inclusive and remind us what we share in common as a nation, and not promote
religious differences."

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


American Atheists, Inc.
P. O. Box 5733
Parsippany, NJ 07054-6733
Tel.: (908) 276-7300
Fax: (908) 276-7402