Remember when school board members in Giles County, Virginia were hearing proposals to include the Ten Commandments as part of a collection of “historical” documents — all in an effort to ram God into the public school district? Well, the school board recently approved the idea 3-2, and the ACLU of Virginia along with the Freedom From Religion Foundation are getting ready to file a lawsuit. I can’t wait.. On Tuesday, attorney Patrick Elliott of Freedom from Religion [Foundation], an… Read more
New York State Senator Rubén Díaz, Sr. is the lone Democrat against marriage equality right now. The Village Voice’s Steven Thrasher just had this jaw-dropping interview with him: All right, let me ask you about this. You believe marriage is between one man and one woman, yes? Yes [laughing] So? Why are you asking me this? You know that, you know what I believe. Why are you calling me? Marriage is between a man and a woman. But you yourself… Read more
6-year-old Cody Grundstrom nearly drowned on Monday: “I tried to hang onto rocks, but the waterfall took me toward it,” recalls Cody, whose cries for help couldn’t be heard over the thundering cascade. “All I could see was green. I closed my eyes, was just lying in the water and waiting. I knew my dad would come get me.” Scary stuff. The good news is that he’s ok, currently in a hospital, and expected to make a full recovery. So… Read more
Lake Local Schools in Stark County, Ohio used to have the following values statement: Mission: Providing education to achieve success. Vision: To be the best organization for learning. We Value: Responsibility, honesty, respect, integrity, commitment, belief in God and religious freedom, our community, our partnerships, and every person as a unique individual with the ability to acquire and apply knowledge. Why is a public school board suggesting that belief in god is something of value? If I’m a student of… Read more
To anyone in Chicago who might be attending Sunday’s Gay Pride Parade in Boystown, consider meeting up with a group of atheists who are already going to be there! All the information is here. Wear your favorite godless shirt, brings signs of support, and be sure to ask the Christians holding “I’m sorry” signs whether they think homosexuality is immoral 🙂 Read more
If I asked you what came to your mind when I said the word “homosexuality,” what would you think of? I would think of how my gay friends still can’t get legally married in most states, how I’m hoping to attend the Chicago Pride Parade this weekend to show my support for the LGBT community, and about a gay friend I saw a couple weeks ago. If you ask the Illinois Family Institute’s Laurie Higgins what comes to mind when… Read more
This is the current seal for Greene County, Missouri: If you can’t tell, it’s missing something. Figure it out yet…? YES! God. Apparently, it needs more God. Thankfully, county commissioners Harold Bengsch, Jim Viebrock, and Roseann Bentley have unanimously approved adding the phrase “In God We Trust” to the seal. (Good to know their priorities are intact.) Springfield resident Jim Broadstreet urged the commission not to approve the resolution. “The idea that the words are somehow innocuous because they are… Read more
For all the talk about how people might not vote for a Mormon, let’s not forget that atheists consistently rank at the bottom of all those “who would you not vote for?” lists. According to Gallup, 22% of Americans say they wouldn’t vote for a Mormon (even from their own party). But 49% wouldn’t vote for an atheist. So theists can cry me a river — At least Mormons can be considered viable candidates. Hell, Romney’s currently seen as the… Read more
There are a few states that would greatly benefit from a strong coalition of local atheists and Kansas Missouri is on that list. A group of local leaders are trying to form what they’re calling the Kansas City Atheist Coalition, a non-profit group, but they first need to raise money for the filing fees and professional help to set up the 501(c)(3). They plan to focus on Activism, Charity, Outreach — all things sorely needed in the state. There are… Read more
