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Mary Jo
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By Kevin Eigelbach
Post staff reporter
They're godless, and proud of it.
On Saturday, America's atheists, freethinkers and humanists will flex their political muscle in the first Godless Americans March on Washington.
Atheist Edwin Kagin, of Union, one of 23 scheduled speakers, thinks it will be a watershed event in the history of American free thought.
Why they're marching
Statement of principles of the Godless Americans March on Washington.
Equal rights for atheists, freethinkers and other "godless Americans," including fair treatment and protection in the work place, when seeking public office and when giving testimony in court.
End to discrimination in groups which receive "public funds and special entitlements," such as the Boy Scouts of America. "Belief must not be a litmus test for inclusion in such groups," the group says.
No harassment in public schools, including no organized prayer, no teaching of creationism and no student-led prayer.
No use of government tax money to subsidize religion, faith-based social programs "and other entitlement schemes."
Inclusion of atheists when leaders rally the nation. "Our leaders, including the president, must stop calling the nation to prayer, or claim that we are a `Christian' country," the group says.
No more display of religious mottoes or symbols on government property, especially public schools. Restore "E Pluribus Unum" (Out of Many, One) as the nation's motto.
"This is the first time non-believers have had the courage to get out of the closet," said Kagin. "Most of them are scared to say anything."
American Atheists President Ellen Johnson, the march chairwoman, called it a chance for some of the 30 million Americans who profess no religion to gather and demand "a place at the table" a role in public policy making.
"We're following the path of every other cause movement in the country," Johnson said.
As in previous marches on Washington by Christians, black Americans and mothers against handguns, plans are for the godless ones to assemble on the National Mall at 11 a.m. They will then walk to the area west of the Capitol for speeches and entertainment.
Kagin plans to talk about Camp Quest, the summer camp for children of non-believers that he directs.
Bellevue resident and Camp Quest board member Bob Riehemann and his two daughters plan to march, possibly behind a Camp Quest banner.
It's hard to organize atheists and freethinkers because they tend not to be joiners, Riehemann said, and that's one reason why the march is a good idea.
"A show of unity is one way to make an impression on a politician," Riehemann said.
Other scheduled speakers include Michael Newdow, the California attorney who sued over the "under God" phrase in the Pledge of Allegiance.
Mount Lookout resident Joe Levee, the founder of a local free-thought group called The Free Inquiry Group, had planned to attend the march, but backed out because of other commitments.
"I feel that it's certainly something that should be happening," he said of the march. "Most of us who are atheists and agnostics, we feel that we are discriminated against in the work place and in the media and by the government."
It's no secret that U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft and President Bush favor the religious right, Levee said, and do things that don't help atheists or agnostics.
He said he tried to charter a bus to the march for Columbus and Cincinnati residents, but couldn't find enough people who planned to go.
More than 150 organizations have endorsed the march, including some whose support most atheists might not want.
They include the Order of Perdition and the United Satanic Covenire, two Satanist groups. Some within the godless fold argue that Satanism is a religion, and doesn't belong in a gathering of non-believers.
Johnson, however, has taken the position that as long as a group agrees with the march's statement of principles, it can endorse the march.
Kagin agrees. "My view is that an idea is not responsible for the people who endorse it," Kagin said. "If they endorse the principles, I don't care who is in the march."
The United Satanic Covenire responded to the controversy in an open letter to atheists posted on its Internet site.
It included a promise that no one in the group would show up Saturday wearing pentagrams or other occult paraphernalia.
Kagin feared that the controversy would give people the idea that all atheists are Satanists, which isn't true. He said reading the letter helped him feel better about the group.
"This is planned to be a march of dignity, not to shock anybody, of responsible citizens telling the government they have the same rights as the snake-handlers-for-Jesus types," Kagin said.
Publication Date: 10-29-2002
Post staff reporter
They're godless, and proud of it.
On Saturday, America's atheists, freethinkers and humanists will flex their political muscle in the first Godless Americans March on Washington.
Atheist Edwin Kagin, of Union, one of 23 scheduled speakers, thinks it will be a watershed event in the history of American free thought.
Why they're marching
Statement of principles of the Godless Americans March on Washington.
Equal rights for atheists, freethinkers and other "godless Americans," including fair treatment and protection in the work place, when seeking public office and when giving testimony in court.
End to discrimination in groups which receive "public funds and special entitlements," such as the Boy Scouts of America. "Belief must not be a litmus test for inclusion in such groups," the group says.
No harassment in public schools, including no organized prayer, no teaching of creationism and no student-led prayer.
No use of government tax money to subsidize religion, faith-based social programs "and other entitlement schemes."
Inclusion of atheists when leaders rally the nation. "Our leaders, including the president, must stop calling the nation to prayer, or claim that we are a `Christian' country," the group says.
No more display of religious mottoes or symbols on government property, especially public schools. Restore "E Pluribus Unum" (Out of Many, One) as the nation's motto.
"This is the first time non-believers have had the courage to get out of the closet," said Kagin. "Most of them are scared to say anything."
American Atheists President Ellen Johnson, the march chairwoman, called it a chance for some of the 30 million Americans who profess no religion to gather and demand "a place at the table" a role in public policy making.
"We're following the path of every other cause movement in the country," Johnson said.
As in previous marches on Washington by Christians, black Americans and mothers against handguns, plans are for the godless ones to assemble on the National Mall at 11 a.m. They will then walk to the area west of the Capitol for speeches and entertainment.
Kagin plans to talk about Camp Quest, the summer camp for children of non-believers that he directs.
Bellevue resident and Camp Quest board member Bob Riehemann and his two daughters plan to march, possibly behind a Camp Quest banner.
It's hard to organize atheists and freethinkers because they tend not to be joiners, Riehemann said, and that's one reason why the march is a good idea.
"A show of unity is one way to make an impression on a politician," Riehemann said.
Other scheduled speakers include Michael Newdow, the California attorney who sued over the "under God" phrase in the Pledge of Allegiance.
Mount Lookout resident Joe Levee, the founder of a local free-thought group called The Free Inquiry Group, had planned to attend the march, but backed out because of other commitments.
"I feel that it's certainly something that should be happening," he said of the march. "Most of us who are atheists and agnostics, we feel that we are discriminated against in the work place and in the media and by the government."
It's no secret that U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft and President Bush favor the religious right, Levee said, and do things that don't help atheists or agnostics.
He said he tried to charter a bus to the march for Columbus and Cincinnati residents, but couldn't find enough people who planned to go.
More than 150 organizations have endorsed the march, including some whose support most atheists might not want.
They include the Order of Perdition and the United Satanic Covenire, two Satanist groups. Some within the godless fold argue that Satanism is a religion, and doesn't belong in a gathering of non-believers.
Johnson, however, has taken the position that as long as a group agrees with the march's statement of principles, it can endorse the march.
Kagin agrees. "My view is that an idea is not responsible for the people who endorse it," Kagin said. "If they endorse the principles, I don't care who is in the march."
The United Satanic Covenire responded to the controversy in an open letter to atheists posted on its Internet site.
It included a promise that no one in the group would show up Saturday wearing pentagrams or other occult paraphernalia.
Kagin feared that the controversy would give people the idea that all atheists are Satanists, which isn't true. He said reading the letter helped him feel better about the group.
"This is planned to be a march of dignity, not to shock anybody, of responsible citizens telling the government they have the same rights as the snake-handlers-for-Jesus types," Kagin said.
Publication Date: 10-29-2002
