A report to members from the co-presidents Freedom From Religion Foundation Year in Review — 2015 Scientific American featuring testimo- By and Freethought Hall FFRF makes the nials by scientists or scientific thinkers, Grand Opening news every day many of them honorary officers of FFRF, We’re not “believers,” but as executive FFRF’s state/church work, litigation including FFRF’s Honorary President directors of a 501(c)(3) nonprophet non- and educational campaigns generated Steven Pinker. FFRF placed several profit, we “religiously” believe in reporting over 2,394 bonafide news stories about prominent full-page ads protesting the what FFRF does with membership dues. FFRF in daily and online newspapers in pope’s address to Congress in September, Below is a summary of 2015 FFRF actions. 2015, plus more than 304 local and some and a two-page ad in the New York Times Last year was marked by the death of national TV news segments. Among staff on Bill of Rights Day (Dec. 15). FFRF’s principal founder, Anne Nicol Gay- appearances, FFRF Co-President Annie lor, age 88. Anne founded FFRF regionally Laurie Gaylor appeared on national “CBS $35,850 in student in 1976 (with the assistance of Annie Lau- This Morning” on Sept. 3, talking about the essay scholarships rie, then a college student, and Jon Sont- mass baptism of Georgia high school foot- arck, an elderly gentleman from Milwaukee ball players — which our complaint halted In 2015, the Wil- who died in 1977). She was asked to take for the future. She also appeared on Sean liam J. Schultz FFRF national in 1978. When Hannity on July 9, where it was famously Memorial Schol- State Journal’s Doug Erickson asked Anne four against one! You can Google these arship, for col- about FFRF’s “in your face” name, Anne shows, or read and watch media coverage lege-bound high replied: “I’ve never liked euphemisms. If daily at ffrf.org/news/media. school seniors, you have something to say, say it.” The FFRF generates own media. At the helped a record New York Times’ obituary heralded Anne year’s end, we said goodbye to Bill Dunn number of students. as “An atheist who saw religion as an op- as editor of Freethought Today, published Seniors picked from pressor of women and the cause of wars.” two topics, “Why I’m 10 times a year, and welcomed his col- Brian Bolton Anne was one of many valued mem- league, also a former staff member at The good without God” bers FFRF lost last year — including Ingrid Laas photo Capital Times newspaper, PJ Slinger. Bill or “Atheist/Nonbe- FFRF’s honorary director, Oliver Sacks, WWII veteran Joseph Cunningham stands will stay on part-time to continue to com- liever of color.” FFRF awarded top winners M.D. The brilliant author touchingly noted next to the Atheist in Foxholes monument pile Black Collar Crimes. in both categories for a total of 23 students in The New York Times op-ed announcing outside FFRF’s offices. Freethought Radio, a weekly radio and $17,950 in prizes. The college com- his terminal cancer: show and podcast, hosted by Dan Bark- petition, a memorial to Michael Hakeem, “My generation is on the way out, and FFRF hosted more than 400 freethink- er and Annie Laurie Gaylor, celebrated a sociology professor, awarded a total of each death I have felt as an abruption, a ers from around the country during its its 500th show in early December. In De- $9,250 in scholarships to 11 college stu- tearing away of part of myself. There will Grand Opening of the Freethought Hall cember, FFRF hit another landmark, be- dents. Lifetime Member Professor Brian be no one like us when we are gone. . . . expansion on Oct. 9, kicking off the an- ginning to broadcast from its own Stephen Bolton sponsors the graduate student es- When people die, they cannot be replaced. nual national convention in Madison, Wis. Uhl “Friendly Atheist” Studio. The radio say competition, which had eight winners They leave holes that cannot be filled. . . .” Brunch goodies and Champagne flowed show broadcasts originally in Madison, receiving a total of $8,650 in prizes. The past year saw completion and the in the beautiful 4th floor Charlie Brooks Wis., 92.1 FM., streaming on Saturdays Dorea and Dean Schramm provided grand opening of FFRF’s three-year build- Auditorium and music flowed too, with at 11 a.m. CST. All-time stats: Freethought each winning student who is a member ing expansion, attaching a five-story addi- Dan Barker entertaining on the Diane Uhl Radio has had 6.3 million podcast lis- of a secular student club (or FFRF) with a tion to our original pre-Civil War two-story Concert Grand Steinway piano. Mem- teners since 2006, and averages 13,000 $50-$100 bonus. building and topping that with a full-floor bers toured the just-completed Rose Zer- downloads per weekly show. (See wrap for library. We’re luxuriating not just in space, wick Memorial Garden and Courtyard other broadcast cities.) $32,000 awarded to 11 adding many much-needed modest-sized with members’ pavers, the Atheists in FFRF maintains a timely and detailed student activists offices and work areas, but in creating a Foxholes monument honoring freethink- website full of news, views, blogs, ar- showplace for freethought. (More details ing vets, the vestibule with memorial and chives, online versions of Freethought To- Ten thousand dol- on our “reborn” Freethought Hall below.) member tiles, the Anne Nicol Gaylor day, ads, films and photos. FFRF posted lars from the Cath- Also notable, FFRF won five lawsuits in Lobby with plaques naming our gener- and sent media 341 press releases and erine Fahringer 2015, ended more than 200 state/church ous major donors, the Brian Bolton Ex- 49 public action alerts (plus many unpub- Memorial Student entanglements through legal letters, and ecutive Wing and Patrick O’Reiley Ed- lished alerts to members in particular re- Activist Award was launched several necessary new lawsuits. itorial Wing (first floor), the Diane Uhl gions or states). awarded to four on- (More details in the legal section below.) Legal Wing, 2nd floor, the Harold Erick- New Freethought Now! blog. FFRF going, freethinking Here’s to an even feistier 2016, with son Public Relations Wing, the Joel B. posted 87 blogs this year, including 54 college students of your help, in our work for reason to prevail! Landon & Wanda Y. Beers Freethought “Freethought Now!” commentaries at our color with financial Library, and the Stephen Uhl “Friendly new blog site hosted by Patheos. FFRF’s Andrew Seidel photo need, in partnership Atheist” Studio – 3rd floor. The Lower blog is part of the Atheist Channel, which Jarvis Idowu with Black Skep- Level mailing area is named the Harry includes Hemant Mehta’s popular “Friend- tics of Los Angeles. Lonsdale“No Hell Below Us” Wing, and ly Atheist” blog. We thank Staff Attorney Awarded $2,500 each were: Mercedes the cupola with views of the Wisconsin Andrew Seidel for his initiative in sug- Hawkins, Zera Montemayor, Adrienne State Capitol is called the Kenneth Proulx gesting and setting this up. Access FFRF’s Parks and Therrin Wilson. “Above Us Only Sky.” FFRF also erect- blog at patheos.com/blogs/freethought- Three young high school students in ed the first-ever “atheist marquee,” an ed- now/. Analytics show that the blog is intro- New England who challenged their high ucational digital signboard. ducing a younger audience, 46% female, school’s Pledge of Allegiance each re- Csam Wheatley’s silicone sculpture of 54% male, logging more than 275,000 ceived $1,000: Gabriella Ferrell, the Allen Charles Darwin, a life-like, life-sized man- page views and generating a modest in- P. Wilkinson Student Activist Award; nequin, amazes visitors to the library, and come for FFRF. Lily San Giovanni, the Strong Backbone serves as a photo op. FFRF has 351,658 “friends” on Face- Student Activist Award (endowed by a book, and 37,154 followers on Twitter. New York member, age 81); and Morrigan Look for FFRF’s new TV show later this Turner, in memory of Tony Ross. Legal year, produced in the Stephen Uhl Friendly Intern Jarvis Idowu, who worked all three Ingrid Laas photo Atheist Studio! years of law school for FFRF, received FFRF Co-Presidents Dan Barker and Annie $1,000 from the Paul J. Gaylor Memori- Laurie Gaylor PR/educational al Scholarship. Ewan McCartney, grade 8, received the Minglin Zhang Student campaigns continue Award of $1,000 for sitting down for his FFRF reaches more TV advertising. rights (protesting the religious Pledge of than 23,000 members FFRF placed the ef- Allegiance) in Seattle. Benjamin Oyakawa fective Ron Reagan received the $1,000 Thomas Jefferson Welcome to the 2,000 new members TV commercial on Youth Activist Award (endowed by Len who have joined the Freedom From Re- CNN periodically in and Karen Eisenberg) for bravely speak- ligion Foundation last year. FFRF reached 2015 and ran Ron’s ing out against religious entanglements. 23,467 members in 2015. Thank you ad on the penulti- Three special teenagers each received to FFRF’s newest 236 Lifetime Mem- mate “Daily Show” the $5,000 Richard and Beverly Herm- bers, and several “After-Life” Members (a (Comedy Central). sen Student Activist Award for significant Ingrid Laas photo tongue-in-cheek category for those who All other major net- achievement. They include the student wish their membership to live after them). works have cen- Ron Reagan plaintiff in FFRF’s victorious challenge of Increased membership gives FFRF sored our ad. Appar- a Ten Commandments marker at a Penn- more clout as a national state/church ently, when the son of a former Republican sylvania school, and the student involved watchdog and the nation’s largest free- president comes out “unabashedly” as an in similar litigation in another Pennsylvania thought (atheist, agnostic, etc.) associa- atheist, “not afraid of burning in hell,” it’s school. Also receiving $5,000 was Thomas Jake Swenson photo tion. The best source of new members is too powerful a message! Sheedy, a New York teenager who fought other members — you! Please spread the Csam Wheatley shows off the incredibly Print advertising. FFRF is running his school for two years for the right to start life-like mannequin of Charles Darwin he word! a secular club. created. successful monthly one-third page ads in

FFRF creates • University of Florida added a Thomas Paine quote to a new building. Nonbelief Relief • Norfolk State University included a Nonbelief Relief, Inc., was newly in- secular message at its Founder’s Day corporated in mid-2015, with FFRF as its event. sole member. The board is made up of • Coral Springs and Deerfield Beach, Annie Laurie Gaylor, Dan Barker, Jim Zer- Fla., dropped invocations from city meet- wick, Stephen Hirtle and Lisa Strand as ings. secretary/treasurer. Nonbelief Relief seeks • Chanute Schools (Kansas) removed a to remediate conditions of human suffering Jesus painting from a public school. and injustice, whether the result of natural • “Bible Man” was ousted from Grundy disasters, human actions or adherence to County Schools, Tenn. religious dogma. It also seeks to provide FFRF’s legal team issued a “pray to assistance for individuals targeted for non- play” exposé condemning more than 25 belief, secular activism or blasphemy. Non- public universities for allowing football belief Relief additionally will be challenging coaches to impose their personal religion the IRS’s privileging of churches and their on players by hiring Christian chaplains. charities by seeking tax exemption without The report, released in August, involved Chris Line photo filing the annual Form 990 (although it will more than a year of work and research by FFRF current staff photographed by solstice displays at Wisconsin capitol post the form for the public). In 2015, Non- Staff Attorneys Andrew Seidel, Patrick belief Relief gave $74,500, including: Elliott and interns. lawsuit), then agreed to the displays. After Our staff of 17 is overseen by Lisa $20,000 to Doctors Without Borders FFRF’s banner was stolen (twice!), the city Strand, director of operations. We said after the Oct. 3 aerial bombing by the U.S. of Brookville, which owned the crèche, an- goodbye to longtime employee Katie military of the group’s hospital in Kunduz, nounced it will move it to private property Daniel and welcomed new bookkeeper Afghanistan, killing 22 people and injuring in the future. Eleanor McEntee. We also said goodbye 37. • Georgia. FFRF settled a federal law- to Charlotte Stein and Dayna Long and $10,000: Camp Quest scholarships to suit against Emanuel County Schools, welcomed as new director of “first impres- help needy students who could not other- which inflicted daily prayer and pressure sions” Lisa Treu and new assistant Alys- wise afford to attend 2016 camps. on FFRF’s kindergarten and first grade sa Schaefer. Our first graphic designer, $12,000: Occupy Madison Tiny Hous- plaintiffs. Emanuel teachers received ed- working part-time, is talented Jake Swen- es. For one “tiny house” for a homeless ucational training, the primary offending son. Takara Scott-Johnston and Bekki person who contributes “sweat equity,” in teachers no longer work in the district, and Huelsman provided part-time student sup- Madison, Wis. the Doe family was financially compensat- port. Cheryl Becker and Stephanie Mori- $10,000 pledge to the city of Madison, ed. tz came out of library retirement to oversee contingent on city approval of a proposal to New litigation filed: Florida: Working cataloging of the new library. put permanent lockers for the homeless in with Americans United, ACLU and ACLU Legal staffing. Joining FFRF’s five or near downtown. of Florida, FFRF filed suit in July against staff attorneys (Rebecca Markert, Pat- $2,500: Second Harvest Foodbank of the Brevard County Board of County Com- rick Elliott, Andrew Seidel, Liz Cavell Southern Wisconsin. missioners, for rejecting atheists, human- and Sam Grover) in handling legal com- ists and nontheists from delivering open- plaints over state/church entanglements in $20,000: World Food Program USA, The cover of FFRF’s ‘Pray to Play’ report. designated for Syrian relief. ing messages at governmental meetings. 2015 is super-capable Calli Miller. FFRF Indiana: FFRF, the ACLU and the ACLU debuted FFRF’s first legal followships: the FFRF’s legal FFRF 2015 lawsuit victories! of Indiana filed suit in October to halt an Diane Uhl Legal Fellowship, filled by new annual live nativity enactment at Concord attorney Ryan Jayne (a spring 2015 legal accomplishments – 2015 • Michigan. FFRF and member plaintiff High School in Elkhart, Ind., with a parent extern from Lewis and Clark Law School) Douglas Marshall (named FFRF’s 2015 FFRF logged just under 5,000 requests and student plaintiffs. FFRF won a prelim- and the Cornelius Vanderbroek Legal Freethinker of the Year) won our chal- for help to end state/church violations from inary injunction to halt the live nativity and Fellowship, filled by Maddy Ziegler, a lenge in Warren, Mich., taken with Amer- the public! (All complainants received ed- the case proceeds. New Jersey: FFRF UW-Madison law school grad who’s also icans United and the ACLU of Michigan. A ucational responses.) FFRF’s five staff and its member David Steketee filed suit worked as legal publicist. Katherine Paige federal district court approved a settlement attorneys, with intern help, sent out 1,186 in December against Morris County in completed her legal fellowship, funded by requiring the city to give Doug equal ac- formal complaint letters to public officials state court over egregious public funding William & Mary Law School. cess to city hall. His “reason station” now in 2015, achieving a whopping 241 total of church repairs. Other interns and externs: Jarvis Id- balances a longstanding church “prayer victories (with more to come). That total owu (University of Wisconsin-Madison station” in the city atrium. doesn’t include follow-up letters, open re- Outreach – Campus and Law School); Liana Kapeke-Dale, Chris • Florida. FFRF, our Central Flori- cords requests, or mass mailings, such as Line, Neal Fitzgerald, (both UW-Mad- da Freethought Community chapter and freethought events 420 letters to Wisconsin superintendents ison), Seth Wrinkle (Lewis and Clark plaintiff David Williamson won the right to regarding vouchers. FFRF staff made 43 appearances. Law School in Oregon). Two undergrads unfettered distribution of freethought liter- Top 10 states (with the most state/ Co-President Dan Barker spoke at 29 interns: Bekki Huelsman, UW-Madison, ature to balance a bible table in Orange church violations): 1. Texas 2. Florida events in 16 states, including 4 debates, and Adam Grudman, University of Mary- County (Fla.) public schools. The school 3. Alabama 4. Illinois 5. Wisconsin 6. Mis- 7 FFRF chapter events (Northern Ohio, land. board adopted an even-handed policy, souri 7. Oklahoma 8. Ohio 9. California 10. Sacramento, Denver, Albuquerque, twice Volunteers. FFRF thanks student es- then closed the forum altogether! Georgia in Chicago and Duluth), several local or say readers Jeff Brinkman, Tom Brock, • Pennsylvania. Top 10 issue areas: 1. Violations in regional meetings, such as CFI Indianap- Chuck Hoornstra, Dan Kettner, Bob In August, U.S. Dis- public schools. 2. In God We Trust. 3. Mis- olis, Ethical Humanist Society in Skokie, Ramsdell, Linda Josheff, Sue Schuetz, trict Judge Terrence cellaneous. 4. Religious Displays 5. Nativ- N.J. Humanists, and at 7 college campus- Anita Weier (all Madison, Wis., area). McVerry found in ities 6. Crosses 7. Funding 8. Government es. He addressed 5 conferences, includ- Sue and Linda, who are sisters, also help our favor against a Prayer 9. Legislation 10. Legislative Prayer ing in Cologne, Germany, with Co-Pres- with office work, as does versatile Board Ten Commandments FFRF had 180 school victories, includ- ident Annie Laurie Gaylor. She had six Member Todd Peissig, who volunteers a monument at a junior ing halting: prayer or praying faculty in 40 other events: Texas Secular Convention, day every six weeks. Convention volun- high in Connellsville public school; school board prayer in 5 campuses in Portland (co-sponsored by teers were Eric Lawrence, Jessica Kop- Area School District. districts; 12 bible distributions on school FFRF’s chapter), Northern Illinois Univer- ish and Beth Taylor. On Oct. 9, the mon- grounds plus removing 22 religious dis- sity, and Georgetown, and spoke to Ameri- ument was removed Banished to private plays from public schools. cans United chapter, Rochester, N.Y. from public school property FFRF removed 5 crosses from public FFRF Staff Attorney Rebecca Mark- property, ending the property; 7 other religious displays from ert spoke at the Orange County (Calif.) 3-year-old suit. A twin challenge in New public property (including “Jesus Loves Freethought Alliance. Staff Attorneys Kensington, Pa., in which the same judge You” sign in Hawkins, Texas). Sam Grover and Maddy Ziegler pre- ruled a parent and high school student Five victories stopped public funding sented at the Secular Student Alliance’s lacked standing to challenge a decalog in of religion (including city sponsorship of annual Cleveland conference. Sam spoke front of the high school, is on appeal. Ingrid Laas photos a Gospel Fest in Jonesboro, Ga., and re- at the Southwest Secular Student Confer- • Indiana. FFRF, with the ACLU of Indi- Taslima Nasrin Ernie Chambers scinding of a $3,000 grant from Covington ence in Claremont, Calif. Staff Attorney ana and two local plaintiffs, sued Franklin County, Ala., to a Baptist ministry). Patrick Elliott spoke, along with Staff County over a nativity scene at its court- 39th convention in Pittsburgh Among notable victories: Attorney Andrew Seidel, at Freethought house in Brookville. The county opened it • Portland schools stopped school Festival 4. Andrew, with Dan, appeared at FFRF’s 38th annual national conven- up as a public forum, then refused FFRF’s concerts at the Grotto (Roman Catholic) Freethought Florida Conference. Andrew tion in Madison, Wis., attracted about 600 solstice displays (necessitating a second shrine. spoke to a University of Arkansas student participants from 39 states (plus the Dis- club. trict of Columbia), Australia, Canada and Chapters: FFRF has 20 current chap- Uganda in October. Notably, we had a first, ters run by hardworking volunteers. Look as Madison Mayor Paul Soglin welcomed for one in your area: us. Notable activists, authors and “un- ffrf.org/about/ffrf-chapters abashed atheists” and freethinkers spoke, including “Emperor Has No Clothes” hon- 2015 Office/Staff/Board orees Nebraska State Sen. Ernie Cham- bers and “woman without a country” Tasli- FFRF’s Executive Board of Directors ma Nasrin, under a death fatwa from “holy are: Dan Barker (co-president, half a vote), men” in Bangladesh. Jim Bredeson, secretary; Pat Cleveland, Mark your calendar now for the 39th director at large; Joseph Cunningham, annual FFRF convention at the Wynd- director at large; Annie Laurie Gaylor ham Grand Pittsburgh Downtown Ho- (co-president, half a vote), Stephen Hir- tel, Pittsburgh, Pa., the weekend of Oct. tle, chair, Todd Peissig, director at large, 7-9, 2016. There’s an option pre-conven- Steve Salemson, treasurer, James Zer- tion side trip to Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fall- Lauryn Seering photo wick, director at large, and Mike Cermak, ingwater. More details will follow. FFRF attorneys Sam Grover, Liz Cavell, Rebecca Markert, Patrick Elliott, and Andrew Seidel director at large.