Vol. 32 No. 6 Published by the Freedom From Religion Foundation, Inc. August 2015 FFRF, secular groups file Florida discrimination suit The Brevard County, Fla., Board of other lesser matters? But if religious Commissioners’ policy of excluding citizens are permitted to open county nontheists from offering premeeting board meetings with invocations, then invocations is unconstitutional, sever- secular invocations must also be per- al civil liberties groups say in a feder- mitted.” al lawsuit filed July 7 in U.S. District “Brevard County’s invocation policy Court in Orlando. blatantly discriminates against people The suit filed by the Freedom From who do not believe in God,” said Alex Religion Foundation, Americans Unit- Luchenitser, associate legal director of ed for Separation of Church and State, Americans United and lead counsel. the American Civil Liberties Union “Such rank discrimination is plainly and the American Civil Liberties unconstitutional.” Union of Florida on behalf of multi- The lawsuit notes that in Town of ple plaintiffs asserts that the county’s Greece v. Galloway, the U.S. Supreme persistent rejection of atheists, human- Court made clear that local govern- ists and other nontheists who want to ments cannot discriminate based on deliver solemnizing messages at board religion when choosing who will de- meetings violates the U.S. and Florida liver statements to open government constitutions. meetings. This is the first legal chal- Plaintiffs include the Central Flor- lenge following the Greece decision’s ida Freethought Community (a chap- provision for secular invocations. ter of FFRF) and its chair David Wil- Florida Today reported that the liamson, the Space Coast Freethought commission voted unanimously to af- Association and its president Chase firm its policy on the same day the suit Plaintiffs Ronald Gordon (left), David Williamson, Chase Hansel, Keith Becher Hansel, the Humanist Community of was filed by limiting invocations to rep- and Jeffery Koeberl at the Brevard County Government Center in Viera, Fla. the Space Coast and its president Keith resentatives of the “faith-based com- Becher, and Brevard County resident munity.” Commissioner Curt Smith’s Ronald Gordon. resolution, approved without discus- filed, Daniel Mach, director of the for public voices, then it must make it “The framers of our entirely secular sion, specifies that nonbelievers can ACLU Program on Freedom of Reli- open to all voices. They don’t get to and godless Constitution did not find only speak during the public comment gion and Belief, said, “The government pick and choose.” it necessary to pray during the four portion of meetings. should never play favorites with belief. Williamson v. Brevard County is being months the Constitutional Convention Williamson said after the meeting The county’s discriminatory policy is litigated by Mach, Luchenitser and met,” said FFRF Co-President Annie that the resolution was “extremely dis- unfair and unconstitutional.” Americans United Legal Fellow Joshua Laurie Gaylor. “Why then should it be appointing. We just want equal protec- ACLU of Florida Legal Director Hoffer, Rebecca Markert and Andrew necessary for county commissioners to tion under the law.” Nancy Abudu said, “If a government Seidel of FFRF and Abudu and Daniel pray over liquor licenses, variances and In a statement when the suit was decides to have a forum that is open Tilley of the ACLU of Florida. FFRF complaint letters have led to Americans United for Separation of removal of two Christian flags. The city Church and State settled a lawsuit for Legal wins: Two fewer of Glencoe, Ala., took down a Christian $500,000 in January against King, N.C., flag from in front of its police station which had refused to remove a flag of next to City Hall, where it flew along- the same design. Christian flags fly in side the U.S. and state of Alabama Continued on page 2 flags. Staff Attorney Andrew Seidel first secular nation wrote to the city in February about Inside This Issue the unconstitutional endorsement of religion. “The Christian flag was de- signed by Protestants in the early 20th You can be century and continues to be displayed good without in Protestant churches throughout the god country. It features a Latin cross — the page 7 most significant symbol of Christiani- ty. Moreover, each of the flag’s colors represents a different aspect of Chris- tianity: Blue refers to ritual baptism in water, white to biblical conceptions of Atoms and Eve purity and red to the crucifixion of Je- incompatible sus Christ.” page 8–10 WBRC-TV reported July 3 that the city council decided to remove the flag in mid-June after meeting in executive session. Mayor Charles Gilchrist said the city attorney told the council it could be costly to keep the flag up and Remembering end up on the wrong end of a lawsuit. Anne Gaylor “I have to look out for the best inter- page 11–14 ests of the city,” said Gilchrist, adding he was unhappy the flag had to come down. This Birmingham blog confuses asking for compliance with the law with bullying. Page 2 Freethought Today Madison, Wisconsin August 2015 of them) to find a more “agreeable” ligion to turning against it. Meet a staffer Christian denomination. We even in- Things I like: The Green Bay Pack- terviewed every pastor after the cere- ers, free and accessible birth control, mony with the same set of questions. hugs, Hall and Oates and a good craft I just could not get into any beliefs brew. about the supernatural or eternal sal- Things I smite: Scott Walker and vation, though I met many wonderful, mayonnaise. well-meaning people. In my golden years: A house and It was when I entered the helping boat up in Door County will be right profession that I witnessed the harm up my alley. caused by the judgmental policing FFRF sends its best wishes to Chelsea in behaviors of religious institutions. I her new career, and we will miss her. switched from being turned off by re- Welcome to 15 new Lifetime FFRF Members! The Freedom From Religion Foun- North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Or- dation gratefully announces 15 new egon, Texas and Virginia. Lifetime Members. They are: Individual Lifetime Memberships George Covington, Lawrence David- are $1,000 designated as a new mem- son, William Dean French, Gerald Mc- bership or membership renewal, mean Fatridge, Don Mershon, Steve Scholl, nary another renewal notice and go Yvonne Scholl, Mary Schulatz, Stephen into rainy-day reserves. Memberships Seewer, James Strayer, Maggie Syming- and donations are deductible for in- ton, Diane Taylor, William Thomas, Ze- come-tax purposes, as FFRF is a 501(c) nas Van Slyck and Robert Weissman. (3) nonprofit. Jim Strayer’s membership was a sur- Thank you Robert, Zenas, William, prise gift from Hal Strayer, also a Life- Diane, Maggie, Hal, Stephen, Mary, time Member. Yvonne, Steve, Don, Gerald, William, States represented are California, Lawrence and George! Florida, Illinois, Michigan, New York, Jake Swenson photo Chelsea Culver on the new balcony at Freethought Hall. Two fewer Christian flags Name: Chelsea Culver. death with dignity and end-of-life deci- Continued from front page Where and when I was born: Green sion making. Bradley County Judge Keith Neely Bay, Wis., Jan. 15, 1991. What gets old about it: So many pa- ordered removal of an “Appeal to Education: B.S. from the Universi- per cuts! Heaven” banner from a courthouse ty of Wisconsin-Stout; master of social I spend a lot of time thinking about: flagpole in Warren, Ark. Staff Attorney work, University of Wisconsin-Madison. How beautiful the weather looks from Patrick Elliott wrote Neely on June 16 How I came to work at FFRF: The my window, and what else can I slather that the flag was “government endorse- mission and values of FFRF appealed peanut butter on? ment of Christianity, a blatant violation to me. In my role as a social worker, I I spend little if any time thinking of the Establishment Clause.” am not always able to speak up about about: This is tough to answer, but It had been flying directly below religiously motivated rejection and probably anything related to computer the Arkansas state flag for about 11 The Appeal to Heaven and Arkansas stigmatization that indubitably impacts or video games. I prefer the outdoors! months. Neely told the Saline River state flags at the courthouse last year families and communities. FFRF un- My religious upbringing was: Free- Chronicle in a July 6 story that a local in Warren, Ark. apologetically voices concerns about thought. pastor had requested the flag fly at the the harmful aspects of religion and My doubts about religion started: courthouse. The Chronicle reported Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin fights against religious interference in When my parents decided to send my Neely was told by legal advisers there railed against FFRF in a column at bre- our laws and government. I am incred- sister and me to Catholic school for could be “substantial financial liabil- itbart.com: “The judge found himself ibly sad to be leaving FFRF as I move “educational” reasons. We had never ity to the county” should a lawsuit be in a tough spot, and without the bud- into a permanent, hospice social work been part of a religious community filed. The flag’s design goes back to get to fight out-of-town lawyers, he was position. and didn’t quite fit in, though I played Revolutionary War times, but it’s now advised by the county attorney to re- What I do here: A little of every- along. My skepticism only grew after associated with the Appeal to Heaven move the historic flag. Well, the Free- thing! Mailings, sales, organizing stor- 12 years of theology classes.