Rationality College essay Lack of faith needed now contest winners doesn’t increase more than ever announced gun violence PAGES 6-7 PAGES 12-17 PAGE 21 Vol. 36 No. 7 Published by the Freedom From Religion Foundation, Inc. September 2019 FFRF, others seek to dissolve State Dept. commission Awaiting info on Unalienable Rights group A new State Department body should be disbanded, the Freedom From Religion Foundation and close to 200 other organizations urged in a letter. Hundreds of former officials, academics and activists have also signed on to the July letter originating with Human Rights First. FFRF and all these groups and individuals are calling on Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to dissolve the recently an- nounced Commission on Unalienable Rights. “We object to the commission’s stated purpose, which we find harmful to the global effort to protect the rights of all people and a waste of resources; the commission’s makeup, which lacks ideological diversity and appears to re- flect a clear interest in limiting human rights, including the rights of women and LGBTQI individuals; and the pro- cess by which the commission came into being and is being administered, which has sidelined human rights experts in South Dakota law exclusionary the State Department’s own Bureau of The Freedom From Religion Foundation is ican secularism and civil liberties, imposing Democracy, Human Rights and Labor,” damning an exclusionary new South Dakota the theocratic vision of a powerful few on “We the letter states. “We urge you to imme- law that mandates displaying an “In God We the People.” Mike Pompeo diately disband this body.” Trust” logo in all public schools. These laws are about advancing the lie that The commission’s shortcomings “A new state law that took effect this month the United States was “founded on God” or start with its title, the letter points out. requires all public schools in the state’s 149 Christianity, thus dismantling the wall be- “We view with great misgiving a body established by the U.S. districts to paint, stencil or otherwise prom- tween religion and government. The motto government aimed expressly at circumscribing rights through inently display the national motto,” the As- “In God We Trust” is inaccurate, exclusionary, an artificial sorting of those that are ‘unalienable’ and those to sociated Press reports. “The South Dakota and aimed at brainwashing American school- be now deemed ‘ad hoc,’” says the letter. “These terms simply lawmakers who proposed the law said the re- children into believing that our nation is a have no place in human rights discourse. It is a fundamental quirement was meant to inspire patriotism in theocracy, FFRF asserts. tenet of human rights that all rights are universal and equal.” the state’s public schools.” FFRF fought the law. And the composition of the entity does little to inspire The law — insultingly confusing patriotism “The Freedom From Religion Foundation, confidence. with piety — is part of the nationwide legis- based in Madison, Wis., which has legally “The commission clearly fails to achieve the legal require- lative push by Project Blitz, which is a stealth challenged the motto’s inclusion on U.S. cur- ment that a federal advisory committee ‘be fairly balanced in campaign to inject religious bills into state rency, alerted its South Dakota members to its membership in terms of the points of view represented and legislatures across the country. The campaign, the functions to be performed,’” asserts the letter. “The com- FFRF avers, is an unvarnished attack on Amer- See Law on page 4 See Commission on page 8 Appeals court: County seal ruled constitutional Reverses FFRF victory purpose for including a cross on the seal strong presumption of constitutionali- in district court from is not secular,” Judge Edward G. Smith ty,’” by which he means, “longstanding had ruled in 2017. religious symbols.” The seal dates back to 2017 in Pennsylvania But the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of 1944. An appellate court on Aug. 8 disap- Appeals in Philadelphia unfortunately The alarming nature of the U.S. Su- pointingly invoked a misguided U.S. relied on the Supreme Court’s recent preme Court’s Bladensburg judgment Supreme Court decision to declare con- Bladensburg cross decision to rule the can be seen in this opinion. Instead of stitutional a cross-bearing Pennsylvania clearly Christian seal acceptable. protecting the minority from the tyr- county seal. The opinion, written by Judge Thom- anny of the majority, Hardiman rules The Freedom From Religion Founda- as Hardiman, who was rumored to be on that the majority can trample the First tion and four individual plaintiffs won President Trump’s short list for the U.S. Amendment in the name of its religion, resoundingly in district court in 2017 Supreme Court, says that the 3rd Circuit concluding that the seal “has become when a judge found unconstitutional was bound to uphold the seal and cross part of the community.” the Lehigh County seal that features a because of the Bladensburg precedent. FFRF’s appellate brief, filed in April prominent cross. “The undisputed facts Hardiman holds that, after Bladensburg, demonstrate that the county’s original “longstanding symbols benefit from ‘a See Seal on page 9 Page 2 FFRF | FREETHOUGHT TODAY | Madison, Wisconsin | September 2019 SECULAR INVOCATIONS Karen Avizur diverse society. I’d like to recite a quote from Carl Sa- gan, one I’m particularly fond of, when Tavares (Fla.) he speaks of the photo Voyager 1 took of Earth, the “Pale Blue Dot.” City Hall “Look again at that dot. That’s here. That’s home. That’s us. On it everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone March 20, 2019 you ever heard of, every human being I would like to thank you for this op- who ever was, lived out their lives. The portunity to address Tavares in this in- aggregate of our joy and suffering, vocation, speaking not just as an atheist thousands of confident religions, ide- but as a resident of ologies, and economic doctrines, ev- Mount Dora, to ery hunter and forager, every hero and bring us together coward, every creator and destroyer of for this meeting. civilization, every king and peasant, ev- Join other nontheists for I’ve lived here ery young couple in love, every mother less than a year, and father, hopeful child, inventor and 2019 Secular Lobby Day and have already explorer, every teacher of morals, every made many corrupt politician, every superstar, ev- Make your voice heard in Washing- On Thursday, Sept. 26, from 7-9 friends among ery supreme leader, every saint and sin- ton, D.C., by joining the Secular Coa- p.m., you can attend an exclusive re- my neighbors ner in the history of our species lived lition for America at its Secular Lobby ception on Capitol Hill. While there, and others in there — on a mote of dust suspended Day Sept. 26-27. you will have the chance to mingle my communi- in a sunbeam.” Karen Avizur SCA, of which FFRF is a member with your fellow citizen advocates as ty. We’re all ap- I’m immensely grateful to those who organization, will begin its gathering SCA honors the members of the Con- preciative to those officials who come work for our city and those who live in on Thursday, Sept. 26, with an eve- gressional Freethought Caucus, Hill together to better our society, who and support it, and hope that today’s ning reception on Capitol Hill with staffers, and activists who have advo- struggle with the laws, both moral and meeting, and all that come after, contin- members of the Congressional Free- cated on behalf of secular Americans. ethical. Who come to City Hall as rep- ue to unite us as one community. thought Caucus and other lawmakers Then, on Friday, Sept. 27, from 8 resentatives, and as citizens themselves, Karen Avizur is a video editor living in and staff. a.m.-5 p.m., you can join nontheists to do the best they can to encourage Mount Dora, Fla., with her two dogs. In her The next day will be spent on Cap- from across the country as they lobby and preserve justice, equality, and the free time, she likes to read sci-fi and write itol Hill with speakers, training and members of Congress and their staff, well-being of every person in our vastly fantasy novels. visits to congressional offices. Staff in person, about issues impacting the Attorney Ryan Jayne, Director of separation of church and state. You Strategic Response Andrew L. Seidel will be trained on how best to present Lindsey Bridges and Director of Governmental Affairs SCA’s issues by lobbyists from SCA and Mark Dann will be representing FFRF our member organizations, and then during the weekend. team up with fellow attendees from Seminole You will learn how to effectively your state or region for congressional lobby your representatives, shape pub- meetings. County (Fla.) lic policy to help make a real impact, Tickets are needed for the reception meet with lawmakers and their staffs and breakfast and space is limited. Go Commission and network with like-minded secular to lobbyday.us for more information or leaders and advocates. to register. Jan. 8, 2019 Madame chair, commissioners, staff, citizens, and guests, let me thank you for including me in today’s proceedings. FFRF welcomes 17 new Lifers The word “invocation” originates from the Latin invocare, meaning “to FFRF thanks and welcomes our States represented are Califor- call upon” — an infinitive which gener- 17 new Lifetime Members and two nia, Colorado, Florida, Michigan, ates a question. “To whom or to what do Immortals.