Second 'War of Northern Aggression?'
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Complimentary Copy Join FFRF Now! Vol. 29 No. 7 Published by the Freedom From Religion Foundation, Inc. September 2012 FFRF’s ‘Spotlight on Freethought’ on public TV A short first-of-its-kind feature spot, cast. “Spotlight on Freethought and the This is believed to be the first First Amendment,” produced in con- such segment featuring discussion of the name of religion than by any other on-camera: junction with the Freedom From Re- freethought, atheism and focus on the institutional force in human history. “The United States of America was ligion Foundation, started airing Aug. specific dangers of mixing state and So with such wildly contrasting beliefs the first nation where our founders 18 on select national public television church. The description sent to affili- in this country, why aren’t we at each did not claim a pipeline to a divin- affiliates. ates reads: other’s throats? Here’s why. It’s our ity. It was a revolutionary act that they The spot is guaranteed to air 500 “America has more diversity, faiths, Constitution and its very core of free- created a secular and entirely godless times in the next three months and religions and cultures than any other dom from religion. Our country was Constitution whose only references to reach an estimated 3 million people. country in the world. And yet we all founded in part by refugees seeking religion are exclusionary, that there A four-minute version and one of 5:30 seem to get along pretty well. Only in freedom, seeking to escape centuries shall be no religious test for public of- will run interchangeably. When and a country where we can be free of reli- of religious persecutions, holy inquisi- fice. The founders were aware of the where the short program, used as filler, gion in our government can we then tions, witch hunts.” inquisitions and the pogroms and the will run can’t be announced before- be free to practice our own or choose The four-minute version talks about religious wars and the terrors in Eu- hand. Public TV affiliates decide which not to follow any faith. the benefits of the United States’ rope, and the persecutions in many fillers are needed on the day they run. “This segment focuses on our free- secular form of government, defines of the individual colonies — and they If you catch one of the spots on your dom to practice our faith, or no faith “freethought” and includes brief in- wanted no part of that. And so they local public TV affiliate, please be sure — exactly as we want.” terviews with FFRF Co-Presidents Dan erected what Thomas Jefferson called to contact the affiliate promptly to say The narrator says, “More wars have Barker and Annie Laurie Gaylor. thank you and to encourage rebroad- been waged, more people killed, in Gaylor, a co-founder of FFRF, says Continued on next page Second ‘War of Northern Aggression?’ FFRF’s major successes in ending tracting the attention of the Religious Attorney Andrew Seidel’s Aug. 21 and state.” entrenched illegal prayer practices in Right. letter detailed allegations that FFRF FFRF is alarmed over Mariakis’ at- many Southern public schools are at- Bryan Fischer of the American had received over several egregious tendance at a Sept. 9 “Rally to Pray” Family Association, a Christian group sports/church entanglements at Ridge- held to “keep prayer in the practices based in Tupelo, Miss., charged in a land. Most notable was the coach tak- and before games.” Seidel said, “It rambling broadcast Aug. 22 that FFRF ing public school football teams to pre- seems to send a message that he is un- Inside This Issue has launched a “second War of North- game church meals where prayers are repentant and hostile to First Amend- ern Aggression.” (The term is used by recited. ment limitations on his proselytizing.” some Southerners to describe the Civil It was also alleged that Mariakis reg- FFRF wants the district to investigate School Ten War.) ularly prayed with his teams, had pres- the coach’s remarks and the rally and Commandments Fischer’s remarks came after public- sured students to attend a “Christian to “ensure that Mariakis understands lawsuits loom ity over FFRF’s complaint that persuad- football camp” and that the team had he cannot use his position as coach to ed a Mississippi public school to obey adopted a “team chaplain.” ‘share the Gospel’ with his team and Page 3 the law and stop broadcasting prayers Superintendent Damon Raines other public students.” over its P.A. system before football responded Aug. 30 that “the district FFRF also noted that it appears that games. Fischer mused about FFRF’s le- will not have a team chaplain nor will school buses are taking players, coach- gal strategy, imagining it to be, “Let’s school officials or employees, includ- es and staff from the school to church- get rid of every trace of religious lib- ing coaches, organize, lead or par- es for meals. FFRF further requested a College essay erty in the South, and we can do it be- ticipate in any prayers. Staff will also response to an unanswered allegation winners cause these people will not fight back. refrain from participating in the [Fel- from its original complaint that the announced And again the Freedom From Religion lowship of Christian Athletes].” The football program has used the bible as Foundation, based in Wisconsin, and district said pregame meals will no lon- a motivational tool. Pages 12–14 this is the second War of Northern ger include “religious references.” FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Aggression and they’re winning this Seidel replied Sept. 11 that “taking Gaylor added, “When a public school thing.” public school teams to church still in- district has permitted unconstitutional FFRF has also followed up on Walk- volves constitutional concerns.” Quot- practices to flourish for years, it creates er County Schools’ response to FFRF’s ing legal precedent that bars public a climate of intolerance. We see that in- European request to investigate unusual consti- schools from holding graduations in tolerance in the community’s reaction atheist tutional violations by Ridgeland [Ga.] churches, he argued that regardless to our reasonable request to ensure convention High School football coach Mark Mar- of the purpose in choosing to have a that student rights of conscience, and scrapbook iakis. Although praising the superin- pregame meal in a church, “the sheer Supreme Court precedent, are hon- tendent’s “commitment to upholding religiosity of the space create[s] a like- ored in Walker County schools.” Page 23 the Constitution,” the response raised lihood that high school students . See nearly 30 new FFRF legal victo- lingering concerns. would perceive a link between church ries, pages 8–9. Page 2 Freethought Today Madison, Wisconsin September 2012 Photo: Andrew Seidel Photo: FFRF ‘Spotlight’ on public TV affiliates Continued from front page Watch for little “cameos,” including appearances by Darwin, Einstein and the ‘wall of separation between church Susan B. Anthony, shots of some me- and state,’ and that protects all of us. mentos at FFRF’s office, Freethought It has prevented the bloodshed and Hall, a powerful quote by Mark Twain warfare that we see in so many parts of about the witch hunts, photographs of the world where religion is involved in the Reason Rally crowd by Staff Attor- government.” ney Andrew Seidel and of FFRF Staffer Barker adds, “There are some be- Katie Daniel giving the Westboro Bap- lievers that don’t see the difference tists thumbs down when they picketed between neutrality and hostility. They an FFRF event. think efforts of groups like ours to “We warmly thank members who keep the government neutral are also contributed to our PR Campaign Fund Above us only sky, Maddy Ziegler logically imagines. a hostile act against their faith, when as part of the spring membership ap- we’re not asking for the government peal, whose generosity made possible to be pro-atheistic either. If the gov- the filming and airing of this first-of-its- Intern foils crank mailer ernment stays neutral, the government kind segment,” said Gaylor. stays secular, then everybody’s an insid- Only the first three months of airing er, nobody’s an outsider.” are monitored by Neilsen Ratings, but Name: Maddy Ziegler. online complaint form, taunting us The longer spot features a bonus: an “Spotlight On” segments often run far Where and when I was born: Janes- that his restaurant gave free meals to interview with Pitzer College professor longer. The program is not offered as ville, Wis., Sept. 7, 1989. Christians and daring us to find him. Phil Zuckerman, a leading expert on any part of any PBS national program Family: Parents, two sisters, 21 and However, he included his email ad- “secularity” and how secular societies service. 19, and a brother, 17. dress, so another intern and I were measure up favorably to religious na- FFRF has been venturing into televi- Education: I majored in English able to track him down immediately tions. Zuckerman is an FFRF member sion this year with nationally airing ads, and political science at the University online, figuring out his name, restau- and author of many books, including including one featuring JFK endorsing of Wisconsin-La Crosse. I’m about to rant, P.O. Box and phone number in a Society Without God. the separation between church and start my second year of law school at matter of minutes. We’re still thinking As a bonus, a version that is over state, and one by actress Julia Sweeney UW-Madison.