Freedom From Religion Foundation 2011 Year in Review FFRF tops 17,000 Members — Help Recruit More! ation prayers, with FFRF’s help, at his high school in Laurens, S.C. The Freedom From Religion Foundation, which began • Jessica Ahlquist, 16, a plaintiff with 3 original members in 1976 and was incorporated na- in an ACLU federal lawsuit to remove a tionally in 1978, has grown to more than 17,000 members religious prayer from her Rhode Island nationwide. high school. • Dylan Galos, now a Ph.D. candi- Making News! Making Progress! date, for his activism as part of FFRF’s Photo: Timothy Hughes Timothy Photo: “Out of the Closet” billboard campaign in Our actions, lawsuits, PR scam- Columbus. Dylan saw his billboard, which paigns and state/church victories said “I can be good without God,” cen- generated more than 932 bonafide sored twice. news stories about FFRF in daily • A 7th award has been offered to a newspapers or on TV news ! You can military student. check out that media coverage or sign up to get coverage “We are proud to be associated with delivered to your inbox at ffrf.org/news/media/. This in- all of these students and youth activists,” cludes more than 6 hours of TV coverage from last October says Dan. “It still takes so much guts to to this October. Media highlights included FFRF Co-Presi- buck religion in schools and in society.” dent Annie Laurie Gaylor debating Cong. Dan Lundgren on National Fox TV over “In God We Trust,” Co-Prez Dan $16,600 Awarded Freethinking Students for Essays Barker debating Mathew Staver of the Liberty Counsel on the Ten Commandments, and hundreds of diverse regional In 2011, FFRF gave a total of $16,600 in news and TV coverage of FFRF state/church actions and scholarships in its three essay competitions for “Out of the Closet” campaigns. FFRF was even mentioned students, one for college-bound high school in some obituaries of newsman and nonbeliever Andy seniors, one for currently-enrolled college stu- Rooney, because we had given him an Emperor Has No dents, and a third to grad and older students. Clothes Award. (View the Convention 2011 Highlights ffrf. Thirteen students got major prizes (with several ties), and org/outreach/convention/) an additional 23 students received $200 “Honorable Men- tions.” FFRF thanks Herbert (“Harry”) Bushong, a nona- Student Activist Awardees genarian, for sponsoring the current high school competi- tion. The college competition is a memorial to Michael FFRF designates two annual student/ Hakeem funded by his bequest. Lifetime Mem- youth activist scholarship of $1,000 each. ber and Professor Brian Bolton’s sponsorship But in 2011, we ended up recognizing of the new graduate student essay competition SEVEN activist youths with awards of is gratefully acknowledged. $1,000 each, going to: • Sarah McNair, for speaking out Outreach – Campus Events against Ten Commandments in Giles Co., Va. Public schools (subject of a new Speaking to crowds as large as 1,500 (and a couple FFRF/W. Va. ACLU lawsuit). as small as 50), Dan Barker made 50 speaking • Damon Fowler, who protested (and stopped) un- appearances from late 2010 to late 2011, visit- lawful school-led graduation prayers, with ing 25 states plus Mexico City and Ireland. Dan FFRF’s help, at his high school in Bastrop, spoke on 31 college campuses often in partner- La. ship with Secular Student Alliance clubs (includ- • Duncan Hender- ing four religious schools) and participated in son, 15, featured on a 10 debates (including one held in a church and “Nick News” segment, two debating a Muslim). Other events included two perfor- who fought censorship of mances of “Tunes ’n Toons” with fellow repentant (Mormon) his freethought club at his missionary Steve Benson (in Arizona and Alabama). Dan middle school in Auburn, Ala. gave several freethought concerts at the piano, and spoke • Harrison Hopkins, who protested at various regional conferences and meetings, including and stopped unlawful school-led gradu- the midwest Skepticon, Sacramento Freethought Day, Central Ohio Humanists, the World Atheism conference in Dublin, the national Atheism Mexico conference in Mexico City, Ethical Culture and Unitarian-Universalist congregations, our nation’s responses” on Aug. 6 at the Reliant Center in the national Secular Student Alliance Houston, in conjunction with the American Family Associa- conference, Centers for Inquiry, and tion. Our federal lawsuit handled by Rich Bolton seeking a FFRF chapter events in Arizona and Alabama. Annie Lau- restraining order was thrown out asking that the governor’s rie, who keeps the office fires going, made 8 appearances, name, photo and gubernatorial letter of invitation be re- including Winter Solstice events at FFRF’s Tulsa chapter, a moved from the website promoting the 12th anniversary dinner of the New Orleans Humanists, and event. FFRF held a counter “feasting a San Diego conference on freethought history. and non-prayer” dinner with 70 delight- ful area FFRF’ers the night before. Dan Countries visited included Mexico and Ireland. States debuted a new song, “Get Off your visited included: Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Knees and Get to Work,” dedicated to Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, “Rip van Perry-winkle, who overslept Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, Oklahoma, not 30 but 2030 years.” Stalwarts showed up to picket with Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Dan, Annie Laurie and summer intern Taylor Myers in the Washington, Washington DC, and Wisconsin. 107-heat-index heat. Because FFRF’s attempt to lease a billboard near the stadium was censored, we rented a mo- FFRF, with its Alabama bile billboard saying: “Beware Prayer by Pious Politicians: Freethought Association Get off your knees ad Get to work. FFRF also flew a plane chapter, run by Pat Cleveland, overhead saying GOV — KEEP STATE/CHURCH SEPA- cohosted the 22nd annual July 4th RATE. FFRF.ORG. extravaganza at Lake Hypatia, Photo: Pat Sullivan/AP Alabama, where FFRF’s Atheists 90+ Legal Victories in 2011! in Foxhole monument rests. Vets got their photos taken by it, and a number of state/church and southern activists were fea- Between tured on the program. October 2010 and October 2011, Litigation FFRF impressively won more than 90 significant legal victories without having Giles Co., Va. Ten Command- to go to court! Formal letters of complaint ments. FFRF is working with the in that period numbered a whopping 495! ACLU of West Virginia in a federal (Many violations require multiple contacts lawsuit on behalf of a high school over a period of time to end. Other letters student and parent, to challenge the Ten Commandments are sent with the expectation of educating, being posted in public schools there. Parish exemption. rather than ending violations where the court precedent Following a decision by the Supreme Court in a non- is against us. We atheists are realists and don’t believe in FFRF case impacting the right of taxpayers to sue, FFRF, miracles!) The most common complaints involve religion with attorney Richard Bolton, reconfigured and refiled in public schools, especially unlawful prayers. Many FFRF its “sleeper” federal challenge of the “parish exemption” complaints and victories receive widespread media atten- — preferential tax treatment set up by Congress in 1954 tion, thereby educating the public at large. giving clergy significant benefits if paid through a “housing Among victories this year, FFRF finally got the Social allowance.” Release-time abuse. FFRF with pro bono help Security Administration to agree that if applicants have by George Daly is in the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals already provided a birth certificate, they won’t be asked challenging academic credits for “release-time” instruction if they have a baptismal or other religious record of birth. in a South Carolina school. Governmental days of Prayer. FFRF first began complaining about this practice in 2008! It FFRF’s historic district court victory last year declaring the does pay to complain . and complain . and complain. National Day of Prayer unconstitutional was, alas, thrown Among other significant victories, FFRF: out on standing by the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals in April. • Ended prayers at high school athletic games, school However, FFRF pursues related educational litigation in award banquets and annual awards ceremonies, gradua- Colorado state court, and, is also suing Arizona Gov. Jan Photo: Brent Nicastro tions or religious assemblies in school districts in Brewer (with pro bono help by Richard Morris and Marc Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Victor) over her Arizona Day of Prayer. Minnesota, Mississippi, Ohio, Oklahoma, Penn- Suing Gov. Perry. FFRF’s highest profile case this sylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, year was suing Texas Gov. Rick Perry for being the name, and West Virginia. FFRF halted prayer led by face, host and initiator of a “day of prayer and fasting for coaches in public schools in Florida, Michigan, Tennessee and Virginia. days a week), and Susan Barry (1 • Persuaded the school board in Ilion, N.Y., to drop prayer afternoon a week). An unexpected opening its monthly meetings. bonus has been weeks of dedicated • Ended kindergarten prayers (!) at a school district in fulltime volunteerism by Scott Car- Tennesse, given, incidentally, by a local Church of Christ ney, a young Wisconsin student in minister “in Jesus’ name.” Photo: Brent Nicastro between university transfers. • Ended a proposal to teach creationism along Staff. FFRF said goodbye to assistant Bonnie Gutsch with evolution at a Ohio school district, and (bound for med school), and welcomed as new publicist stopped creationist instruction in science class- this fall Katie Stenz. Joining the staff as a fulltime attor- es in Texas and Illinois. ney was former intern Stephanie Schmitt, who has had a • Halted prayers or bible reading in algebra string of victories ending school violations, classes (!) in school districts in Tennessee and and in November, Andrew Seidel, who Texas.