Statements Archives - American Atheists

Trump Administration’s School Privatization Order Defies Will of The People

American Atheists — Wed, 29 Jan 2025 23:44:28 +0000

Again and again and again, voters have rejected school vouchers and other privatization schemes that attempt to defund and dismantle the nonsectarian public schools that 90% of U.S. families choose. The mandate from the American people to their state and federal lawmakers is clear: Support public schools. Earlier today, the Trump Administration issued yet another executive order that directly contradicts the will of the people. They justify their wholly unpopular position on school privatization by alluding to a “growing body of rigorous research.” This is a lie. Decades of independent research increasingly demonstrates vouchers do not work. In fact, they exacerbate racial and socioeconomic segregation and lead to declines in academic outcomes. Families in rural areas are particularly harmed by the funding cuts to public schools that accompany these voucher schemes. And far from saving taxpayers money, privatization policies have proven to be egregiously, unsustainably expensive and rife with abuse. For what? The data shows the primary beneficiaries of so-called “school choice” are the corporations who receive exceedingly generous tax credits and the wealthy families who would have sent their children to private schools even without aid. In states like Iowa, religious schools have more than doubled their tuition rates in order to rake in taxpayer dollars while continuing to keep certain families out. The President’s order to “expand opportunities for low-income, working families” indicates he and his Administration either fundamentally fail to understand how these programs operate or, more likely, they don’t actually care about the real-world impact that school privatization policies have on the tens of millions of Americans who choose public schools. Private and parochial schools can, by law, discriminate against students and their families. They are not held to the same rigorous standards as public schools. Until and unless private schools agree to play by the same rules — including nondiscrimination protections and local control — they should not receive a single dollar of taxpayer money. American Atheists will continue to work tirelessly with partners across the country to protect students’ civil rights, defend the separation of religion and government, and ensure that nonsectarian public education receives the funding and support it needs to serve all of our nation’s students.

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American Atheists Reaffirms Commitment to Protecting LGBTQ+ Rights

American Atheists — Tue, 14 Jan 2025 16:00:57 +0000

Cranford, NJ—American Atheists is proud to stand alongside national civil rights organizations and secular advocacy groups today—and everyday—in reaffirming our commitment to vigorously oppose attacks against LGBTQ+ Americans. We unequivocally believe public policy should be based on facts, not faith. For example, when we conducted the largest secular survey ever of over 34,000 nonreligious Americans, 82% of respondents identified protecting LGBTQ equality as an issue organizations like ours should prioritize, with 30% listing it as one of their three most important issues. Given the vitriol LGBTQ+ individuals face in so many faith communities, it is unsurprising nearly half identify as being nonreligious. In fact, religious hostility is the single most cited reason young Americans provide for leaving religion behind. The LGBTQ+ community is an integral part of our secular community. Unfortunately, LGBTQ+ Americans, particularly transgender Americans, are among the groups most impacted by religiously-motivated stigma and anti-scientific misinformation. This misinformation, left unchecked, plays a critical role in producing anti-trans legislation, which has been directly correlated with a statistically significant increase in suicide attempts as compared to states where such laws have not been enacted. Whether anti-LGBTQ+ bigotry is motivated by religious dogma or antiquated pseudoscience, it does not align with our organization’s values or our vision of a society in which all people are guaranteed equality under the law and are free from discrimination in their daily lives. In the latest edition of the State of the Secular States report, American Atheists warned that attacks on trans Americans would continue to escalate in states across the country and at the federal level with the incoming Trump-Vance Administration. Already this year, our policy team is monitoring a record number of anti-LGBTQ+ legislative proposals. Among them are bills that would strip legal recognition from transgender people altogether; books bans that disproportionately target literature featuring LGBTQ+ people and characters; and policies that would force teachers and school professionals to “out” students, even when there is potential for abuse. Despite the recommendation of all major U.S. medical associations, there are continued attempts to limit access to evidence-based health care. It is deeply troubling to see prominent atheists utilize the same bigoted talking points as Christian nationalists and religious extremists. Though they purport to embrace scientific inquiry, they ignore the scientific disinformation> that has shaped public opinion and policy and which fails to withstand scrutiny and the advancement of science. Of course, anti-LGBTQ+ individuals, religious or nonreligious, are free to think, believe, and speak as they will, and they do. Likewise, American Atheists will not remain silent. Although atheists and other religiously unaffiliated Americans are clearly not a monolithic group, an overwhelming majority support, as we do, the rights and dignity of trans people and the entire LGBTQ+ community. “Despite the clear evidence that religious extremists are attempting to foment a moral panic, aimed at pushing LGBTQ+ Americans out of public life—or indeed, out of existence—some people seem content to either ignore this threat or, worse, launder these extremists’ misleading talking points and outright lies,” said Nick Fish, president of American Atheists. “It’s disheartening to see those who hold themselves out as voices of reason […]

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Atheists Urge Oklahoma School Leaders to “Teach, Don’t Preach”

American Atheists — Tue, 17 Dec 2024 16:40:40 +0000

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Statement from American Atheists on Skrmetti Case at Supreme Court

American Atheists — Wed, 04 Dec 2024 15:39:46 +0000

Washington, D.C. — In response to oral arguments today at the Supreme Court in United States v. Skrmetti, a case challenging Tennessee’s categorical ban on health care for transgender youth, American Atheists president Nick Fish released the following statement: Tennessee’s ban on gender affirming care is an extreme and dangerous assault on the wellbeing — and lives — of trans young people. Unfortunately, this law is just one in the tidal wave of legislation targeting trans Americans across our nation, largely driven by the Christian nationalist movement and its enablers. Denying anyone access to health care simply because of their LGBTQ status is unconstitutional discrimination, period. That’s exactly what this law does. If the Supreme Court has even a modicum of consistency or concern for their own decision in Bostock just four years ago, they should strike down Tennessee’s S.B. 1. Beyond what should be a straightforward legal question is this simple fact: singling out trans young people who simply want to live their lives as their authentic selves, free from discrimination, is wrong. Substituting the medical judgment of doctors and decision making of families with edicts from the state banning safe, effective, and life-saving health care is wrong. And weaponizing fear, misunderstanding, animus, and outright lies to threaten the very existence of an already marginalized minority as a cynical political ploy is wrong. American Atheists will continue to stand with our trans members, supporters, family, and loved ones in the face of these attacks.

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Atheists: Kennedy is a Threat to Public Health and Vector of Disinformation

American Atheists — Thu, 14 Nov 2024 22:26:13 +0000

Cranford, N.J. — Following president-elect Donald Trump’s selection of Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, Nick Fish, president of American Atheists, issued the following statement: American Atheists is disturbed, albeit unsurprised, the incoming administration would choose such an unserious person for such an incredibly serious role. With a budget of over $1.5 trillion and oversight of 13 federal agencies, the Department of Health & Human Services wields incredible power over the lives and wellbeing of the American people. Today, Trump and his team decided to propose handing the reins of the Department to a well-documented conspiracy theorist and superspreader of misinformation and junk science. If Kennedy’s unseriousness was insufficient to disqualify him for this role, his promise not to prioritize the research, manufacture, or distribution of vaccines in the face of another pandemic ought to have been, especially as our nation’s epidemiologists warn another public health crisis is imminent. During his first term, Trump’s mishandling of the COVID-19 crisis resulted in the needless and preventable deaths of hundreds of thousands of unvaccinated individuals. American Atheists considers Kennedy’s nomination an actual and imminent threat to the American people. Kennedy’s views regarding science, medicine, and public health are not just incorrect; they’re insidious. His stance on vaccinations goes far beyond healthy skepticism; it’s a dangerous cynicism that threatens to harm not only those who buy into it, but each of us and entire communities – including our atheist community, which reports one of the highest rates of vaccination among the entire population. We have grave concerns about the incalculable damage we can expect from an HHS Secretary who has demonstrated they not only have no understanding of evidence-based public policies or respect for rigorous scientific research and consensus but are willing to actively undermine efforts to save lives by dabbling in misinformation, disinformation, and junk science. Under ordinary circumstances, we would urge the president-elect to reconsider and Senators to oppose his nomination. But these are not ordinary times, and we know Trump will always prioritize rewarding his cronies over the wellbeing of the American people. No matter the outcome of this nomination, we will spend the next four years doing everything in our power to promote science and reason over snake oil and rationalization.

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The United States is Still a Secular Nation — American Atheists intends to keep it that way

American Atheists — Wed, 06 Nov 2024 19:15:49 +0000

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Atheists Applaud Colorado’s Implementation of Patients’ Right to Know Act

American Atheists — Tue, 01 Oct 2024 10:00:13 +0000

COLORADO — The Patients’ Right To Know Act, the nation’s first comprehensive health care transparency law, goes into full effect today, October 1. The law will considerably improve the ability of Coloradans to make informed decisions about their health care by requiring hospitals to inform patients if they deny services for non-medical reasons. American Atheists has been a strong advocate for this legislation from conception to implementation. Sponsored by Colorado State Representatives Brianna Titone and Kyle Brown, HB 1218 passed both the House and Senate with an overwhelming majority and was signed into law by Governor Jared Polis in 2023, making Colorado the first state to adopt this type of comprehensive health care transparency law. Sheryl Kallivrousis, co-chair of American Atheists’ Colorado Secular Advocacy Team, said, “I’m proud to live in a state that will serve as a model for legislatures and boards of health across the country.” She added, “This law will protect all Coloradans, but it’s especially important for our state’s most vulnerable populations, those who are harmed the most by denial of care, including women, LGBTQ folks, and people who live in rural areas.” (In Colorado, 42% of all births occur in hospitals that restrict reproductive care, the second highest level of any state in the nation.) After its passage, American Atheists attended stakeholder meetings, coordinated with state advocates, and provided expert guidance to help with the law’s implementation. In August of this year, the Colorado Board of Health unanimously adopted rules to implement the Patients’ Right to Know Act. Across the country, hospitals can deny or limit the availability of reproductive health care, LGBTQ services, and/or end-of-life care for non-medical reasons, such as the personal religious beliefs of executives. Too often, these facilities fail to inform patients about these restrictions, which means individuals and families seeking care are not provided the necessary information to make informed choices about their care. “We firmly believe patients’ medical needs should come first — especially during a medical emergency — rather than the religious beliefs of hospitals or executives,” said Alison Gill, Vice President for Legal and Policy at American Atheists. “The Patients’ Right To Know Act will help ensure that no Coloradan is denied health care because of someone else’s religious beliefs.” Beginning today, thanks to the Patients’ Right to Know Act, when a Colorado health care facility denies care based on religious beliefs or other non-medical reasons, they must now be transparent and disclose this information to the public via a “Service Availability Form.” “Colorado has proven it’s possible to pass common-sense health care transparency legislation with bipartisan support,” said Nick Fish, President of American Atheists. “Our work isn’t done, though. In too many places, the law still allows for non-medical denial of care, so we’re going to continue advocating for transparency legislation and patients’ right to know policies across the country — wherever Americans are being denied life-saving services and the information needed to make informed decisions about their well-being.”

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Statement in Response to FFRF Litigation Attacking American Atheists

American Atheists — Fri, 28 Jun 2024 13:19:50 +0000

Earlier today, an article was published on The Friendly Atheist regarding an ongoing lawsuit filed in an Arizona court by the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF). The case concerns a significant trust in Arizona that was distributed in 2022 and 2023 among FFRF, American Atheists, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, and the donor’s son in accordance with his late father’s stated wishes. American Atheists first learned the shared bequest was being contested in March 2024, when the organization was served by FFRF lawyers. Their lawsuit claims that FFRF should receive a substantially larger share of the trust and asks the court to reverse a 2018 amendment written by the donor, which would compel both American Atheists and Planned Parenthood to turn over all of the funds the organizations received. Although the specific amount is in dispute, it is significant—potentially as much as $300,000 from American Atheists alone. FFRF leaders have declined American Atheists’ repeated requests to meet with them in order to better understand their concerns and attempt to reach a resolution without engaging in costly and harmful litigation. Nick Fish, President of American Atheists, issued the following statement: For years, American Atheists has been proud to work alongside FFRF and other coalition partners on litigation and legislation that advance our collective goals. Our members have made it clear: Collaboration is a priority. And we understand our secular community is better served when we stand together. That is why we are profoundly disappointed that the leadership of FFRF has decided to pursue such an aggressive course of action against two of its longtime partners and against the clearly expressed intentions of a mutual benefactor. FFRF’s decision damages a longstanding relationship, undermines the coalition we have worked so hard to build, and jeopardizes our ability to continue collaborating with trust and in good faith, but it also harms the entire secular community, which counts on organizations like ours to advocate on their behalf and act in accordance with our shared values. FFRF’s actions might, understandably, discourage supporters from making charitable contributions or including organizations in our community in their estate planning. Please know American Atheists is committed to honoring the wishes of our donors, and we believe every donor has the right to expect their generous contributions will be used to fulfill our mission, not to attack our allies. Unfortunately, this has already cost American Atheists tens of thousands of dollars—resources that would be far better used advancing our collective and increasingly urgent fight against deep-pocketed Christian nationalists that want to destroy church-state separation and dismantle our democracy. Although we are disheartened, we continue to hope for an amicable and timely resolution. And no matter the outcome, I can assure you that American Atheists will never waver from our mission—to protect civil rights, advance political equality, achieve social inclusion, and empower atheists and other nonreligious people—especially now.

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Atheists Applaud Supreme Court’s Rejection of Effort to Limit Medication Abortion

American Atheists — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 15:50:19 +0000

WASHINGTON, DC — Today, the Supreme Court of the United States unanimously rejected a lawsuit brought by the Christian nationalist law firm, Alliance Defending Freedom, seeking to prevent millions of Americans from accessing the safe and effective abortion medication, mifepristone. The opinion found that, “Under the Constitution… a plaintiff’s desire to make a drug less available for others does not establish standing to sue.” In response to the ruling, Alison Gill, Vice President of Legal & Policy for American Atheists, released the following statement: We are relieved the Court has confirmed the rules of standing still apply, even to Christians, as we argued in an amicus brief we filed in January. Although this is a significant victory for reproductive rights, we must never allow the extremist religious beliefs of a few—no matter how powerful they are—to violate the rights and wellbeing of the many. The brief that American Atheists jointly filed with the Freedom From Religion Foundation in the Food and Drug Administration v. Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine case is available at https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/23/23-235/299224/20240130143859433_23-235-23-236%20-%20Amicus%20Brief.pdf.

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Atheists, Humanists Decry Smear Campaign Against State Department Program Supporting Inclusive Religious Freedom Programming

American Atheists — Thu, 23 May 2024 19:35:20 +0000

WASHINGTON, DC — In response to a letter released yesterday by the House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (R-TX), Subcommittee on Oversight and Accountability Chairman Brian Mast (R-FL), and Subcommittee on Global Health, Global Human Rights and International Organizations Chairman Chris Smith (R-NJ), American Atheists president Nick Fish released the following statement: It is appalling that the Republican Majority on the House Foreign Affairs Committee continues their campaign of mischaracterization, distortions, and unmitigated lies to attack the vital and lifesaving work of Humanists International. Their attempts to weaponize inclusive Freedom of Religion or Belief programs by the State Department are nothing more than cynical political gamesmanship — and outright appeals to Christian nationalism. In their letter, McCaul, Mast, and Smith attack a State Department grant intended to promote religious freedom for atheists, humanists, and other nonreligious people by making the odious claim that “Christian and Muslim minorities [], unlike atheists and humanists, face real persecution in the relevant parts of South Asia.” The fact is that atheists, humanists, and other nonreligious people face state-sanctioned violence across the globe, including in South Asia, because of their religious minority status. The committee’s politically motivated attacks minimize these threats and put the lives of nonreligious people, including those who participated in the program, at risk. For years, State Department grants have helped protect a variety of religious groups from this kind of persecution abroad, particularly in the Middle East, Northern Africa, and South and Central Asia. Humanists, atheists, and other nonreligious people need — and deserve — access to the same protections. We are proud to support programs that promote democracy, pluralism, and universal respect for Freedom of Religion or Belief and ensure that protecting those values remains a core objective of American foreign policy. We commend the Biden Administration’s State Department for advancing an inclusive and pluralistic approach to their Freedom of Religion or Belief work, including grants aimed at promoting religious freedom in Afghanistan inclusive of “Shia Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Hindus, and others,” for expanding religious tolerance in Mozambique given the prevalence of “religiously motivated discrimination among the various Christian faiths practiced in northern Mozambique,” and for supporting religious equality in Bangladesh because the “government sometimes fails to hold accountable the perpetrators of mob violence against minority Hindu, Christian, Ahmadi, and Humanist communities.” The fact that none of these grants drew the ire of the Committee makes it clear that their selective outrage about purported Establishment Clause violations is entirely about their animus toward atheists and humanists — and a desire to attack the Biden Administration — and not any genuine concern about the work of Humanists International or fealty to the Constitution. Religious freedom is a universal human right. It is not, as Reps. McCaul, Mast, and Smith seem to think, a cudgel to be wielded against disfavored groups for political gain.

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