Secular Coalition National Weekly Update
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National Secular Movement Update
Newsletter and Call
Call Every Thursday from 12PM - 12:30PM (ET)
Phone Number: 559-726-1300 Code 953064
May 15, 2014
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
Sex Education - The next few weeks should see the introduction of a Senate version of H.R. 3774: Repealing Ineffective and Incomplete Abstinence-Only Program Funding Act of 2013. The Secular Coalition is working with sex education coalition partners to assist with drafting the language of the bill, as well as gain co-sponsors and support prior to its introduction.
Media Partnership - The Secular Coalition for America is excited to announce its first media partner, Dogma Debate. Dogma Debate is a live 3-hour radio show, which airs weekly at 6PM CST. Dogma Debate is currently partnered with iHeartRadio and its live shows are recorded and immediately become podcasts on iTunes®, Spreaker, Stitcher, Zune, and other podcast outlets. Dogma Debate, has over 1.3 million downloads, and averages 140K/mo. Dogma Debate’s affiliate site, AtheistAudiobooks.com, offers secular and atheist-themed e-books for download.
Must Read List - The Secular Coalition for America's Secular "Must Read" List is now live on our site. Our list ranks the best sources of secular news and opinion in the world. Also, subscribe to the SCA and RDF and get FREE the first chapter of “An Appetite for Wonder: The Making of a Scientist” by Richard Dawkins.
Time is Running Out! Register before May 19th and get $200 off your room rate! Reserve your room NOW before rooms book up with code SCA14. Also, from our Lobby Day page you can find travel information, a link to the registration page, preliminary schedule, FAQ's and more. The Secular Coalition's 2014 Lobby Day and Policy Summit to take place from June 12-14 here in Washington, DC. Register or view the preliminary schedule here. And don't forget to RSVP for June 12th events, our pool party (featuring an open bar!) and our film screening of the film "Contradiction" followed by a discussion with the filmmaker, Jeremiah Camara, MC'ed by comedian, Steve Hill (event held in partnership with African Americans for Humanism DC). View or download flyer here.
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Table of Contents:
I. White House and Congressional Update
II. Secular Events and Calendar
III. Secular Movement in the News
IV. Legislative and Regulatory Update
V. Judicial
VI. SCA State Chapters
VII. Secular Student Movement Update
VIII. Policy and Research Documents
IX. Secular Coalition Expansion
X. SCA Member and Associated Organization Announcements
I. Movement Charity Updates and Activities
XII. Secular Artist of the Month
Please join our movement today! Follow this link to the SCA sign-up page.
I. White House and Congressional Update
White House: On May 6, the Administration released the Third U.S. National Climate Assessment, a comprehensive source of up-to-date scientific information about climate-change impacts across the U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel approved a request from the Army to “evaluate potential treatment options for inmates diagnosed with gender dysphoria” and is considering a request from the Army to transfer Private Chelsea Manning, convicted of leaking national security data to WikiLeaks, to a civilian prison so that she can receive treatment.
House of Representatives: The House is not in Session and will return May 19. A special panel to investigate the Benghazi attack is in limbo during the House recess, with Democrats debating whether to participate and Republicans vowing to proceed alone, if necessary.
Senate: This week the Senate debated a tax extenders bill. The bill extends tax breaks that help small businesses, help unemployed veterans find jobs, and promote clean energy production and research and development. The White House wants the Senate’s $85 billion bill amended so that it does not add to the deficit. When asked about climate change Senator Marco Rubio told ABC News "I do not believe that human activity is causing these dramatic changes to our climate the way these scientists are portraying it," Rubio said. He was quickly debunked by Time Magazine and others.
International: In a disturbing but underreported story, a Sudanese court has told a 27-year-old woman to abandon her Christian faith or face a death sentence. In a joint statement, the embassies of the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands said: "We call upon the government of Sudan to respect the right to freedom of religion, including one's right to change one's faith or beliefs." Meanwhile, last week gunmen disguised as clients murdered a prominent human rights lawyer defending a university professor accused of blasphemy. In response, State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said: “We were deeply saddened by the murder of Rashid Rehman, an attorney and human rights defender in Pakistan," and “We encourage Pakistani authorities... to swiftly investigate this crime and bring to justice those responsible.” On a related note, State Department spokesperson Mark Thornburg was critical of Pakistan's blasphemy law in a recent interview with the legal news outlet InsideCounsel: “In recent years Pakistani citizens, both Muslim and non-Muslim, have been arrested and convicted for violating blasphemy laws. Such laws are not consistent with universal human rights, such as freedom of expression, freedom of assembly and freedom of religion."
If you are interested in attending one of these meetings, please contact Director of Federal and State Affairs, Kelly@secular.org. For UN-related questions or remarks for these meetings can email Michael DeDora at the Center for Inquiry at mdedora@centerforinquiry.net. More information on the Committee and all its events can be found at http://unforb.wordpress.com/ (Thank you to Michael DeDora for this update, mdedora@centerforinquiry.net, 646.706.6080). Otherwise, contact Edwina Rogers, Executive Director, Edwina Rogers, at Edwina@secular.org or by phone at 202-299-101 ext. 207 or cell: 202-674-7800.
II. Secular Events and Calendar
June 12-14 - SCA Lobby Day and Secular Summit!
2014 Conferences
Start Date
End Date
Event
Location
5/14/2014
5/17/2014
STEM Forum & Expo
New Orleans, LA
5/16/14
6/5/2014
5/18/14
6/8/2014
Women in Secularism III
American Humanist Asscoc. Annual Conf
Alexandria, VA
Philadelphia, PA
6/6/2014
6/8/2014
Capital Pride
Washington DC
6/6/2014
6/8/2014
LA Pride
Los Angeles, CA
6/12/2014
6/14/14
SCA Lobby Day and Summit
Washington, DC
6/8/2014
Thomas Paine Day
Philadelphia, PA
6/20/2014
6/22/2014
SSA 2014 Annual Conf West
Phoenix, AZ
6/25/2014
6/29/2014
Unitarian Universalists General Assembly
Providence, RI
6/27/2014
6/29/2014
WorldPride
Toronto, Canada
6/27/2014
6/29/2014
NY Pride
New York, NY
6/28/2014
6/29/2014
SF Pride
San Francisco, CA
7/10/2014
7/13/2014
The Amaz!ng Meeting
Las Vegas, NV
7/11/2014
7/14/2014
Secular Student Alliance 2014 Annual Conf East
Columbus, OH
7/18/2014
7/20/2014
Foundation Beyond Belief Conference
Chicago, IL
7/19/2014
7/22/2014
La Raza
Los Angeles, CA
7/23/2014
7/27/2014
Comic Con
San Diego, CA
8/7/2014
8/10/2014
AAA Annual Conf
Seattle, WA
8/15/2014
Colorado Secular Conference
Colorado
8/28/2014
9/1/2014
Dragon*Con
Atlanta, GA
9/1/2014
PA Atheist/Humanist
Philadelphia, PA
9/4/2014
9/6/2014
Society for Journalistic Professionalism
Nashville, TN
9/5/2014
9/6/2014
Las Vegas Pride
Las Vegas, NV
9/18/2014
9/20/2014
Religion News Writers
Atlanta, GA
9/24/2014
9/27/2014
Black Caucus Leg Conf
10/11/2014
10/12/2014
Atlanta Pride
Atlanta, GA
10/9/2014
10/12/2014
Comic Con NY
New York, NY
10/11/2014
“Freethought Day”
Sacramento, CA
10/16/2014
10/18/2014
NSTA VA Conf
Richmond, VA
10/24/2014
10/25/2014
FFRF Annual Conf
Los Angeles, CA
10/28/2014
10/31/2014
Out and Equal
11/6/2014
11/8/2014
NSTA Orlando Conf
Orlando, FL
12/1/2014
12/1/2014
LGBT Leaders Victory Institute
12/6/2014
NatAssn for Hispanic Journalists
3/4/2015
Project SEARCH at UNH
Durham, NH
Anything to add? Contact SCA Director of Communications, Lauren Anderson Youngblood at lauren@secular.org. Please let us know if you'd like to attend one of these meetings: If you are interested, please contact Director of Federal and State Affairs, Kelly Damerow at kelly@secular.org for anything legislation-related.
III. Secular Movement In the News
Follow us on Facebook and Twitter and check out Secular News Daily for even more!
Secular Coalition in the News
Press Release: Secular Americans Disappointed with MA Supreme Court Decision on Pledge of Allegiance
An Atheist's Favorite National Day of Prayer (Herb Silverman for Huffington Post)
College of Charleston Times, They Are a-Changin' (Herb Silverman for Huffington Post)
Mass. High Court Re-affirms “Under God” in Pledge of Allegiance (The New American)
Atheists still 'under God' when it comes to Pledge of Allegiance in Massachusetts (Associated Press)
Massachusetts Court: participation in pledge is ‘voluntary’ (BRNow.org)
Supreme Court prayer ruling may spur new alliances (Washington Post)
Secular and Related News
Wedding Bells in Little Rock: Arkansas Becomes First Southern State to Legalize Gay Marriage (Yahoo! News)
An Atheist Chaplain? Will the Military Soon Have a Chaplain That Doesn't Believe in 'For God and Country'? (Fox Nation)
After Catholic outcry, Satanist ceremony canceled at Harvard (Bradenton Herald Bradenton Herald )
How new abortion restrictions are impacting Texas (My Fox Austin)
Federal judge declares Idaho's gay marriage ban unconstitutional (KETK)
The Impact of Cafeteria Religion on Political Engagement (Brookings Institute)
Dionne: Supreme Court fails religious empathy test (Salt Lake Tribune)
Notre Dame Denied New Hearing in Birth Control Case (CBN)
Crossfire: Bill Nye vs. S.E. Cupp on Climate Change "Scare Tactics" (Real Clear Politics)
Student files contempt motion over school prayer (Mississippi Business Journal)
What Does Religion Look Like in Prison? (Pacific Standard)
Click "update subscription preferences" at the bottom of this email and select "Morning Links." You can also view the Morning Read at Secular News Daily.
Calendar Events
May 26 - Memorial Day
June 6 - Atheist Pride Day
June 14 - Flag Day
June 28 - LGBT Pride Day
July 3 - Anniversary of Allegheny County v. Greater Pittsburgh (1989)- (Bans religious displays depicting only one religion)
July 4 - Independence Day
July 21 - Anniversary of the Scopes trial The State of Tennessee v. John Thomas Scopes (1925) - a famous American legal case in 1925 in which a high school teacher, John Scopes, was accused of violating Tennessee's Butler Act, which made it unlawful to teach human evolution in any state-funded school
August 11 - Ingersoll Day
August 23 - Women's Equality Day
August 26 - Women's Equality Day
Sept. 17 - Constitution Day
Sept. 23 - Blasphemy Day
October 20 - John Dewey’s birthday (1859)
November 9 - Carl Sagan’s birthday (1934)
November 21 - Voltaire’s birthday (1694)
November 24 - Publication date of “The Origin of Species” (1859)
November 25 - International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women
Are there any upcoming anniversaries, days of note, holidays or events that the movement needs to coordinate press around? Contact Communications Manager, Lauren Anderson Youngblood at lauren@secular.org.
IV. Legislative and Regulatory Update
Federal
Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) - S. 2307, the Violence Against Women Act, or VAWA, was introduced last week by Senator Boxer (D-CA) and co-sponsored by Sens. Menendez (D-NJ), Collins (R-ME), Kirk (R-IL), and Shaheen (D-NH). The Secular Coalition is watching closely to ensure federal dollars are not going to faith-based organizations that restrict women’s education of and access to the full spectrum of healthcare options, specifically birth control, the morning after pill, and abortion. We’re also keeping an eye out for resurgence of past efforts to include so-called “nondiscrimination clauses” to ensure that faith-based groups receiving funds through this program can still discriminate in their employment decisions.
Sex Education - The next few weeks should see the introduction of a Senate version of H.R. 3774: Repealing Ineffective and Incomplete Abstinence-Only Program Funding Act of 2013. The Secular Coalition is working with sex education coalition partners to assist with drafting the language of the bill, as well as gain co-sponsors and support prior to its introduction.
May is Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month. Please share the following information far and wide! Empowering youth means pregnant or parenting teens should be supported, not stigmatized, by both government and culture. We know from a large body of research that today's teens are far better contraceptive users than previous generations, and teen pregnancy, birth, and abortion rates have declined as a result. However, the rate of teen births in the U.S. remains the highest among comparable peer countries and the majority of teen pregnancies (82% or more) are unintended. 8 in 10 teens (83%) did not receive sex education before they first had sex. Earlier delivery of sexual health education would equip teens with the skills and services they need to make informed choices about their health. Research has found that teens who report that they received sexual health education are 50% less likely to experience an unintended pregnancy. Sexual health education programs that promote abstinence as well as the use of condoms and contraception do not increase sexual behavior or STD infection risks. Abstinence-only-until-marriage programs, on the other hand, have been discredited by a wide body of evidence, including in a Congressionally mandated study, which found these programs ineffective in stopping or delaying teen sex or otherwise beneficially impacting young people's sexual behavior. We should ensure that all teens – including pregnant and parenting teens – have the support, respect, and access to education and health programs that can help them be successful.
Military - The efforts of the Secular Coalition for America and the Military Association of Atheists and Freethinkers to secure the first Humanist Chaplain in the military are progressing as candidate for the Navy, Jason Heap appeared in front of the Chaplain Board this week. The Secular Coalition is working hard to educate members of congress on why a Humanist military chaplain is desperately needed in an effort to preempt misinformation and reactionary legislation from the opposition.Roughly 23% of men and women in the armed services have either no religious preference or are nontheists, and 3.6% identify as Humanists, yet they do not have a single chaplain. Nontheists and the nonreligious in the military face the same emotional and ethical challenges that the chaplaincy program exists to mollify. Nontheistic and Humanist service members should not have to face these challenges alone while religious service men and women are given guidance and comfort. Military Chaplains do much more than faith counseling. They are officers often tasked with granting permission for bereavement leave or use of secular meeting space. Mental health professionals are inadequate substitutes for chaplains for multiples reasons: confidentiality that comes with speaking to a chaplain, but not when speaking to a mental health professional; the stigma still attached to seeking mental health care; and accessibility, as chaplains are integrated within units. Minority faith groups, such as Jews, Hindus, and Muslims, are allowed military chaplains, and there are more Humanists than any non-Christian denomination. These service members not only deserve Humanist chaplains, the Constitution and military regulations mandate it.
Contact Kelly Damerow, Director of Federal and State Affairs, with additional suggestions or information at Kelly@secular.org.
V. Judicial
Presented this week by Rebecca Markert of the Freedom From Religion Foundation.
Doe v. Acton-Boxbourough Regional School District - The Massachusetts Superior Judicial Court rejected claims that the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance in public schools violated Massachusetts state law. On behalf of an atheist family, the American Humanist Association sued claiming the recitation of the religious pledge violated the atheist student’s equal protection rights under the Massachusetts state constitution, and rights under a state statute prohibiting discrimination in public schools. The court reasoned that there was no evidence that the children were punished, bullied or otherwise mistreated for their nonparticipation in the Pledge. It also found that feelings of exclusion are not cognizable under the state constitution.
Kountze Independent School District v. Matthews - In 2012, FFRF complained to Kountze Independent School District about the practice of cheerleaders holding up banners with explicitly Christian references (mostly Bible quotes) for football players to run through during football games. The school district initially prohibited the banner displays. Cheerleaders sued claiming the district’s policy violated their free speech rights. The school district eventually relented and changed their policy allowing the banners. Last May (2013) a Texas judge issued a permanent injunction and ruled the banners could not be prohibited. The school district, oddly enough, appealed the decision. On Friday, a panel ruled the lawsuit was moot because the school district reversed course and currently allows the banners.
If you have any additions, questions or submissions for inclusion on the judicial section for next week, contact David Niose, at the American Humanist Association at dniose@americanhumanist.org, or Rebecca S. Markert, rmarkert@ffrf.org, with the Freedom From Religion Foundation at (608) 256-8900.
VI. State Chapters
The Secular Coalition for South Carolina will be holding its first lobby day on Friday, May 30, in Columbia, SC. To register by May 16, go here.
Upcoming State Calls: Join the call for your state chapter by dialing in: Call in number: (530) 881-1400 - Participant code: 978895.
Today: Mississippi at 12 pm CT; Illinois at 2 pm CT
Saturday, May 17: West Virginia at 1 pm ET
Sunday, May 18: Utah at 12 pm CT; Oregon at 1 pm PT, and New Jersey at 6:30 pm
Monday, May 19: Ohio at 6 pm ET; Tennessee at 8 pm ET/7 pm CT
Tuesday, May 20: Virginia at 6 pm ET; Hawaii at 2 pm HT
Wednesday, May 21<