Dear Friend:

This letter is being sent to hundreds of officers and leaders of Atheist and Freethought groups across America who have either requested information on participating in the Godless Americans March on Washington or are with a group who may not have heard about this march yet.

I would like to invite you, as a representative of your organization, to join with me in a historic event - a "Godless Americans March on Washington" (GAMOW) slated for Saturday, November 2, 2002 in our nation's capital. Our goal is to bring together members of diverse godless organizations that represent some of the 30 million Americans who have no religious faith in an unprecedented show of solidarity on the Capitol Mall.

Every other "cause" group, from Blacks and Hispanics to women and, yes, even the Promise Keepers, have marched on Washington as a way of demanding a "seat at the table" in the discussion we call democracy. Now it's our turn. This will be an unprecedented effort to encourage all of us -- Atheists, Freethinkers, Humanists and others -- to march together, to speak out, to listen, and to speak with one voice in demanding that "place at the table."

The rally is scheduled for 11 AM to 2-3 PM, and will include speeches, entertainment and other activities. We want you and your organization to join us. It will begin on the mall near 14th Street. This is on the Capitol Building site of the Washington Monument. We will assemble there and make a roughtly 20 minute march straight down the mall to our demonstration/stage site which is between 3rd and 4th Avenues. The Marching area is on a gravel pathway so plan accordingly. The grassy areas up to our staging area will be closed to the public at that time.

We will try to accomodate as many of you as speakers as we can. So the sooner we hear from you the better. If you have already contacted us about wanting to participate - thank you. Because of the scope of this demonstration and the tens of thousands of dollars that American Atheists will have to spend on this event, we are requesting that your representatives and supporters pay their own travel, hotel and other expenses. I will be contacting you, individually, very soon about your group's participation.

American Atheists will be selling official GAMOW t-shirts at the GAMOW website. Our March permit prohibits selling of anything but books, leaflets, and bumper stickers at the March location. This is the law. Please feel free to bring your own banners and other signs, however, balloons are strictly prohibited. Port-a-Johns (some will be handicapped accessible) will be located at the site. Food cannot be sold during the March by participants but there are several food kiosks up and down the mall and are close to where we will be located. We will be providing small hand-held American flags as well as GAMOW stickers to wear. Limited quantities are available.

We will have marshals located at various locations to help facilitate a peaceful demonstration. Please urge your supporters to avoid confrontation with any theists should that kind of situation arise. Don't let the nuts spoil our day.

Please ask your group to take all their trash with them when they leave the event. We want to leave the mall as beautiful as the way we found it.

There will be an information and lost and found booth located at the side of the staging area for your assistance.

Details and updates about the "Godless Americans March on Washington" can be found on our web site at http://www.godlessamericans.org. If you have not already contacted us about participation and would like to be part of the program, you may also contact me, Ellen Johnson at 973-334-5110 or preferably by e-mail at ej@atheists.org.

I look forward to hearing from you, and seeing you in our nation's capital on November 2, 2002.

Thank you in advance,

ELLEN JOHNSON
Chairperson, "Godless Americans March on Washington" Task Force
President, American Atheists

GODLESS AMERICANS MARCH ON WASHINGTON
-STATEMENT OF PRINCIPLES-

• We demand equal rights including fair treatment and protection in the workplace; when seeking public office and the right to serve on juries and give testimony; and in having a voice in the halls of Congress, in our state legislatures and in other government venues.
• We call for an end to discrimination against Atheists, Freethinkers and other Godless Americans in organizations which receive public funds and special entitlements, such as Boy Scouts of America. Nonbelief must not be a litmus test for inclusion in such groups.
• We demand an end to harassment and other violations of our rights in public schools. Prayer Bullying, organized prayer and other forms of coercive religion cannot be tolerated in what should be a totally secular public school system. Public schools must not become centers for religious proselytizing, the unconstitutional promotion of religion through teaching so-called creationism, or smuggling sectarian beliefs into the schools through ruses as student-led prayer.
• We call for an end to the use of government tax money to subsidize religious denominations, faith-based social programs and other entitlement schemes.
• We demand an end to the exclusion of Atheists, Freethinkers and other Godless Americans as full citizens of this nation. Our leaders, including the President, must stop calling the nation to prayer, or claim that we are a Christian country. Godless Americans have been patriotic, and many have served -- and now serve -- in our nation's armed forces. We are fire and rescue personnel, emergency crisis personnel, white-collar and blue-collar workers. We insist on inclusion when this nation is rallied to appropriate causes!
• We call for an end to the display of religious mottoes and symbols on government property, and especially in public schools. We also call for the restoration of E Pluribus Unum, (Out of Many, One) as the secular, national motto of a free people.

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AMERICAN ATHEISTS

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Voice: 908-276-7300 • Fax: 908-276-7402
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Copyright © 2002, American Atheists, Inc.