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EverLastingGodStopper
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Joined: 22 Nov 2002
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 Posted: Wed Dec 19, 2007 8:56 pm Post subject: Historic Civil Rights Group Recognizes Nontheists' Struggle |
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I almost posted this in General, because I really want everyone to see it, but I suppose it belongs in Activism and Alerts.
This is a major big deal.
Great news from the Secular Coalition for America! Reposted with permission.
| Quote: |
For Immediate Release: December 19, 2007
Contact: Anne Singer, 202-271-4679
Historic Civil Rights Group Recognizes Nontheists' Struggle
Secular Coalition for America Joins Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, Becomes First Member Advocating for Nontheist Americans
Washington, DC - The Secular Coalition for America has become the newest member of the oldest and most respected civil rights organization in the United States. As one of eight new members joining the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights (LCCR) this year, the Secular Coalition for America will work with the LCCR in its mission to unite all Americans as one nation true to its promise of equal justice, equal opportunity and mutual respect.
Recognition that the nontheistic minority must be included in the struggle for civil rights marks a milestone. There are several religious groups within LCCR's coalition, but the Secular Coalition for America is the first nontheist (atheists, humanists, and other Americans without a god belief) group to be included. Both organizations agree that religious freedom as protected by the Bill of Rights must also include the freedom to practice no religion.
Secular Coalition Director, Lori Lipman Brown, said, "This decision says as much about the LCCR and its willingness to acknowledge and include nontheists as it does about the Secular Coalition and its recognition of our theistic allies who support our rights."
A total of eight groups were added to the LCCR's coalition at their most recent board meeting: Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN); Center for Responsible Lending; Citizen's Commission on Civil Rights; DC Vote; Laborers' International Union of North America (LIUNA), Matthew Shepard Foundation; Paralyzed Veterans of America; and the Secular Coalition for America.
The Leadership Conference on Civil Rights is the nation's premier civil rights coalition, and has coordinated national legislative campaigns on behalf of every major civil rights law since 1957. LCCR consists of more than 192 national organizations, representing persons of color, women, children, labor unions, individuals with disabilities, older Americans, major religious groups, gays and lesbians and civil liberties and human rights groups ( www.civilrights.org).
The Secular Coalition for America was established in 2002 as a 501(c)4 lobbying organization to increase the visibility and respectability of nontheistic viewpoints in the United States, and to protect and strengthen the secular character of our government as the best guarantee of freedom for all ( www.secular.org).
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This is a big deal for atheists in America. We are being recognized as a minority whose civil rights need protection. |
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Castaa
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Joined: 17 Aug 2005
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Local time: 8:21 PM
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| Posted: Wed Dec 19, 2007 10:14 pm Post subject: |
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The irony is that the traditional groups that have fought for their civil rights in last 50 years, harbor some of the most biases against the non-religious and even other minority groups.
It'll be interesting to see a conference combining all these groups. |
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Nimitz
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Local time: 2:21 PM
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| Posted: Wed Dec 19, 2007 10:22 pm Post subject: |
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Do I now get a special parking place now or affirmative action or a decoder ring?
Can I at least get an autographed picture of Al Sharpton?! |
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EverLastingGodStopper
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| Posted: Wed Dec 19, 2007 10:37 pm Post subject: |
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Yes Castaa, it will be interesting to see how other minority groups react to our inclusion.
Nimitz, you crack me up. |
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lumpymunk
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Joined: 17 Feb 2007
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| Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2007 1:17 am Post subject: |
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Civil Rights are a fucking joke.
I'm an Atheist and I DON'T WANT THE GOVERNMENT MAKING SPECIAL ALLOWANCES FOR ME.
_________________
“Here, here's American Gladiators. Watch this, shut up, go back to bed America, here is American Gladiators, here is 56 channels of it! Watch these pituitary retards bang their fucking skulls together and congratulate you on the living in the land of freedom. Here you go America - you are free to do what well tell you! You are free to do what we tell you!” ~ B.Hicks
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNOPu_wU6hs |
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EverLastingGodStopper
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Joined: 22 Nov 2002
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| Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2007 1:23 am Post subject: |
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Um, equal rights are not special rights. They're just equal, same as anyone else. Right now we have reports from across the nation, from atheists who have been fired from their jobs, or who have been denied charity care simply because they are atheists. We want to put an end to discrimination against atheists.
Equal rights aren't special at all, they are just the same that the majority already enjoys. |
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MedallionMan
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Joined: 11 Jun 2008
Posts: 45
Local time: 2:21 PM
Location: Brisbane
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| Posted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 10:55 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: | Civil Rights are a fucking joke.
I'm an Atheist and I DON'T WANT THE GOVERNMENT MAKING SPECIAL ALLOWANCES FOR ME. |
I am just astounded that any rational atheist would make such a comment. The problem with discrimination lumpymunk, is that it quickly becomes accepted and escalated further by those who are not disadvantaged by it.
I'm all for egalitarian human rights, as long as they serve the common good and protect the individual. For example, I regard Islam's treatment of women and apostates (etc, etc) as criminal violations of human rights at every level, but they claim that any mention of such incidents is an infringement on their religious rights, and that legislation should be enacted in all countries of the world to stop any mention by reporters of these incidents.
Through the Islamic Human Rights Commission, and using the Cairo Declaration on Human Rights in Islam, they pretty well control the United Nations Human Rights Commission, which is mind baffling. It's happening and the world is sitting back, just watching it happen ... Work that out. I cannot.
I also cannot understand how any rational person would not enthusiasically support the protection of human rights. You might be OK in your corner of the Pale Blue Dot [Carl Sagan] but millions of others are not, and many of us support your right to be protected.
http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=7620
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_Rights_Council
http://www.iheu.org/node/2949
_________________
The best thing about religion is that it’s so transparently absurd it can’t possibly last forever. I’m convinced it will only take a small shift in human consciousness for it to be laughed off the planet, and I hope I’m still around when that happens. - Pat Condell : http://patcondell.net |
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