It was another busy week at the Freedom From Religion Foundation as we try to keep up with all the craziness that seems to be growing like an invasive weed through our country. Let’s take a look at what your favorite nonprofit has been up to this week.
Elementary, Abbott
The case of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s censorship of FFRF’s Bill of Rights display has finally ended (after eight years!) with receipt of $358,000 in attorneys’ fees paid by the state of Texas.
Although FFRF won the lawsuit with a judgment by the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals last year, disputes and delaying tactics by the governor held up the required attorney fees and costs, which were received this week. Of the final judgment, $184,727.11 reimburses FFRF for staff attorney time and court costs.
The lawsuit began in February 2016, after Abbott removed FFRF’s duly-approved and permitted Bill of Rights “nativity” display from the Texas state Capitol. Abbott ordered the display removed only three days after it was put up on Dec. 18, 2015, lambasting it as indecent, mocking and “contributing to public immorality.”
Largely due to Abbott’s refusal to accept the ruling of the court in FFRF’s favor, the case jumped back and forth before the federal courts and the appeals court, which ruled on it twice. On Jan. 27, 2023, the 5th Circuit unanimously ruled in FFRF’s favor.
FFRF pays BIPOC essay winners more than $18K!
FFRF is proud to announce the 11 top winners and seven honorable mentions of the 2024 David Hudak Memorial Black, Indigenous and Persons of Color Student Essay Competition.
FFRF has paid out a total of $18,850 in award money for the contest this year.
BIPOC students were invited to write on the topic of “How does religion hinder racial equality and civil rights?” and asked to compose an essay from the perspective of history or current struggle, religious psychology or personal experience. Winning essays will appear in the September issue of Freethought Today.
FFRF makes school district in Tennes-see its error
FFRF earned a quick and satisfactory legal victory over the Jackson-Madison County School System in Tennessee regarding inappropriate Christian worship songs at a mandatory event in July.
FFRF Legal Fellow Hirsh M. Joshi wrote a letter on Aug. 1 to the district after learning that JMCSS turned a teacher in-service into a religious worship service on July 30. District Superintendent Dr. Marlon D. King acted swiftly, writing an email on Tuesday to Joshi, stating: “Moving forward, I will ensure that all professional development activities strictly adhere to the guidelines that respect the religious freedoms of all participants. This will not happen again.”
Report shows Christian role in Indian school traumas
FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor breaks down the U.S. Department of Interior’s report on its three-year investigation into federally funded Indian boarding schools, showing the key role Christianity played in destroying tribal identity and family ties.
The report documents the many Native American children who suffered physical, sexual and emotional abuse in that system. The Interior Department confirms that 973 American Indian, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian children died in these schools. By the year 1900, 1 out of 5 Native American school-age children attended a boarding school, more than half of which were run on behalf of the government by churches and religious organizations.
Thou shalt not look
FFRF, one of the groups representing the plaintiffs in the lawsuit against the state of Louisiana over its new law requiring the posting Ten Commandments in every classroom, was mentioned this week in several news outlets, including Fox News, after Louisiana Gov. Greg Landry said the state would try to have the suit dismissed.
In the press conference, Landry made another outlandish statement after being asked how parents of students would react to the Ten Commandments in classrooms if they were against the new law.
“What I would say to those parents . . . tell the child not to look at it.”
That’s his defense? Ugh.
You can’t spell ‘Todd’ without ‘odd’
Todd Starnes, the uber-conservative commentator and columnist and self-admitted foe of FFRF, couldn’t hide his disdain for the state/church watchdog and a community member who called out a sheriff’s website for posting a biblical verse.
His vitriol against the Constitution is palpable: Starnes writes: “A ‘concerned citizen’ in the Tennessee community saw the bible verse and came down with a raging case of a godless heathen microaggression. . . . The unnamed coward reached out to the Freedom From Religion Foundation, a Wisconsin-based gang of atheists and agnostics.” Thanks for the compliment, Todd.
Ready, set, Action Fund!
The FFRF Action Fund staffed a booth at the National Conference of State Legislatures, which was held Monday through Wednesday this week at the Kentucky International Convention Center in Louisville. FFRF Attorney Chris Line, left, and State Advocacy Specialist Ryan Dudley worked the tables at the event, which is attended by state legislators, legislative staff, government officials, business representatives, educators and others interested in public policy. The conference is the nation’s largest gathering of legislators and legislative staff.
FFRF Action Fund’s ‘Secularist of the Week’
U.S. Rep. Jared Huffman, representing California’s 2nd district, has been named the FFRF Action Fund’s “Secularist of the Week.”
Huffman has taken the leadership in exposing the dangers of Project 2025. Since launching the taskforce in June, Huffman has been all over the media, from his own social media posts to C-SPAN to The Guardian, to ensure that the public knows how the Heritage Foundation and followers are plotting to upend democracy.
Ready for back to school?
This week on FFRF’s “Ask an Atheist” Facebook Live program, FFRF attorneys Liz Cavell and Sammi Lawrence give a refresher on student and teacher rights ahead of the school year. You won’t want to miss this (watch it on YouTube) if you have kids in public schools!
Listen to this!
On this week’s Freethought Radio program, FFRF Senior Counsel Sam Grover gives us the scoop about the FFRF court victory against the Texas governor. Then, hosts Annie Laurie Gaylor and Dan Barker speak with “Reverend Billy” (William Talen), the “pastor” of the secular Earth Church and the Stop Shopping Choir in New York City who uses performance art to combat consumerism, promote environmentalism and save the planet.
Your name in lights! (Well, not lights, but still.)
Did you know you can make your own virtual billboards, courtesy of FFRF? And it’s free! You can personalize it with your own image and your own freethought saying. Choose from one of three templates: being a secular voter, being an “unabashed” nontheist, and one letting you create your own slogan. It’s fun and super easy! Give it try today and even use them as your banner graphic on Facebook and Twitter.
Thanks for being a member of FFRF and we hope you have a wonderful weekend!
