I support their right to place their religious monument to their faith bwa, ha, ha, ha, ha,
http://www.gopusa.com/news/2013/07/01/atheists-unveil-monument-and-plans-for-more/?subscriber=1
And for the record, the (words separation of church and state) appear nowhere in the constitution, period.
Atheists unveil monument and plans for more
By Florida Times-Union (Jacksonville, FL) July 1, 2013 6:55 am
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They are calling it a monument to a secular nation, and it now sits next to the Ten Commandments on the Bradford County Courthouse square.
It's a bench engraved with quotations from America's founding fathers, a prominent atheist and the penalties for violating each of the biblical commandments that are displayed a few feet away.
Hundreds gathered in light rain on the courthouse square in Starke Saturday for the dedication. American Atheists, the organization that led the effort, said it's the first atheist monument on public property in the United States -- and it will be the first of many.
President David Silverman said they intend to start placing monuments next to every public religious display in America, and they've secured anonymous funding to build and place up to 50.
Silverman encouraged those in attendance in Starke to let the organization know if there's a public display in their community.
"American Atheists will work with them to ensure truth is placed next to the lies, civility next to barbarism," he said.
The monument is the result of a settlement in the federal lawsuit filed against Bradford County by American Atheists along with Starke resident Daniel Cooney. The Community Men's Fellowship was allowed to put its Ten Commandments monument on the square last year, and the group sued to have it removed. Instead, it agreed the square was a free speech zone, and the atheist group was also entitled to post its own self-funded monument.
A group of about a dozen people held "Honk for Jesus" signs across the street and blasted gospel music from a pickup truck. A secessionist group, Florida League of the South, also waved Confederate flags and posted signs proclaiming America a Christian nation. But there was no organized protest from the men's group, and a county commissioner opened the ceremony praising freedom of speech and the free speech zone. He encouraged the crowd to search both monuments, and determine their true meaning.
"This is what makes America the greatest nation on earth," Bradford County Commissioner Danny Riddick said.
EllenBeth Wachs, the founder of Atheists and Humanists of Florida, told the crowd she was the plaintiff on a lawsuit in Lakeland fighting Christian prayer at commission meetings, and what was important then is the same thing that's important in Starke: being heard.
"One look at this historic bench, and atheists will never again be ignored in this public square," she said.
Ro Reddick said she drove over from Jacksonville because she believes the unveiling was a watershed event: atheists standing proud in their fight for the separation of church and state.
"It's a heralding event that allows atheists to come out," she said. "We don't have to be in the closet."
http://www.gopusa.com/news/2013/07/01/atheists-unveil-monument-and-plans-for-more/?subscriber=1
And for the record, the (words separation of church and state) appear nowhere in the constitution, period.
Atheists unveil monument and plans for more
By Florida Times-Union (Jacksonville, FL) July 1, 2013 6:55 am
Print Tell a Friend
Text Size: A A A
They are calling it a monument to a secular nation, and it now sits next to the Ten Commandments on the Bradford County Courthouse square.
It's a bench engraved with quotations from America's founding fathers, a prominent atheist and the penalties for violating each of the biblical commandments that are displayed a few feet away.
Hundreds gathered in light rain on the courthouse square in Starke Saturday for the dedication. American Atheists, the organization that led the effort, said it's the first atheist monument on public property in the United States -- and it will be the first of many.
President David Silverman said they intend to start placing monuments next to every public religious display in America, and they've secured anonymous funding to build and place up to 50.
Silverman encouraged those in attendance in Starke to let the organization know if there's a public display in their community.
"American Atheists will work with them to ensure truth is placed next to the lies, civility next to barbarism," he said.
The monument is the result of a settlement in the federal lawsuit filed against Bradford County by American Atheists along with Starke resident Daniel Cooney. The Community Men's Fellowship was allowed to put its Ten Commandments monument on the square last year, and the group sued to have it removed. Instead, it agreed the square was a free speech zone, and the atheist group was also entitled to post its own self-funded monument.
A group of about a dozen people held "Honk for Jesus" signs across the street and blasted gospel music from a pickup truck. A secessionist group, Florida League of the South, also waved Confederate flags and posted signs proclaiming America a Christian nation. But there was no organized protest from the men's group, and a county commissioner opened the ceremony praising freedom of speech and the free speech zone. He encouraged the crowd to search both monuments, and determine their true meaning.
"This is what makes America the greatest nation on earth," Bradford County Commissioner Danny Riddick said.
EllenBeth Wachs, the founder of Atheists and Humanists of Florida, told the crowd she was the plaintiff on a lawsuit in Lakeland fighting Christian prayer at commission meetings, and what was important then is the same thing that's important in Starke: being heard.
"One look at this historic bench, and atheists will never again be ignored in this public square," she said.
Ro Reddick said she drove over from Jacksonville because she believes the unveiling was a watershed event: atheists standing proud in their fight for the separation of church and state.
"It's a heralding event that allows atheists to come out," she said. "We don't have to be in the closet."
