Secular Elation

Funny - the date for the march is November 2...the day before my birthday!

Daydreamer

Same problem here - I'm (going to be) a sophmore in a west coast college in November, so I'm going to be unable to attend.

shinobi909

I live in Australia, and I want to say I wish you all the best on your march, I know that America is a fundamentalist country and I commend the courage of America's Atheists to come out and show your strength. As a political activist, I see the march as a step forward for the American atheist movement, because of the discrimination of atheists in american society. And I hope you all make new contacts, networks and friends.

The Resistance

I'll make every effort to go. However, I currently don't see how I'd make it. I'm unemployeed and living with my parents. However, the march is still five months away and who know what my situation will be then.

On the other hand, this should be a major event in our history and I think everyone (including myself) should make every effort to go. I WILL go if it is at all possible.

HumanisTim

Me and what will then be my brother in law are hoping to make it. He really wants to go. WHen it comes up I'll have to see if time allows it. I'm hoping it does. Anyway we could possibly plan an II meeting area. So a bunch of us could meet in person.

braces_for_impact

Money and time willing, I'll be there. I've never been to the nation's capitol, and I've always wanted to go. I'm making plans now to save for the trip. If we can really get a LOT of people to show up, I think it would send a powerful message. My only hope is that those that speak at the function do not come off as loud mouthed or intolerant, but instead stand for anti-bogotry and fighting for one's rights. This could be a great opportunity to help rid ourselves of the 'loud mouthed god hater' stereotype that has plagued us for so long. To see common, responsible, respectable everyday people marching together with a common cause in support of a secular founded nation would really be excellent. I have a feeling however that certain theistic groups will be there in an attempt to rattle and shed a bad light on us. So I would spread the word of caution here as well.

Secular Elation

I completely understand, brace_for_impact. The event should be positive, and the speakers should present positive, non-inflamatory speeches.

However, the event is being run by American Atheists, which IMO is a divisive and inflammatory organization. They're a bunch of Murray O'Haire clones (loud mouthed god haters, as you wrote). If I had it my way, the event woudl be run by secular humanist organizations.

Toto

The event is sponsored by American Atheists, who have not asked for support from other atheist groups, much less the secular non-commital humanists.

I don't think that atheists have figured out how to get positive publicity. The current president of American Atheists, Ellen Johnson, is very different stylistically from Madalyn Murray O'Hare, but the media will probably look for a way to portray this as a gathering of weird, strident, unpleasant, "loud mouth intolerant god-haters" who are trying to take people's faith away from them (and all that nonsense.)

pug846

I'm going to try and be there. If anyone wants to drive from Austin, let me know!

funydirector

America IS a nation under fundamentalist control, but so many Americans have so little contact with rational discourse that they can't see just how backward our policies really are. Most American citizens really aren't that religious (only 20% actually attend church on a given weekend, for example) Yet Americans, by apathy more than anything else, allow well organized religious zealots to control public policy time and time again.

Well, hopefully George W. won't have declared martial law by that time. Yes, I do hope that this event becomes a watershed event in American politics. It's time for people of reason to become visible.