GaryP

..... demonstration Saturday in Montgomery regarding Judge Moore's 10C's monument.

Atheists will peaceably assemble on the north side of Dexter Avenue at Hull Street. This location is at Dexter Avenue across from the Alabama Judicial Building and at Hull Street across from the State Bar Association building. This location was selected because it is immediately adjacent to the permitted zone reserved by American Veterans in Domestic Defense (AVIDD) for a rally in support of Judge Roy Moore and his threatened refusal to comply with a Federal court order that he remove from the Judicial Building his "Holy Rock." The AVIDD - Vision America rally attendees will begin congregating at 9:00 a.m. at the Capitol. Moore supporters have predicted tens of thousands of Christians will swarm over Montgomery on that date. For that reason Dexter Avenue from the Capitol steps to Hull Street will be closed off for attendees of the AVIDD and Vision America rally.

http://www.atheists.org/al/pr08132003.html

Is this the right thing to do?

Personally, I wish I could get down there myself!

Rusting Car Bumper

What might be wrong about it would be limiting it to atheists.

American Atheists has a history of not working with theist groups even though they might have the same cause. What would be more effective would be a demonstration regardless of religious views. It would be nice to have atheists walking amongst Christians that are holding signs that say, "Christian for Church State separation" or the like.

DC

southernhybrid

While I would never discourage anyone from exercising their right of free speech, I don't think this should come across as an atheist issue. Although I'm only three hours from Mongomery, instead of planning to attend the AA rally, I just donated $50 to Americans United for the separation of church and state. If you were willing to spend money to make the trip to Montgomery and can't perhaps you might consider making a donation to the AU or the ACLU. They are the two of the organizations that financed the suit against Judge Moore. Organizations like that need money to carry out such actions. Your donations are tax deductible too, minus the value of the newsletter.

StrictSeparationist

Although a contribution to AU would apparently be tax deductible, the ACLU's website expressly states that donations aren't tax deductible. I don't know the exact distinction there, though I suppose it might have something to do with the ACLU's lobbying efforts, but that's just the way things are. Notwithstanding those facts, I would still encourage anyone who would like to to make a contribution to either or both of these worthy organizations.

tribalbeeyatch

I just wanted to add that it is possible to make a tax-deductible donation to the ACLU Foundation:

http://www.aclu.org/supportaclu/supp...list.cfm?c=202

The Foundation is the part of the ACLU that conducts litigation and communication efforts without doing any lobbying.

GaryP

Apparently Judge Morre has decided NOT to order the removal;


"I have no intention of removing the monument," Moore declared at a
news conference earlier today. "This I cannot and will not do." He
added that his attorneys will file a formal appeal to the U.S.
Supreme Court in hopes of blocking any effort to move the 2-1/2 ton
granite cenotaph.

Moore faced an August 20th deadline ordered by U.S. District Court
Judge Myron Thompson. Thompson ruled that the display violated the
constitution ban on promoting sectarian religion. He threatened fines
of up to $5,000 per day for noncompliance, but said that the
responsibility for moving the Decalogue monument rested with the
Alabama courts and state officials.

Moore fired back at today's press gathering, accusing Judge Thompson
of "callous disregard for the people of Alabama" and their tax
dollars.

That was from AANews From American Atheists.

You can see another short article about it here;

http://www.atheists.org/

southernhybrid

When I joined the ACLU, I got the impression that the fee to join was not tax deductable but additional contributions could be made which would be tax deductable. I'd have to check again to be sure. If a publication is included when you join a nonprofit, the value of the publication or other services provided is deducted from the part of your contribution when considering the tax deduction.

beejay

From the ACLU website:

ACLU website

Most (if not all) of the state ACLU organizations also maintain this difference, so I make tax-deductible donations to the ACLU Foundation and the ICLU Foundation.

If you don't itemize on your tax return, this doesn't affect you. But if you do, you might want to redirect your contributions to the foundations.

rudolk

Mr. Garrison: Where are you from, Damien?
Damien: The seventh layer of hell
Mr. Garrison: Oh, what a coincidence. My mother is from Alabama.