A day after the election, two contradictory truths are emerging: While Trump and his Christian nationalist allies won control of the White House and Senate, most Americans simultaneously reaffirmed their support for the separation of religion and government.
Voters in Nebraska and Kentucky soundly rejected the use of public dollars for religious schools, meaning school privatization measures like vouchers and charters have still never won at the ballot box. And in seven of the ten states where abortion was on the ballot, voters approved initiatives to protect or expand access.
The success of these and other ballot measures — from the legalization of marijuana to increasing benefits for workers — begs what is perhaps the question of the century: Why, then, did Americans shift so significantly rightward in their candidate selections, electing politicians who openly oppose these policies?
I expect hindsight will reveal the true impact of disinformation campaigns and culture war propaganda, but hindsight comes too late. We are, today, forced to confront the reality that the incoming administration considers itself at war with our secular community and the values that unite us. But it’s those values that will guide us through what’s to come.
On Saturday, I promised you American Atheists will be here to fight back against the rising tide of religious dominionism. I meant it. We’ve been around for 61 years, and we’re going to do everything in our power to stay here through the next four and well beyond.
Doing so will not, by any measure, be easy. But I can assure you we’re not going to make it easy for the religious extremists either.
The very first organizational value we identified in our recent strategic planning process was boldness. We promised to be “fearless and unrelenting in our advocacy efforts to confront barriers to civil rights of atheists, never wavering in our commitment to effect real change.”
That promise weighs heavily on us today. For women, for LGBTQ people, for immigrants, for nonreligious and religious minorities, this is a scary and incredibly sad time. It is understandable to fear what this all means for ourselves, for our loved ones, and for the future of our democracy.
But remember, too, that authoritarian regimes are fueled by those feelings of fear, despair, and isolation. In the coming days and weeks — and looking forward to 2025 and beyond — our work must continue together.
As always: In solidarity,
Nick Fish
President
PS: Read our full statement on the election results, and register to attend our virtual town hall on Tuesday, November 12th. Our staff will do a deep dive on the election results, discuss the challenges and plans ahead, and answer your questions about the work to come.
American Atheists is a 501(c)(3) non-partisan, nonprofit educational organization that relies on the support of members like you. Contributions are tax-deductible. Our Federal Tax ID Number is 74-2466507 and our Combined Federal Campaign number is 52217.
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