Last month, I had the honor of representing you, the members of American Atheists, at the World Humanist Congress in Copenhagen, in front of hundreds of international attendees.
I spoke about the terrifying rise of white Christian nationalism in the United States, how it affects policy and culture, and how these movements spread their tentacles around the world.
The audience already had a good grasp of the developments here in the United States, but I gave more context to their information and detailed the myriad ways we are fighting back.
They say timing is everything. As if to make my point, while I was in Copenhagen, the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee (Rep. Mike McCaul) leaked sensitive government data around a program designed to help persecuted nonbelievers in countries like Sri Lanka and Nepal.
Hemant Mehta wrote a poignant piece about this, explaining how pernicious this move is: “Republican leaders are literally putting atheists’ lives in danger, perhaps in a desperate attempt to excite their base over culture war issues.”
Friends, we cannot take our foot off the gas for one second. White Christian nationalists and their allies are determined to undermine the progress we have made as a society based on secular and humanistic ideals. They are not some haphazard group of bumbling fools who can’t shoot straight; they are an organized, extremely well funded, and politically savvy force that will not rest until atheists are stripped of our civil rights.
My discussions with humanists from around the world strengthened my resolve to fight back hard. And I hope you will be by our side as we tackle issues at the state levels (where some of the most extreme policies are being enacted), at the federal level, and in the courts. This is where your investment in our work pays the most dividends. The days of arguing against the existence of a god are over; that’s settled. We have more practical challenges to take on.
The single most impactful support you can give us is a monthly donation. It’s easy, and even small monthly gifts add up over time. It’s automated, so there’s little overhead spent on processing your support, and we save on mailing you reminders to renew your giving. Simply head over to our donation page and set up your monthly gift now. You’ll be glad you did.
Together, we can fight back against the anti-democratic extremists who want to force their will on all of us. Backing down is not an option.
Sincerely,
Nick Fish
President
P.S.: In case you are wondering; unlike the Christian Nationalist movement, no, we don’t have eager billionaires knocking on our door to support our work. We need you, and frankly, we prefer it that way. Thank you.
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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