Two things happened this week that are of great interest to American Atheists. It’s possible one or both could have flown under your radar. Because they’re important — and impactful — I want to make sure you’re in the loop:
First, on Wednesday, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit ruled Louisiana’s plan to post the Ten Commandments in every public classroom must remain on hold in accordance with an earlier order by U.S. District Judge John deGravelles. Earlier this month, Judge deGravelles determined the Louisiana law was “overtly religious” and “unconstitutional on its face.”
While these recent decisions are positive news for those of us who believe public schools should remain nonsectarian, there are caveats. American Atheists and other watchdogs have long had concerns the Louisiana case may ultimately end up before the U.S. Supreme Court, where the justices could establish a new, dangerous precedent by reinterpreting the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. If they did, they would have the support of President-elect Trump, who’s said religious displays in public schools would be the “first major step in the revival of religion, which is desperately needed in our country.”
Our Legal Team has been working on an amicus brief we intend to file in support of the plaintiffs and our nation’s long history of keeping classrooms safe learning environments for all students — no matter their religion or lack thereof. The stakes have truly never been higher or more precarious for litigation like this. In its current state, I no longer trust the judiciary will save us, but we won’t let our constitutional rights be stripped away without a helluva fight.
There’s another major fight happening that we’re going to need your help with. On Thursday, the U.S. House passed HR 9495, a bill that “would empower the Treasury Secretary to unilaterally designate any nonprofit as a ‘terrorist supporting organization’ and revoke its tax-exempt status, effectively killing the group.”
Our team at American Atheists sounded the alarm about this proposal very early on, and in September, we joined nearly 300 other organizations in opposing this legislation.
Supporters of the “nonprofit killer bill” have openly touted it as a tool to suppress pro-Palestinian groups and protesters. We critics (and even some proponents) worry the terrorist designations could be arbitrarily wielded against any organization that is not aligned with the administration’s agenda — from advocacy groups like ours to independent media outlets and humanitarian aid providers. As written, HR 9495 offers little recourse or due process to accused nonprofits, especially as the treasury is not even required to provide explanation or evidence.
A huge surge in public outcry, including from members of American Atheists, over the last two weeks helped change the votes of at least 40 representatives. Unfortunately, it wasn’t quite enough, and the bill will advance to the Senate. It’s unclear whether they’ll vote on it during the lame-duck, but you can rest assured American Atheists will strongly oppose this legislation and any other attempts to give the incoming administration unchecked power.
As President-elect Trump announces more and more picks for his administration who had a hand in writing the extreme Project 2025 agenda, we know they will be openly hostile towards groups like ours. For politicians who have no issue calling secular Americans “the enemy within,” “domestic terrorist” isn’t too far a stretch. But I want to be clear that no presidential administration should have the power to weaponize its government against its critics. Even the threat of investigations and McCarthyesque hearings would have a chilling effect on speech as well as membership and giving.
As one member of Congress said this week, “The road to fascism is paved with a million little votes that slowly erode our democracy and make it easier to go after anyone who disagrees with the government.”
American Atheists is proud to continue our longstanding tradition of being a formidable roadblock to those who would strip away our constitutional rights — whether it’s religious displays or curriculum in our publicly funded schools or attempts to stifle dissent. If you value what we’re doing, please consider making a one-time donation today of $50, $100, or more to support our work in 2025 and beyond.
In solidarity,
Nick Fish
President
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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