Tag: FFRF

Atheist Group Continues Saber-Rattling in Arkansas

The Wisconsin-based Freedom From Religion Foundation is at it again in Arkansas–this time threatening legal action over prayer at a public high school football game in Ashdown.

KTBS writes,

The “Freedom from Religion Foundation” of Madison, Wisconsin, wrote to Ashdown School District Superintendent Jason Sanders recently, with complaints about the high school band director leading students in prayer, as well as, school-sponsored prayer at the football games.

Sanders consulted the “Alliance for Defending Freedom” for advice on the situation.

He says they haven’t broken any laws.

“We feel like that the freedom of our students to express themselves will hold up in a court of law,” said Sanders.

This isn’t the first time atheist groups have tried to use the threat of legal action to intimidate public officials and others.

• Last summer the Freedom From Religion Foundation announced it was seeking to place an anti-religion monument on the Arkansas Capitol grounds.
• The group also threatened legal action against Arkansas law enforcement who put “In God We Trust” on their police cruisers.
• Last year the group used the threat of legal action to block ASU football players from wearing crosses in honor of deceased teammates.
• Before that, the Freedom From Religion Foundation threatened legal action against a pizza parlor in Searcy giving discounts to people who brought a church bulletin into the restaurant.
• In 2013 the group threatened legal action against Conway public schools who were permitting local youth ministers to meet with members of their youth groups during lunch at school.

It’s worth noting that across the board, groups like the Freedom From Religion Foundation tend to threaten lawsuits; oftentimes, if people stand their ground, no lawsuit is ever actually filed.

Photo Credit: “Gameday2” by Rmcclen at en.wikipedia – Transferred from en.wikipedia by Ronhjones. Licensed under Public domain via Wikimedia Commons.

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Atheist Group Wants “No Gods” Monument on Arkansas Capitol Grounds

According to various news sources, the Freedom From Religion Foundation based in Wisconsin is seeking to place a monument on the Arkansas Capitol grounds that would read at least in part,

“There are no gods, no devils, no angels, no Heaven or Hell. There is only our natural world. Religion is but myth and superstition that hardens hearts and enslaves minds. Freedom depends on freethinkers. Keep state and church separate.”

If the wording of the proposed monument sounds familiar, that’s because it is very similar to a sign the group tried to force a city in Michigan to display in 2012.

At that time, the group was trying to combat Christmas decorations the City of Warren had displayed. The proposed sign read,

“At this season of THE WINTER SOLSTICE may reason prevail. There are no gods, no devils, no angels, no heaven or hell. There is only our natural world, Religion is but Myth and superstition that hardens hearts And enslaves minds.”

The sign was rejected by local officials who found it inconsistent with the Christmas decorations the city displayed. The group sued the city, but lost when the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled there was no need to place an anti-religion sign alongside a Nativity scene and other Christmas decorations.

This latest move by the Freedom From Religion Foundation appears to be an attempt to counter the proposed Ten Commandments Monument the Arkansas Legislature authorized for display on the State Capitol grounds earlier this year. If the Sixth Circuit court ruling is any indicator, however, it seems unlikely the State of Arkansas can be forced to put up an anti-religion display without legislative approval.

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Atheist Group Threatens to Sue Over National Motto on Police Vehicles

“In God We Trust” has been the official motto of the United States of America for almost 60 years. It has appeared on many coins minted by the U.S. government since 1864.

However, the Freedom From Religion Foundation, based in Wisconsin, has threatened to sue law enforcement agencies in Arkansas if they do not remove the phrase “In God We Trust” from their police cruisers.

The Associated Press writes,

The organization sent letters to the Cave City Police Department and the Hempstead County sheriff’s office after both placed the saying on their patrol vehicles. The foundation’s co-president says she intends to sue if the phrase isn’t removed, but didn’t give further details.

The Cave City mayor says he has seen the letter but has yet to make a decision on whether to strip the message from the city’s police cars. The Hempstead County sheriff he says he won’t remove the logo despite the foundation’s letter.

“In God We Trust” was adopted as the official motto of the United States in 1956, but its history dates all the way back to the American Civil War. Then Secretary of the Treasury Salmon P. Chase urged the U.S. mint in Philadelphia to begin minting coins with a motto honoring God, saying, (more…)

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