Godless Americans March a Success!

by Katherine Bourdonnay

The following article is from the Secular Humanist Bulletin, Volume 18, Number 4.

The numbers were more than most had expected (click here for pictures). The Washington Post estimated somewhere between two and three thousand attended the November 2 event.  And they came from all over the nation—from Florida, Nevada, California, Oregon, Missouri, New York, New Jersey, and Illinois. The Bible Belt was especially well represented, with folks from Alabama, Texas, Tennessee,  North and South Carolina, Virginia, and Utah.

They held signs that read “Reason is not Treason” and “There was a time when religion ruled. It was known as the Dark Ages.” The Council for Secular Humanism’s sign, “Secular Humanists for a Secular America,” was carried by many in the crowd and showed up frequently as C-Span’s camera projected pictures on the Jumbotron screen.

Ed Buckner, executive director of the Council, was invited to carry the lead banner of the march, and his picture along with Council Board Member Eddie Tabash and CFI–West Executive Director Jim Underdown appeared in the Washington Post. Jan Eisler, chair of CFI–Florida, Toni Van Pelt, executive director of CFI Florida, and CFI–Metro New York’s Barry Seidman carried the Council’s banner. Council supporters like Bob Worth of New York City were delighted to march with our contingent, organized by DJ Grothe, field director of the Council.

Norm Allen, executive director of African Americans for Humanism, was a featured speaker at the rally, as were Ed Buckner and Eddie Tabash. Council Communications Director Katherine Bourdonnay participated in the press conference the day before the march and shepherded around a crew from Chilean TV, who also interviewed Tom Flynn, editor of Free Inquiry.

One of the highpoints of the rally was when Military Atheists, Agnostics, & Freethinkers founder Sgt. Kathleen Taylor asked all active duty personnel, veterans, and others associated with the armed forces to come on the stage.  There were so many that the overflow had to gather in front of the stage. So much for there being no atheists in foxholes. As the crowd was cheering this moment, an elderly woman made her way to the front of the stage and shouted,  “There are no chaplains in foxholes!”

Katherine Bourdonnay is communications director for the Council.