For Immediate Release Contact: Sarah Henry, (202) 238-9088, shenry@americanhumanist.org (Washington, D.C., February 27, 2019) – American Humanist Association Senior Counsel Monica Miller has concluded oral arguments in defense of the First Amendment before the Supreme Court of the United States. Miller argued that the 40-foot-tall Christian cross in the center of a busy intersection in Bladensburg, MD is in violation of the Establishment Clause. "Today I argued what should be obvious by now: that a colossal Latin cross dedicated by the government as a war memorial for 'all veterans' does nothing of the sort," said Miller. "Rather, the government's Christian cross war memorial honors Christia

This post originally appeared on TheHumanist.com. As I read pundits commenting on the Bladensburg cross lawsuit (Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission v. American Humanist Association, which will be argued before the Supreme Court tomorrow) I sometimes wonder if we’re looking at the same cross. For many, there’s no question that the high court will reverse the appeals court ruling which found that the massive Latin cross is unconstitutional. Writing for Reuters, Lawrence Hurley echoed many others in saying “most Supreme Court experts predict that the challenge to the Peace Cross will fail.” Strangely, these commentators overlook longstanding precedent that has almost always

For Immediate Release Contact: Sarah Henry, (202) 238-9088, shenry@americanhumanist.org (Washington D.C., February 15, 2019) – After pressure from humanist and other secular and religious groups, Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha has withdrawn the state’s support for the Christian cross currently towering over Bladensburg, MD. Steve Ahlquist, founding member and past President of the Humanists of Rhode Island, says, “When Roger Williams founded our state, he had the foresight to write into our charter the twin concepts of freedom of conscience and church/state separation. These ideas were later fully embraced by the founders of this country and written into the United States Consti

For Immediate Release Contact: Sarah Henry, (202) 238-9088, shenry@americanhumanist.org (Washington D.C., February 14, 2019) – Attorneys at the American Humanist Association (AHA) sent a letter to Elkin City Schools’ Superintendent Dr. Myra Cox, warning the school district about their unconstitutional fundraising efforts on behalf of a local Christian ministry. Elkin City Schools’ social media broadcast teachers’ and students’ fundraising for Stone’s Throw Christian Ministries, a self-proclaimed religious organization that “works to provide goods and services to other agencies and ministries allowing them to show the love of Jesus Christ.” “A religious organization being funded by the activi

For Immediate Release Contact: Sarah Henry, (202) 238-9088, shenry@americanhumanist.org David Niose, (202) 238-9088, dniose@americanhumanist.org (Washington D.C., February 7, 2019) – Attorneys at the American Humanist Association (AHA) sent a warning letter to Dr. Jerry Sanders, superintendent of the Richland-Bean Blossom Community School Corporation in response to his promotion of Christian ideology. Sanders sent a letter on school district letterhead describing his religious beliefs, quoting scripture, and requesting that local clergy pray for him and the school district. “A school superintendent, acting in his official capacity, writing on school letterhead, should not be promoting his pe

This post originally appeared on TheHumanist.com. 1. Myth: The Bladensburg cross was originally placed on private property. Fact: The cross was built on the Town of Bladensburg’s land with the approval and involvement of the town’s commissioners in 1919. The Town of Bladensburg gave American Legion Post 3 the “care” of the land and the cross after it was erected (but left unfinished in 1922). The town made clear that the land and the cross would revert back to Bladensburg if Post 3 disbanded. 2. Myth: The government only owns the land for traffic and safety reasons. Fact: The Town of Bladensburg deliberately chose to showcase the cross by approving its erection on prominent town-owned proper