More than 70 nations around the world still have blasphemy laws that endanger the lives of those who do not conform to the state’s official religion or worldview. Christians, Muslims, Hindus, nontheists and other religious minorities are all at risk. These laws have dire consequences; conviction can mean life in prison or a death sentence.

Joint efforts to move the needle have been working. Recently, countries such as Greece, Ireland, and Canada have repealed their blasphemy laws and more are considering bringing these draconian laws to an end. But we won’t win this fight without you. Can you take a moment right now to ask your Representative to co-sponsor H.Res.512?

In today’s divided political climate, Republicans and Democrats have come together to say that this issue is too important for politics. That’s because the issue of religious freedom, which includes the right to believe any faith or none at all, is something that all Americans can support. Will you join us in supporting international religious freedom by asking your Representative to co-sponsor this resolution?

Take Action Now!

The post Action Alert: Support the Repeal of International Blasphemy Laws appeared first on American Humanist Association.

America is currently experiencing a public health crisis, as many Americans are unvaccinated or not fully up to date with their vaccines. As a result, we have seen outbreaks of diseases like measles which had previously been eradicated.

Thankfully, Oregon is looking to do something about this problem. House Bill 3063 was recently introduced and passed the Oregon House of Representatives, and now awaits consideration by the Oregon Senate. This bill would remove the ability for parents to decline required immunizations against diseases on behalf of their child for reasons other than medical considerations. Essentially, if this bill becomes law, all religious and philosophical exemptions from vaccine requirements would be removed, and only medical exemptions would remain.

Can you take a moment right now to ask your State Senator to support this important bill?

As humanists, we have a responsibility to support sound medical and scientific practices which benefits the public’s health, which is why this bill is so important. Ask your State Senator to support vaccinations for all today!

Thank you for helping keep our children safe from preventable illnesses.

Sincerely,

Roy Speckhardt

Executive Director

The post Oregon Humanists: Support Vaccinations for All! appeared first on American Humanist Association.

For the fifth consecutive year, the American Humanist Association has worked with our allies in Congress to reintroduce the National Day of Reason resolution! This resolution, H. Res. 344, was just reintroduced by Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) and officially recognizes the National Day of Reason. The resolution also seeks to keep religion and government separate by ensuring that reason is the basis for public policy.

The National Day of Reason serves as an alternative to the National Day of Prayer, during which government officials at the federal, state, and local level ask their constituents to join them in sectarian prayer. Not only do government officials use the National Day of Prayer to participate in an egregious violation of the separation between church and state, but they also alienate millions of humanists like you and me and others who look to reason—not prayer—to solve problems.

Let your Representative know that you support the National Day of Reason resolution and want them to co-sponsor the bill!

The National Day of Reason—a concept all Americans can support—was created as an alternative to the National Day of Prayer to raise awareness of unconstitutional religious intrusion in government. That’s why this resolution encourages Americans to use “reason, critical thought, the scientific method, and free inquiry to the resolution of human problems.”

Can you take just a moment to support this important resolution by contacting your Representative in support of the National Day of Reason?

Thank you for standing up for reason!

Sincerely,

Roy Speckhardt
Executive Director

The post Action Alert: Support the National Day of Reason Resolution! appeared first on American Humanist Association.

The American Humanist Association is determined to fight against the Trump Administration’s discriminatory Muslim Ban, the policy which bans entry to immigrants and visitors from several Muslim majority countries. That’s why earlier this year we helped introduce the Freedom of Religion Act, which seeks to prohibit religiously motivated discrimination in our immigration system.

Our allies in Congress have just introduced another bill, the NO BAN Act, of which the AHA is an official endorser. The bill changes existing immigration policies by outlawing discrimination against immigrants and visitors based on religion. The NO BAN Act also repeals the asylum ban put in place by the Trump Administration which is currently causing untold suffering at the United States/Mexico border.

Contact your Representative today and ask them to end religious discrimination in our immigration system by supporting the NO BAN Act!

As humanists, we recognize that religiously motivated discrimination is fundamentally un-American and a threat to all of our civil rights. That’s why I’m asking you to urge your Representative to co-sponsor and support the NO BAN Act!

Thank you for standing up for religious freedom.

Sincerely,

Roy Speckhardt
Executive Director

The post Action Alert: Support the NO BAN Act appeared first on American Humanist Association.

This week, the Equality Act was reintroduced in both the U.S. House and Senate. This legislation is extremely important, as it seeks to prevent discrimination in employment and housing on the basis of  sexual orientation and gender identity. That means that if the Equality Act passes, Americans couldn’t be fired or denied housing because they are gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender.

Can you take a moment right now to call your Representative and Senators and ask them to co-sponsor the Equality Act?

America made great strides a few years ago when we finally achieved marriage equality, but too many LGBTQ Americans are still discriminated against because of outdated and incomplete federal anti-discrimination laws. Urge your Representative and Senators to end LGBTQ discrimination!

Thank you for standing up for equality.

Sincerely,

Roy Speckhardt

Executive Director

The post Action Alert: End LGBTQ Discrimination! appeared first on American Humanist Association.

Right now, thousands of American children are at risk of getting sick and dying because they remain unvaccinated. Thankfully, states like New Jersey are working to remove some of the exemptions which prevent kids from getting the medical treatment they need.

A bill in the New Jersey state legislature, A-3818, would remove the religious exemption as a reason parents can refrain from having their children vaccinated. This is a HUGE step forward for New Jersey that could save not only the lives of countless children, but the adults they interact with on a daily basis.

Can you take a moment right now to ask your state Senator and Assemblyperson to support this important bill?

As humanists, we recognize that this is our only life to live. That’s why supporting medical technology that can lengthen and improve our lives is so important. Stand up for children’s healthcare by contacting your state officials today!

Thank you for helping make sure that our children have access to the best healthcare possible.

Sincerely,

Roy Speckhardt

Executive Director

The post New Jersey Humanists: Support Childhood Vaccinations! appeared first on American Humanist Association.

Now more than ever, governmental support for scientific research is under threat. Thankfully, the Darwin Day resolutions, H. Res. 123 and S. Res. 63, have been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate for the seventh time since 2011 due to the hard work of the AHA’s lobbying team. We are proud to work again with Representative Jim Himes (D-CT) and Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) to introduce the resolutions, which:

• State that evolution “provides humanity with a logical and intellectually compelling explanation for the diversity of life on Earth”
• Demand that the “advancement of science be protected from those unconcerned with the adverse impacts of global warming and climate change”
• Confirm that the “teaching of creationism in some public schools compromises the scientific and academic integrity of the United States’ education systems”

These resolutions will only pass Congress if we have your help. Can you take a moment right now to ask your Representative and Senators to co-sponsor these important resolutions?

Congress has an opportunity to stand up for science and scientific research, but without your voice they could miss their chance. Take a moment right now to ask that Congress pass the Darwin Day resolutions.

Thank you for standing up for science.

Sincerely,

Roy Speckhardt

Executive Director

The post Action Alert: Support the Darwin Day Resolutions! appeared first on American Humanist Association.

Conservatives in Congress just reintroduced the deceptively-named Free Speech Fairness Act, which would greatly weaken the Johnson Amendment. The Johnson Amendment is the federal law which prohibits houses of worship and other organizations which receive tax-deductible donations from participating in elections.

If the Johnson Amendment is weakened churches would flood our electoral process with dark money and make elections even less transparent than they are now. And while we have been able to defeat previous attempts to either repeal or weaken the Johnson Amendment, we need your help right now to make sure that the Johnson Amendment isn’t destroyed.

Contact your Representative and Senators and tell them to oppose the Free Speech Fairness Act!

The Religious Right is hoping that Americans won’t take notice and stand up to their attempts to sneakily harm the Johnson Amendment, but I know that humanists are determined to protect the separation of church and state and a transparent elections process. Tell Congress to reject this bad bill and support the Johnson Amendment!

Thank you for protecting our elections and the separation between church and state.

Sincerely,

Roy Speckhardt

Executive Director

The post Oppose the Free Speech Fairness Act appeared first on American Humanist Association.

Religious conservatives in Congress just won’t quit trying to destroy the Johnson Amendment. The Johnson Amendment is the provision in federal tax law which prohibits houses of worship and other charitable organizations which receive tax-deductible donations from participating in campaign politics and elections.

We’ve already contacted you several times this year to let you know about bad bills which sought to destroy the amendment, and with your advocacy efforts we were able to defeat each of these bills. But now religious conservatives are trying to destroy the Johnson Amendment one final time before this session of Congress ends.

H.R. 88, the tax reform package scheduled to be debated by the House this week, would severely weaken the Johnson Amendment. In particular, Section 407 of the proposed Retirement, Savings, and Other Tax Relief Act of 2018 would allow for churches to participate in campaign politics while maintaining a preferential tax status.

Contact your Representative and tell them to oppose H.R. 88 and Section 407!

As humanists, we need to stand up and fight to protect the separation of church and state. Tell your Representative to support the Johnson Amendment and oppose this bad bill!

Thank you for standing up for secularism.

Sincerely,
Roy Speckhardt
Executive Director

The post Action Alert: Save the Johnson Amendment! appeared first on American Humanist Association.

Great news! The American Humanist Association has worked with Senators James Lankford (R-OK) and Chris Coons (D-DE) to introduce a resolution which calls for the repeal of blasphemy laws worldwide. This resolution, S. Res. 647 encourages the President and the State Department to make the worldwide repeal of these laws a priority, while also opposing any attempts at the United Nations to support blasphemy laws.

In many countries, Christians, Jews, Muslims, Hindus, nontheists, and other religious minorities are imprisoned, tortured, sentenced to death, and executed for blasphemy offenses. This resolution urges countries that still maintain such laws to repeal them and free the prisoners who were imprisoned for “blaspheming”.

Now that this resolution has been introduced, we need your help to ensure that it gets enough co-sponsors to pass Congress and be sent to the President’s desk. Can you take a moment right now to ask your Senators to co-sponsor S. Res. 647?

In today’s bitterly divided political climate, it’s important to note that both Republicans and Democrats are supporting this legislation. That’s because the issue of religious freedom, which includes the right not to practice any particular faith or maintain a belief in a deity, is something that all Americans can support. Will you join us in supporting international religious freedom by asking your Senators to co-sponsor this resolution?

Thank you for standing up for religious freedom.

Sincerely,

Roy Speckhardt
Executive Director

The post Resolution Introduced Opposing Blasphemy Laws appeared first on American Humanist Association.