Secular Coalition of America: American Ethical Union to Vote on Joining Secular Coalition for America
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 17, 2008
10:17 AM
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CONTACT: Secular Coalition of America
Anne Singer, 202-271-4679
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American Ethical Union to Vote on Joining Secular Coalition for America
April 20th Vote Comes at End of Ethical Union’s Annual Meeting in Austin, TX
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WASHINGTON, DC - April 17 - On Sunday, April 20, 2008, the American Ethical Union
(AEU) will vote on whether to become the ninth member organization of the
Secular Coalition for America (SCA). The AEU is the umbrella organization
for ethical culture societies across the United States and SCA is a
lobbying organization which protects and advances the rights of
nontheistic Americans. Both groups believe that every individual has the
right to worship – or not worship – according to conscience, and that a
secular government provides the best protection for all Americans to
practice – or forego – religion and faith. The vote takes place on the
final day of AEU’s 93rd Annual Assembly, which runs from April 17-20 in
Austin, Texas.
The SCA’s dual mission of increasing the visibility and status of
nontheistic viewpoints in the U.S. and protecting the secular character of
government are goals that have been central to the ethical movement since
its founding in 1876. “By joining this coalition,” said Ron Solomon,
Treasurer of AEU and also Treasurer of SCA, “the American Ethical Union
would enhance the already impressive voice that the Secular Coalition for
America has developed in Washington. It would also enable the American
Ethical Union to be part of an important effort by nontheists of all
persuasions to help maintain the constitutionally prescribed separation of
church and state in America. There is a real need in the nontheistic
community for building bridges between our organizations.”
The AEU, should it vote to join, would become the fourth humanist group
within SCA, which also includes organizations representing nontheistic
students and members of the armed forces and atheists. According to Lori
Lipman Brown, Director of SCA, “the American Ethical Union would be a
wonderful and welcome addition to our coalition.” One of AEU’s chief
projects is helping parents work with children on alternative ways of
practicing religion that focus on ethics and moral decision making based
on the worth and dignity and possibilities of every single person. Said
Brown, “The American Ethical Union’s ethical life stance and its programs
to bring reason-based ethics to families and the public have certainly
enhanced our nation; the American Ethical Union would be an equally
powerful and positive force within our coalition.”
This year’s AEU Assembly also features presentation of the Elliot-Black
award. This award, named after two early leaders of the ethical movement,
John Lovejoy Elliott and Algernon D. Black, recognizes those who make a
significant ethical contribution to society at great personal risk or
hardship. This occasional award has been given in the past to Karen
Silkwood, Dr. Joycelyn Elders and the Committee to Protect Journalists,
among others. This year’s award will be given to New Jerseyans for
Alternatives to the Death Penalty and will be accepted by the group’s
Director, Celeste Fitzgerald.
The AEU Assembly will decide whether AEU will become an SCA member during
a morning meeting on Sunday, April 20, 2008. The Assembly is the
legislative, budgetary and policy-making authority of AEU and includes
delegates chosen by member societies, certified leaders, members of the
AEU Board of Directors and past presidents of AEU. If they do not achieve
a consensus, a formal vote will be called. Representatives from AEU and
SCA will be available for comment immediately following the conclusion of
Sunday’s business meeting, at approximately12:00 Noon, Central Time.
The purposes of the American Ethical Union (AEU) are to promote the
knowledge, the love and practice of right living in all the relations of
life; to join its members into a religious and educational fellowship in
an effort to advance the moral growth of humanity through study, social
action and spiritual consecration; to bring into close fellowship of
thought and action all existing ethical culture societies and such other
ethical societies, ethical humanist societies, and other organizations as
may be established and admitted to the AEU, and to facilitate the growth
of the ethical movement. Ethical societies neither affirm nor deny a
belief in God. Members are not committed to any theology or set of
metaphysics. Ethical societies are nontheistic, neutral and humanist in
emphasis. www.aeu.org
The mission of the Secular Coalition for America is to increase the
visibility and respectability of nontheistic viewpoints in the United
States and to protect and strengthen the secular character of our
government as the best guarantee of freedom for all. The Secular
Coalition for America was founded in 2002 as a 501(c)4 advocacy
organization whose purpose is to amplify the diverse and growing voice of
the nontheistic community in the United States. Located in Washington,
D.C., the staff lobbies the U.S. Congress on issues of special concern to
its constituency. www.secular.org
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