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From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Date: Thursday, March 18, 1999 6:28 PM
Subject: AANEWS for Thursday, March 18, 1999
from: AMERICAN ATHEISTS
subject: AANEWS for March 18, 1999
A M E R I C A N A T H E I S T S
AANEWS
#544 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 3/18/99
http://www.atheists.org
ftp.atheists.org/pub/atheists/
http://www.americanatheist.org
---------------------------------------------
A Service of AMERICAN ATHEISTS
"For Reason and the First Amendment"
----------------------------------------------
In This Issue...
* Catholics oppose Sister Boom Boom in S.F.
* Should Boom Boom get the Heave-ho? Let us know...
* Voucher update
* Former Vatican ambassador takes over Catholic Alliance
* American Atheists National Convention, April 2-4, 1999
* Religious artifacts canned from Tennessee classroom
* Atheist Viewpoint on the web!
* Resources
* About this list...
CATHOLIC CHURCH WANTS BAN ON SISTERS OF PERPETUAL
INDULGENCE EASTER ANNIVERSARY PARTY
Archdiocese In San Francisco Wants Celebration Permit Revoked
They're wild, outrageous and funny. They're camp. And Roman Catholic
officials consider them obscene, even blasphemous
Angry Catholics in San Francisco, encouraged by church leaders and
laity groups, are demanding that the Board of Supervisors withdraw a
permit to allow a group of street performers and gay drag queens who
dress in nuns' habits or other religious garb, to hold a festival on
Castro Street on April 4. At a hearing earlier this month, the
Supervisors unanimously voted to overturn an early decision made by
the municipal Traffic department to deny a street closure request for
the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence because of parking and traffic
concerns.
But last Friday, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese newspaper came out
with an editorial denouncing the Sisters, and comparing the
anniversary party to "neo-Nazis" celebrating on the Jewish holiday of
Passover. The April 4 weekend happens to be Easter, a major Christian
holy day which commemorates the alleged resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Maurice Healy, a spokesman for the San Francisco Roman Catholic
Archdiocese, denounced the decision to close a public street and
permit activities by a group that "mocks the Catholic Church." Healy
added that the Supervisor's vote to overturn the earlier ban "shows
extraordinary insensitivity to people of all faiths ... This group
has garnered a reputation for outrageous behavior by mocking religious
life, ridicule of Catholic institutions and profane references to
sacred liturgies."
In addition to wild street theatrics, the Sisters also conduct social
outreach programs for the poor, homeless and sick. The group's web
site (www.thesisters.org) includes a history of the organization, and
discusses its penchant for social protest as well. During a protest
of the Three Mile Island incident in March, 1980 for instance, the
Sisters performed their "Rosary in Time of Nuclear Peril." They later
staged a disco benefit on behalf of gay Cuban refugees, and have
distributed safe sex information throughout the area. A member of the
Order, Sister Boom Boom, ran under the "Nun of the Above" ticket in
one Supervisors election in San Francisco.
The group also was on hand when Pope John Paul II visited the area in
1987, and conducted a "full-on" exorcism in Union Square. Their
protest of the papal visit was specifically cited by Catholic
authorities in Friday's newspaper editorial.
San Francisco Archbishop William Levada has been out of town, and
according to the S.F. Examiner newspaper, is due back next Wednesday.
Diocese spokesman Healey said that a formal protest from the
Archbishop "may come." The group Catholics for Truth and Justice
distributed literature about the Castro Street closing at masses on
Sunday. The commentary charged that "only the Catholic Church could
be the target of such officially sanctioned ridicule, deliberately
scheduled so as to add insult to injury..."
In the meantime, Supervisors have been flooded with phone calls,
letters and faxes denouncing the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, and
demanding revocation of the permit. Some of the calls to city hall
called for a total ban on the Sisters' festivities, while others took
a middle-ground position. One woman sent e-mail to a Supervisors
declaring, "My friends, family and I are very opposed to the street
party on Easter Sunday. We respect all the diversity in the city and
request the street party date to be moved to another time." Another
caller, though, warned: "Somebody needs the backbone to stand up to
this because if the KKK were parading here, that would be stopped."
Still another person asked Supervisor Gavin Newsom, "Would the
supervisors let a group called 'The Niggers' perform in black face,
mocking the blacks in the Western Addition? Why this blatant
exception against Catholics?"
According to today's San Francisco Chronicle, it was Supervisor Amos
Brown, also a local Baptist pastor, who was receiving the most flak.
The paper noted that many of the calls were "from people who say a man
of God should never have supported a group that mocked the pope during
his 1987 visit." Brown reportedly received more than 100 phone calls
about the matter. The Chronicle added that Brown was specifically
mentioned in the Archdiocese newspaper article about the Sisters of
Perpetual Indulgence celebration; readers were urged to contact him
and urge that he change his position regarding the permit.
Supervisors appear to be defending their decision, however. Board
member Tom Ammiano who is gay and a Roman Catholic says, "Aside from
the First Amendment issues, I do support the nuns. "It's a free
speech issue -- that's what I mean about separation of church and
state..."
**
SHOULD BOOM B0OM AND THE SISTERS GET THE HEAVE-HO, OR
HOLD THEIR PARTY? AMERICAN ATHEIST MAGAZINE WANTS
TO KNOW...
The latest American Atheist Magazine poll starts this evening -- we
want to know what you think about the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence
celebration in San Francisco. Should they get their permit to party?
What about other groups that would want the same privileges? If the
Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence offend Roman Catholics, what about the
Ku Klux Klan? How far should government go in restricting or
accommodating groups which some segments of society find insulting,
blasphemous, hateful or obscene?
Respond to our ballot questions, and leave your comments for others to
read. Check out the latest American Atheist Magazine Poll which goes
on line later this evening (Thursday, March 18). Visit us at
http://www.americanatheist.org and sound off!
**
VOUCHER UPDATE: PROBLEMS WITH NEW MEXICO, PENNSYLVANIA
AID-TO-RELIGION SCHEMES
Efforts to enact voucher programs which would provide tax credits or
other monies for parents wishing to send their children to private or
religious schools have run into problems in New Mexico and
Pennsylvania.
Governor Tom Ridge of the Keystone State unveiled a lavish proposal
last week to provide "scholarships" and "supervouchers" in eight
school districts. Parents could receive between $2,300 to $4,000 to
put toward tuition at private, religious or even public schools.
Ridge had defended the program as part of an "academic recovery"
effort, but it was not clear how spending the funds would help the
public school system which educates the overwhelming majority of
youngsters in Pennsylvania.
According to today's edition of the Philadelphia Inquirer, suburban
school districts -- who under the Ridge proposal could end up
attracting some voucher-bearing students -- are already operating at
near capacity. School officials questioned the voucher program,
saying that it needed a "reality check."
In Springfield, Montgomery County, for instance, a superintendent
declared that "we are filled up right now." Full classrooms were also
reported in other districts throughout the region.
Funding To Benefit Parochial Schools?
It is also becoming evident that the Ridge plan -- while supposedly
providing vouchers which could be redeemed at Parochial, private or
other sectarian schools, as well as public schools, may be structured
to deliberately favor the Catholic system. Indeed, critics of
vouchers in other states have pointed out that the programs provide
insufficient funds for youngsters from poorer families to be sent to
most private schools other than Parochial, Catholic-operated
institutions. For instance, the Springfield public school district,
located outside of the Philadelphia city limits, sets elementary
tuition at over $6,000, and secondary tuition costs at $10,335. A
poor Philadelphia family would only receive vouchers amounting to
$2,914 under the program. That money would be insufficient to meet
costs at even secular private schools, but it would cover tuition in
the Philadelphia archdiocesan system. There, high school tuition is
slightly over $3,000 and grade-school costs vary from $800 to $2,000.
The result is that the voucher payment structure clearly benefits the
religious, and specifically Roman Catholic schools.
Officials in both the suburban and Philadelphia districts acknowledge
that inner-city schools definitely do have serious problems, including
-- in some cases -- schools with lower performance ratings. One
Parent Teacher Organization official told the Inquirer newspaper,
"Spreading out the problem isn't going to correct it." They argue,
though, that vouchers could only make the situation worse for most of
the students left behind, and they encouraged some of the new programs
being launched in urban areas. Asked one school principal in reaction
to Governor Ridge's voucher scheme, "What are we going to do about the
thousands of kids who stay? Urban schools have wonderful parents, but
they're forced to leave because the state is abandoning urban
schools." He added, "If Philadelphia fails, we all fail."
In New Mexico, the much-touted voucher scheme proposed by Governor
Gary Johnson may face cutting in the state legislature. On Wednesday,
key State Senate leaders, following a meeting with the governor, said
that there would probably be a special legislative session to discuss
the matter, and probably scale down the program.
Under Johnson's "Excellence" program, in the first year vouchers would
target about 100,000 students at a potential cost of $300 million.
That money would be drained from New Mexico's State education budget,
and transferred to parents wishing to send their youngsters to private
or religious institutions. An alternative bill has already been
approved in the State Senate; the $2.5 million program permits about
700 students who have dropped out of the public school system to
attend other programs operated by private businesses or nonprofit
organizations.
There is also voucher movement in Florida, where Republican Governor
Jeb Bush has proposed "Opportunity Scholarships" for low-income
students. That measure was approved last week by the House select
Committee on Transforming Florida Schools in a 16-8 vote. Capitol
watchers say that the measure is on a fast-track and will probably be
approved in the Florida House of Representatives next week.
The eventual fate of these school vouchers remains uncertain; critics
say that they violate the establishment clause of the First Amendment,
by having the effect of funneling public money to religious schools.
Voucher supporters, though, were energized last year when the
Wisconsin State Supreme Court upheld a program in Milwaukee that
provided tax money for parents wishing to send their children to
private and sectarian schools. That reversed lower court rulings that
found the practice to be an improper establishment of religion.
Voucher opponents say that Wisconsin case, JACKSON v. BENSON only
applies in that situation. It has nevertheless given the green light
to voucher experiments throughout the nation.
**
AMERICAN ATHEISTS NATIONAL CONVENTION, APRIL 2-4, 1999
Time is running short ... but you can still register for this year's
blockbuster National Convention of American Atheists, April 2-4 in
Piscataway, New Jersey. There isn't a better lineup of speakers,
workshops, and social events. Magician and Skeptic James Randi will
speak on "Search for the Chimera," an exploration of the need for
critical thinking and the pitfalls of pseudoscience. Attorney Pamela
Sumners will share her experiences in the courtroom fighting
church-state separation battles in Alabama. Dr. Tony Pasquarello
will be signing copies of his new book, "The Altar Boy Chronicles,"
and veteran abortion rights activist Bill Baird will recount his
decades-long struggle to guarantee women this fundamental liberty.
And there's plenty more, including the dedication of the new American
Atheists Center.
So, what are you waiting for? Visit our site on the world wide web
and sign up! Head over to http://www.atheists.org/convention99.html
for more information. We look forward to seeing you April 2-4, 1999
for the National Convention of American Atheists!
**
SCHOOL REMOVES RELIGIOUS ARTIFACTS FOLLOWING
COMPLAINT FROM ATHEIST
Authorities at Dobyns-Bennett High School in Kingsport, Tennessee have
ordered the removal of "religious artifacts" from a work area. This
follows complaints from State American Atheists Director Carletta
Sims, who is taking an adult education class at the school, and
noticed religious poems and a ceramic Bible in her classroom.
Describing a report she had made to school principal Judd Porter, Sims
said, "I was just asking for a secular society. I'm just asking for
all public officials to respect every student's views by not giving
credence or preferential treatment to one religious sect." She added
that as a student and taxpayer, it made her uncomfortable "to sit in a
classroom that had a symbol of the Christian faith" conspicuously on
display.
City attorney Mike Billingsley said his office was looking into the
matter.
Principal Porter said that he would share any recommendations from the
city attorney's office, and added "If we're going to be watched that
carefully, then I want to be as careful as I can that we're staying
within the bounds of the law."
Ms. Sims has been actively monitoring school in her area; last year,
she successfully protested a "released time" scheme that would have
given students time off during the official school day so they could
receive religious instructions at local churches. When officials
learned that Sims wanted an "Atheist released time" curriculum taught,
they quickly abandoned the scheme.
**
FORMER VATICAN AMBASSADOR TAKES OVER CATHOLIC ALLIANCE
Raymond Flynn Is New President of Group Founded by Pat Robertson
Former Boston Mayor Raymond L. Flynn will take charge of the
reorganized Catholic Alliance, a group once linked to televangelist
Pat Robertson and the Christian Coalition. Earlier this week Flynn
confirmed that he would assume leadership of the organization which
has 125,000 members and is based in Washington, D.C.
Catholic Alliance was founded by Pat Robertson in September, 1995 with
a startup budget of $1.3 million. It was considered an adjunct of the
Christian Coalition, although both organizations shared similar views
on issues such as abortion, vouchers, school prayer, gay rights and
the primacy of religious belief. Many Catholics in the Alliance,
though, agreeing with their Protestant evangelical and fundamentalist
counterparts on many cultural issues, were sensitive to the criticism
from Catholic clergy who saw the Coalition as extreme. In January,
1998, the Catholic Alliance split from Robertson's organization,
citing differences in opinion.
According to the Christian Science Monitor newspaper, Flynn will be
making "in excess" of $100,000 per year in his new position. "We're
still negotiating," Flynn added.
But the new post at Catholic Alliance may not have been Flynn's
number-one choice as a career. Attempting to ride on his credentials
as former Mayor of Boston, Flynn made an unsuccessful bid last
September to win the Democratic nomination in the 8th Congressional
District race in Massachusetts. His campaigned featured advertising
posters of Flynn with Pope John Paul II and Mother Teresa; he ran on a
stern anti-abortion platform which did not resonate with the voters.
Flynn's loyalty and hard work within the Democratic Party in
Massachusetts, though, prompted President Clinton to name his as U.S.
Ambassador to the Vatican in 1993. During his tenure, Flynn attracted
criticism and controversy, especially for his outspoken view on the
abortion rights issue. When President Clinton announced that he would
veto the so-called Partial Birth Abortion Ban and defy the National
Conference of Catholic Bishops, Flynn told media and church leaders in
Italy that were he in congress, he would vote to override the
presidential veto.
Critics charged that during his ambassadorial service, Flynn
represented Vatican and ecclesiastical interests more than he
advocated the U.S. government position. He also developed a
reputation as a credulous spin- doctor for the Holy See. One issue
involved the question of Vatican culpability in helping Croatian
fascists and Nazis sequester huge quantities of looted gold arising
from World War II. Despite compelling evidence from the files of the
old Office of Strategic Services (the nation's intelligence group
during the Second World War) and other sources, Flynn parroted the
Vatican line that the Holy See was innocent of wrongdoing and that
accusations against the papacy were "weak."
Flynn takes over an organization in Washington which is presently
adrift after its rupture with Robertson. The group has reportedly
severed all financial ties with Christian Coalition, and says that
they have achieved "complete independence."
"We anticipate that on many issues, we will agree with the Coalition,"
said a Catholic Alliance statement, "because our theological
foundations are so similar. Where we disagree, we will do so in a
spirit of Christian brotherhood."
Signing on to the new board of directors of Catholic Alliance are
former baseball commissioner Bowie Kuhn, and Domino's Pizza CEO Tom
Monaghan, known as a staunch anti-abortion crusader. Working under
Flynn will be Tony Likins, president of the National Conference of
Conservative Catholics, and James Manning, former special assistant to
President Reagan and a Bush administration official.
Although the Alliance is not "officially" part of the Roman Catholic
apparatus, several powerful church leaders are on its "Bishops'
Advisory Council." They include: Fabian Bruskewitz, Bishop of
Lincoln, Nebraska; John Keating, Bishop of Arlington; James McHugh,
Bishop of Camden, N.J. and John Dougherty, Bishop of Scranton. All
are considered ecclesiastical hard-liners on issues such as abortion
and gay rights, and Bishop Bruskewitz recently attracted national
controversy when he threaten to excommunicate parishioners en masse
who refused to tow the church line on birth control and other
doctrinal issues.
The Alliance may part company with other religious rights groups in
several areas. Already, it has announced that it will oppose the
penalty and euthanasia, urge an increase in minimum wage, and press
for better health care policies. On the issue of
government-in-religion, though, the Catholic Alliance can be expected
to continue advocating religious activism in political matters.
Supporting the Alliance, Cardinal Bernard Law recently told the Boston
Globe, "I think it's vitally important for Catholic citizens to add
their voice to the public discourse..."
**
THE ATHEIST VIEWPOINT -- NOW, SEE IT ON LINE!
"The Atheist Viewpoint," American Atheists' weekly half-hour
television program is now on the American Atheist website. Go right
to the Visitor's Center and click on the title you want. NOW PLAYING:
"Son Of Sam - Christian Role Model." Find out how a convicted,
psychopathic murderer from New York City is now Jesus' favorite
boytoy.
**
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articles from the current or back issues, as well as special web-only
features. Visit us at http://www.americanatheist.org
* If you are a current member of American Atheists, sign up for our
e-mail discussion group, aachat. We have over 120 participants who
discuss topics such as Atheism, religion, First Amendment issues and
lots more! Contact Margie Wait, the Moderator, through
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