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Dear Friend,
As you may recall, we sent out a survey about a month ago regarding which issues you are most concerned about, and where we should double our efforts when it comes to lobbying as we approach the upcoming 117th Congress. I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone who participated in the survey and share with you some of the more interesting and pertinent information that we were able to gather through your helpful participation.
It is clear that despite the results of election outcomes, the Secular Coalition for America’s mission will be more important than ever. Whether that will be to continue to stand as a stalwart against an ever increasing swell of Christian Nationalism that we have witnessed over the past four years, or to advance our agenda through a more amenable audience, the Secular Coalition for America (SCA) will be at the forefront of the fight for the secular government we are guaranteed by the Constitution.
In our survey, we asked you (our members) to select the importance of each particular issue to you, using a scale ranging from 1 to 5 (1 being least important and 5 being most important). Of the eight issues listed in the survey, three stood out to our members more than the others.
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Overwhelmingly, responders selected; Preventing religious ideology from interfering in scientific advancement as their number one priority with 65% of respondents placing the issue in their top three priorities, and it was the number one issue overall for our members.
As you know, the religious right has done everything they can to prevent advancement in many areas of science including; reproductive rights, climate change, addiction recovery, and of course vaccine research. A prime example is the U.S. Catholic Conference of Bishops, Religious Right groups, and various anti-abortion advocates irresponsibly calling upon the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to arbitrarily restrict COVID-19 vaccine research by encouraging the FDA to incentivize pharmaceutical companies to not use embryonic stem cells in their research.
To combat this destructive influence in government from such large and well-organized religious entities, SCA in partnership with our member organizations speak out directly in contradiction to these unconstitutional “influences” for the good of all Americans, and the public health.
Through direct contact with congressional members and staff, and agency leadership, letters to federal and congressional leaders, action alerts to our members, social media posts, and other methods, SCA is on the front lines of the fight for open scientific advancement and research. With your partnership, we will continue the fight for pathways for vaccine research, which are so desperately needed now.
“I am a licensed physician and scientist. I kept my atheism hidden from the time I went to medical school until I completed residency. As a result, I could not communicate all that well with my patients due to the nature of language and cultural barriers between Christians and secular people." - Thomas, California
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A close second to scientific advancement; 60% of SCA members listed Protecting secular education in public schools in their top three issues listed in the survey. Perhaps no other issue involving secular values has been in the headlines lately more than education and public funding for private schools.
The administration’s zeal for public funding for private (most often religiously affiliated) schools through school vouchers seems unquenchable and has only been further encouraged by the recent Supreme Court ruling in Espinoza v. Montana. For the first time in our nation’s history, taxpayer dollars are being used to openly promote religious dogma in our children's schools, while stifling evidence-based education, and fundamental life lessons like sex education.
As always, the Secular Coalition for America remains a strong and clear voice in opposition to public funding for private schools. Our mission to keep prayer out of public schools, and ensure a science based secular education, that includes fundamental teachings like sex education, and climate science continues unbated.
Additionally, with your help, SCA pledges to continue to pursue (through legislation like the CORE Act) rigorous congressional oversight of all taxpayer dollars that are being issued to religiously affiliated entities, and others. It is important that the American people know exactly where their hard-earned dollars are being spent, and the unconstitutional acts that may entail.
“I became a science teacher only to be met with students who said, I don't have to learn about what you're teaching because I believe what my religion says." It is extremely difficult to teach science under these circumstances. When I was faced with the possibility of having to teach creation science along with the regular science courses, I got out of teaching.” - Jay, Ohio |
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Coming in third, 44% of respondents replied that Repealing Religious Exemptions was one of their top three priorities moving forward. From vaccination exemptions, to religious gathering during pandemic exemptions, to refusal of services exemptions, it seems that there is no law or rule that cannot be overcome using a religious exemption.
The Secular Coalition for America has always been at the forefront of the fight against religious exemptions. In landmark decisions such as Hobby Lobby, and Masterpiece Cake Shop, SCA stood defiantly against an unfriendly court majority, and in solidarity with dissenting judges like the late Justice Ginsburg as a voice against discrimination and the erosion of the civil rights of all Americans.
More recently, through our coalition, SCA spoke out against the exemptions for religious gatherings that were being issued across the nation during the height of the COVID-19 outbreak. As the nation prepares for what leading infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci said could be a ”challenging winter for Americans”, and an expected surge in the COVID-19 virus as temperatures drop, it is not the time for our government to place the appeasement of their religious base above the health of the general public.
SCA will continue to raise objections to all forms of religious exemption, whether they are discriminatory, or threaten the public health. With your help, we can end these appeasements to the religious right, and ensure the civil rights of all Americans and the good of the public health.
“The early discrimination by the church, based on my gender is what started my journey to questioning religion, and eventually what led me to become an outspoken atheist advocate.” - Nancy, Ohio
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As we move forward, past the upcoming election and into the next congress, I want you to know that the Secular Coalition for America stands with our members and will continue to fight for the issues that concern you. I know that at times things can seem hopeless, but we must always remember that our fight is a marathon. Overturning the centuries of dogma and “societal norms” that have pervaded our government cannot be done overnight, so we must persevere. The stakes are far too high to not. It is only with the strength of your voice and the assistance that valuable members like yourself give, that we are able to persist in our relentless pursuit of the secular government we have been promised in the Constitution.
I want to thank you for everything you do to help us stay in the fight, and I look forward to a time when we can all gather together again, so that I can shake your hand and thank you in person. It is my sincere hope that that time will come soon, thanks to an administration and congress that value the facts of science over the dogma of religion.
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Warmest regards, and most sincere thanks,
Debbie Allen
Executive Director
Secular Coalition for America
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