FFRF Takes Message to Combat Theocracy to the Air Waves
The Freedom From Religion Foundation, a national watchdog group whose members are atheists and agnostics working to keep church and state separate, is taking its Wake up America" message to national airwaves.
Beginning today for three months, the Foundation will run a series of paid radio advertisements warning of the religious right's assault on America. These are scheduled during four nationally syndicated "Air America" talkshows.
In one ad, comedian Julia Sweeney, the Saturday Night Live alum ("Adrogynous Pat") whose new play is "Letting Go of God," identifies herself as an atheist and asks others to "join me and the Freedom From Religion Foundation in waking up America to the growing dangers of theocracy." Her spot will air daily for 12 weeks during the "Al Franken Show."
Additionally, the Foundation is airing paid "voice endorsements" recorded by three Air America hosts to run daily during their programs. Janeane Garofalo, also an comedian, actress and SNL alum who co-hosts "The Majority Report," asks: "Are you tired of right-wing politicians who desperately want to impose their religious beliefs on the rest of us? I know I am! That's why I'm asking you to support the Freedom From Religion Foundation." Garafalo signs off: "Proud to be an atheist!"
Laura Flanders, RadioNation host, asks: "Are you as alarmed as I am about the religious right's assault on our secular government and private lives?"
Mike Malloy, of the Mike Malloy Show, notes: "I fully support the Freedom From Religion Foundation as it takes the lead in challenging the growing threat from the religious right in the United States."
"We have never been in greater danger of losing our secular republic,"says Foundation co-president Annie Laurie Gaylor.
"Theocrats are in charge of our two branches of government, and just gained a narrow foothold on the third--the U.S. Supreme Court. We witness daily assaults by religionists seeking to unite church and state, such as the flood of federal faith-based funding to support proselytizing religious groups." The dangers to civil liberties are demonstrated by South Dakota's religion-instigated ban on abortion and religion-led efforts to bar same-sex marriage and civil unions, Gaylor noted.
The ads invite sympathetic listeners to phone or visit ffrf.org, the Foundation's website.