Subject: [AthofSV] Atheists Win Big in Idaho!

From: [email-masked]
Date: Thu, 5 May 2005 12:07:34 EDT

>From AANEWS, Wednesday, 5/4/05

*Breaking...

ATHEISTS WIN BIG IN IDAHO: STATE CANNOT DISCRIMINATE IN FAVOR  OF  
CHRISTIAN GROUPS, DAY OF PRAYER PERMIT*

A U.S.  District Court  Judge ruled earlier today that the State of
Idaho could not deny a permit to  Atheists wishing to hold a "Day of
Equality" rally on the steps of the state  capitol building, and
instead allow a National Day of Prayer event to take  place even though
the Atheists reserved the space first.

Supported by  American Atheists, the Idaho Atheists and AA State
Director Susan Harrington  sued Governor Dirk Kempthorne and state
facilities manager Tom Mason arguing  that the state had violated the
constitution when it cancelled the IA  reservation for tomorrow's
event.

It all started when Harrington  noticed that the scheduling calendar
for May 5 -- the National Day of Prayer,  which has included a
religious rally on the capitol steps -- was blank.   She promptly
scheduled the Idaho Day of Equality for the venue.  Mr.  Mason,
however, later realized that while his office "routinely"  scheduled
the NDOP for that time, the Atheists were there first.  He  then
cancelled the Idaho Atheists reservation.

Backed by American  Atheists, Harrington and the Idaho Atheists went
into federal court, arguing  that they were victims of state-sponsored
religious  discrimination.

"Government state facilities officials have intervened  and stated that
it was their mistake and that our Atheist group must give up  our spot
we legally obtained in order to give preference to a religious  group,"
Harrington said in a statement to reporters.  "Even though  the
National Day of Prayer event wasn't scheduled when we made  our
reservations, even though we had been assured that we were  following
the guidelines, and even though the National Day of Prayer people  were
going to move their event inside, the state is saying that we  Atheists
cannot hold our event on the front steps and that we have to move  to
the side steps."

Harrington added that Governor Kempthorne "must  set a standard of
inclusiveness and neutrality with respect to religious  opinion or
practice.  Religious opinion is a person matter, and the  government
has no business implying that Atheists are second-class  citizens
because they don't believe in gods."

According to news  reports, though, Kempthorne -- who issued an
official proclamation in support  of the National Day of Prayer event
-- is "disappointed" in the judge's  decision which upheld fairness and
the separation of church and state.   He grumbled to reporters, "I will
take part in the National Day of Prayer  event, no matter where it is
held, because of my own belief in the importance  of prayer -- not to
make a political statement."

He also said that  "attempts to accommodate the Idaho Atheists, by
offering them a very similar  venue on the same day and at the same
time, were rejected."

For  further information:

http://www.atheists.org/id
(Office of the Idaho  State Director, American Atheists)

AANEWS is a free publication available  from American Atheists.  For more 
information, and to subscribe, just  visit http://www.atheists.org/id

(AMERICAN ATHEISTS is a nationwide  movement that defends civil rights 
for Atheists; works for the total  separation of church and state; and 
addresses issues of First Amendment  public policy.)