Post by AuntieSocial on May 4, 2004 8:04:19 GMT -5
Lawmakers sting atheist with rejection[/b]
Click here to read the article on the original site
By Jannell McGrew
Montgomery Advertiser
April 14, 2004
Two Alabama lawmakers are in hot water with an atheist organization, which claims the legislators denied the group equal treatment by refusing to sponsor a "rainy day" location for its planned rally at the Capitol just because its members don't believe in God.
Larry Darby, president of the Montgomery-based Atheist Law Center, said Rep. Jay Love and Sen. Larry Dixon, both Montgomery Republicans, turned down his requests for sponsorship of the old Archives chamber as a backup location for the center's "Rally for Reason & Picnic on the Capitol Lawn," an event scheduled May 6.
Darby said the group wanted to use the chamber in the event of inclement weather. He claims his group is being denied equal treatment because of its atheist beliefs.
The center's rally falls on the same day as the National Day of Prayer, which state leaders and residents will observe with a special service on the front steps of the Capitol.
"They are discriminating against me because I am an atheist," Darby said. "Both Rep. Love and Sen. Dixon are showing favoritism for a Christian business, and they are discriminating against an atheist organization."
Darby called the legislators' rejections "low-down, mean and un-American."
Love confirmed he had denied Darby's request for the alternate site because of the group's beliefs.
"I don't support his group, and I don't support his cause," Love said. "There's no way that I'm going to help further his cause. He wanted to do this on the same day as the National Day of Prayer, and I would just consider it a spit in the face of faith-based groups for me to sponsor his group in the state Capitol."
In order for groups or individuals to hold an event inside the Capitol, they must have a state sponsor, such as a legislator, an agency department head or the governor.
Sen. Vivian Figures, D-Mobile, is sponsoring the "rainy day" location -- the Capitol auditorium -- for the National Day of Prayer event.
Darby said he wrote a letter to Figures requesting sponsorship.
Figures said Tuesday she had not received the letter.
Asked if she would sponsor a "rainy day" site inside the Capitol for the atheist event, the senator replied, "Of course not. I do believe in prayer, and I believe in God and atheists don't believe in God. I know there is a God, so why would I sponsor something that would be the total opposite of that?"
As constituents of Dixon and Love, the atheists should have been granted sponsorship, regardless of their beliefs, Darby said.
Love said legislators reserve the right to deny sponsorship to any group.
"He (Darby) has spent a lifetime protesting any kind of government involvement in religion, and for him to request the use of a government building by what I consider a religious group, which are the atheists, I'm just agreeing with him on this particular position," Love said.
In a letter to Darby, Dixon also declined the group's request.
"My question to you is why try to draw me into a conflict?" the senator wrote. "I am a practicing Christian and would never try to draw you into a controversial act, especially when it could and probably would create problems for you as this would for me. ... You can meet and protest all you want," Dixon wrote in conclusion. "However, please don't try to involve me."
In an interview this week, Dixon stood by his statement. He believes Darby is intentionally stirring controversy.
"He is trying to involve me in his religious politics," Dixon said. "I do not intend to become a pawn in whatever his mission is."
Dixon also said that if Darby's event had been on another day besides the National Day of Prayer, he would have arranged a site for the group to meet inside the Capitol.
"If he wants to arrange his rally in any part of the Capitol the next day, I'll be glad to arrange it," Dixon said. "But I'm not going to help him protest the National Day of Prayer.”
Click here to read the article on the original site
By Jannell McGrew
Montgomery Advertiser
April 14, 2004
Two Alabama lawmakers are in hot water with an atheist organization, which claims the legislators denied the group equal treatment by refusing to sponsor a "rainy day" location for its planned rally at the Capitol just because its members don't believe in God.
Larry Darby, president of the Montgomery-based Atheist Law Center, said Rep. Jay Love and Sen. Larry Dixon, both Montgomery Republicans, turned down his requests for sponsorship of the old Archives chamber as a backup location for the center's "Rally for Reason & Picnic on the Capitol Lawn," an event scheduled May 6.
Darby said the group wanted to use the chamber in the event of inclement weather. He claims his group is being denied equal treatment because of its atheist beliefs.
The center's rally falls on the same day as the National Day of Prayer, which state leaders and residents will observe with a special service on the front steps of the Capitol.
"They are discriminating against me because I am an atheist," Darby said. "Both Rep. Love and Sen. Dixon are showing favoritism for a Christian business, and they are discriminating against an atheist organization."
Darby called the legislators' rejections "low-down, mean and un-American."
Love confirmed he had denied Darby's request for the alternate site because of the group's beliefs.
"I don't support his group, and I don't support his cause," Love said. "There's no way that I'm going to help further his cause. He wanted to do this on the same day as the National Day of Prayer, and I would just consider it a spit in the face of faith-based groups for me to sponsor his group in the state Capitol."
In order for groups or individuals to hold an event inside the Capitol, they must have a state sponsor, such as a legislator, an agency department head or the governor.
Sen. Vivian Figures, D-Mobile, is sponsoring the "rainy day" location -- the Capitol auditorium -- for the National Day of Prayer event.
Darby said he wrote a letter to Figures requesting sponsorship.
Figures said Tuesday she had not received the letter.
Asked if she would sponsor a "rainy day" site inside the Capitol for the atheist event, the senator replied, "Of course not. I do believe in prayer, and I believe in God and atheists don't believe in God. I know there is a God, so why would I sponsor something that would be the total opposite of that?"
As constituents of Dixon and Love, the atheists should have been granted sponsorship, regardless of their beliefs, Darby said.
Love said legislators reserve the right to deny sponsorship to any group.
"He (Darby) has spent a lifetime protesting any kind of government involvement in religion, and for him to request the use of a government building by what I consider a religious group, which are the atheists, I'm just agreeing with him on this particular position," Love said.
In a letter to Darby, Dixon also declined the group's request.
"My question to you is why try to draw me into a conflict?" the senator wrote. "I am a practicing Christian and would never try to draw you into a controversial act, especially when it could and probably would create problems for you as this would for me. ... You can meet and protest all you want," Dixon wrote in conclusion. "However, please don't try to involve me."
In an interview this week, Dixon stood by his statement. He believes Darby is intentionally stirring controversy.
"He is trying to involve me in his religious politics," Dixon said. "I do not intend to become a pawn in whatever his mission is."
Dixon also said that if Darby's event had been on another day besides the National Day of Prayer, he would have arranged a site for the group to meet inside the Capitol.
"If he wants to arrange his rally in any part of the Capitol the next day, I'll be glad to arrange it," Dixon said. "But I'm not going to help him protest the National Day of Prayer.”
