Board of Directors - Secular Coalition for America

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Secular Coalition for America

Mission and Purpose

 Our mission is to increase the visibility and respect for nontheistic viewpoints in the United States, and to protect and strengthen the secular character of our government as the best guarantee of freedom for all.

 Our purpose is to advocate on behalf of nontheistic and secular Americans.

 The Secular Coalition for America was founded in 2002

Who We Represent

 52.8% of Americans think political leaders should NOT rely on religious beliefs when making decisions.

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Source: ABC News/Washington Post poll, April 2005 and the Association of Religion Data Archives

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Who We Represent

 Americans with no religious affiliation, “Nones” represent

16.1% of all Americans

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SCA Organizational Structure

Board of Directors

One representative from each member organization

Advisory

Board

Board Officers

Non-voting members of the

Board of Directors

Executive Director

Endorsing

Organizations

Allied

Organizations and Coalitions

SCA Staff

State Chapters

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Secular Coalition for America

Member Organizations

Secular Coalition for America

Endorsing Organizations

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The following organization extend their support by endorsing the mission of the

Secular Coalition for America:

Anti-Discrimination Support Network

Arizona Coalition of Reason (ArizonaCoR),

Association of Humanistic Rabbis

Ask an Atheist

Atheist Nexus

Brights Action SCA,

Center for Atheism,

Center for Naturalism

Congress of Secular Jewish Organizations,

EARTHWARD

Foundation Beyond Belief

Freethought Action

Hispanic American Freethinkers

Humanist Chaplaincy at Harvard,

Humanist Institute

Humanist Society

Humanists of Florida

TheInfidels.org

Internet Infidels

LGBT Humanist Council of AHA

Mission of Reason,

Mr. Deity

National Atheist Party

OABITAR

Path of Reason

Project Reason

Rational Response Squad

The Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science

Secular Nations,

South Carolina Progressive Network

Stiefel Freethought Foundation

Unitarian Universalist Infidels

United Coalition of Reason

Washington Area Secular Humanists (WASH)

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Secular Coalition for America

Allies

 The Secular Coalition for America is building the coalition by adding Allied Organizations who may not be able to support the entire mission of the SCA, but share our position on particular issues.

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SCA Coalitions

CARD - Coalition Against Religious Discrimination

NCPE - National Coalition for Public Education

SIECUS - Sexual Inform and Education Council of the

United States

National Advisory Board

IFPC - International Family Planning Coalition

LCCR - Leadership Council on Civil and Human Rights

Coalition for Liberty and Justice

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Subject Areas of our Key Issues

Heath & Safety

Education

Military

Tax Policy

Discrimination

Government Actions

International

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Health & Safety Issues

Medical Professionals Denying Care Based on Personal Beliefs

Religious Employers Denying Healthcare Coverage Based on

Personal Beliefs

Religiously Based Child Abuse and Neglect

Religiously Based Substance Abuse Treatment

Religiously Based Healthcare Policy

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Education

Public Funding of Religious

Schools

Schools Discriminate Against

Nontheistic Students

Religious Influence on Public

School Curriculum

Religious Coercion of Public

School Students

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Military

 Military Chaplains Do Not Equally Represent or

Support All Service Members

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Military

Military Promotion of Religion

Military Discrimination Against Nontheists

Tax Policy

Tax Free Housing for Clergy

Faith-Based Nonprofits Exempt from Nonprofit Requirements

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Source: How Secular Humanists (and Everyone Else) Subsidize Religion in the United States; Ryan Cragun,

Stephanie Yeager, and Desmond Vega; Free Inquiry Magazine, May 2012

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Discrimination

Religiously Motivated Employment Discrimination

Housing Discrimination by Religious Landlords

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Government Actions

National Ceremonies and Symbols Endorsing Religion

Government Officials Endorsing Religion

Religious Definition of Civil Marriage

Taxpayer Money Furthering Religious Beliefs

Religiously Based Policy

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International

Religiously Based

International Policy

U.S. Aid to Countries That

Limit Religious Freedom

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Aggressive Implementation of our

Strategic Plan - Legislative Activity

National Secular Movement Weekly Update Call

Every Thursday at Noon

559-726-1300 Code: 199568

Legislative and Regulatory Call

Every other Tuesday

Will track and discuss all problematic proposed legislation and regulatory issues

Featuring a government policy decisions maker

Hill Briefings

Federal Legislative and Regulatory Tracking

State Legislative and Regulatory Tracking

Liaisons in Both Republican and Democratic Campaigns

 Presidential, gubernatorial and congressional

Attending Republican and Democratic Conventions

State Legislature Control By Party

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Source: National Council of State Legislatures, Feb. 2011

State Legislatures and Governors

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Source: National Council of State Legislatures, Feb. 2011

Current Electoral Vote Prediction

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Source: Washington Post - May 17, 2012

Senate Race Breakdown

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Source: Cook Political Report, May 2012

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Democratic Senate Toss-Ups

Open Seats:

HI (Akaka)

NM (Bingaman)

ND (Conrad)

VA (Webb)

WI (Kohl)

Incumbents:

MO (McCaskill)

MT (Tester)

Source: Cook Political Report, May 2012

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Republican Senate Toss-Ups

Open Seat:

 ME (Snowe)

Incumbents:

MA (Brown)

NV (Heller)

Source: Cook Political Report, May 2012

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Overall U.S. House Breakdown

All 435 seats are up for re-election.

Democrats currently have 23 seats listed as Lean or Toss Up.

Republicans currently have 32 seats listed as Lean or Toss Up.

Republicans control the House by a 49 seat majority.

Democrats would need to have a net gain 25 seats to reclaim the majority.

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Aggressive Implementation of our

Strategic Plan - Research and Outreach

National Policy Conference and Lobby Day

Conference presents speakers who are major decision makers

Lobby Day educates a large number of secularists in lobbying techniques and sends them to the hill for meetings with congressional offices

National Secular Calendar

Presidential and Congressional Scorecards

Pulling together policy and research resources

Tracking of Major Court Cases

Guidebook on principles of secularism for elected officials

Educating about our issues through educational videos and webinars on our website

State Chapters

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State Chapters

Some of the most egregious violations of church state separation are being promoted and passed at the state level, and we absolutely must act to stop it!

A Secular Coalition for America state chapter is unlike any other nontheistic state organization—it brings together interested organizations and individuals for the exclusive purpose of lobbying government officials.

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State Chapters Calls

We are holding initial organizing conference calls to initiate the development

The initial organizing call for New York will be in mid-July

On the call we will be discussing

 the mission, purpose, and goals of the SCA chapters the resources SCA can provide to SCA Chapters the secular lobbying needs of New York, and the organizational structure of the chapters, including leadership positions.

The exact date, time, and further details about how you can participate will be posted on our website and emailed out through state organizations

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State Chapters

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Scary State Laws

6 states have laws that allow pharmacists to refuse to fill an emergency prescription for contraceptives.

21 states offer exemptions from contraceptive coverage for employers with varying degrees of religious affiliation

44 states have laws that require public school classes to recite a Pledge of Allegiance stating we are a nation “under God”

Only 18 states require sex education curricula to be medically accurate

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Recently Passed Scary State Laws

Kansas - “Health Care Rights of Conscience Act” signed into law in April allows pharmacists to refuse to dispense drugs they believe might cause an abortion

Virginia - SB 131, which was signed into law by the

Governor on April 9, 2012, establishes a tax credit for corporations that make donations for scholarships to religious schools.

Tennessee - SB 893/HB 368 states, under the pretext of fostering critical thinking, that teachers must be allowed to discuss “weaknesses” in scientific theories such as evolution

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Scary State Examples

Florida’s Amendment 8-To remove from the Florida

Constitution the language that prohibits government funding of religion.

Missouri HB 2051- “prohibits the discussion of sexual orientation in public school instruction, material, or extracurricular activity except in scientific instruction on human reproduction.”

 Similar bills in Tennessee and Utah

Michigan HB 5560- increases fines for the criminal disruption of the private property or entrance to private property being used for religious service

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Informational Resources

National Secular

Movement Update Call

Every Thursday at Noon

559-726-1300 Code: 199568

National Secular Calendar

Blog

Facebook

Twitter

Action Alerts

Website

Facebook.com/SecularCoalition

@SecularDotOrg

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Speaker Information

Edwina Rogers

Executive Director

Secular Coalition for America

1012 14 th St., NW, Suite 205

Washington, DC 20005

Office (202) 299 1091 ext. 207

Mobile (202) 674 7800

Edwina@secular.org

www.secular.org

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