Re: Madalyn Murray O'Hair Petition (?)

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: : : : : Someone was handing out the following letter at work. : : : Does anyone know anything about this? Is this letter : : : outdated? I thought that Madalyn Murray O'Hair was : : : still missing. : : : IMPORTANT NOTICE : : : Madelyn Murray O'Hare [sic], the celebrated Atheist, : : : whose efforts successfully eliminated the use of the : : : Bible reading and prayer from All public schools : : : fifteen years ago [What was the date?] has been granted : : : a federal hearing in Washington, D.C. on the subject of : : : the petition, R.R. 2493, which would in effect pave the : : : way to make reading of any gospel (religious material) : : : on the air-ways of american radio or television : : : [illegal]. She has taken a petition with 27,000 : : : signatures to support her efforts. : : : If HER attempt is succesful [sic], all Sunday worship : : : services being broadcast either by Radio or Television, : : : will STOP. Many of America's, as well as the rest of : : : the World's elderly and shut-ins, as well as those whom : : : are restricted by hospitilization and recouparation : : : [sic] from illnesses, who depend on the media of : : : television and radio to fullfill [sic] their worship : : : needs every week [?]. : : : Madelyn is also campaigning to remove all Christmas and : : : Jewish Programs, songs, and carols from public schools. : : : This time you can HELP! We need 1,000,000 signed : : : letters to defeat Mrs. O'Hare's efforts and show that : : : there [are] many God worshipping Americans alive and : : : well, and concerned about our country. Madelyn is also : : : trying to remove the statement "IN GOD WE TRUST" from : : : all the currency in this country. : : : : Wow - that's interesting. It looks a bit valid from the motive point of view. It could also be a group formed under her name - I imagine there's one of those out there somewhere. : : I can't see how she could make any headway on the radio ban - it's freedom of speech and us atheists don't have to listen to it if we don't want to. I can't see censorship being of any help. I do agree with trying to get "in god we trust" off the currency though and things like swearing on the bible in court rooms. : : The last I had read was that Madelyn was in Texas. I don't think she was ever missing - I think she just got out of the spotlight. There was also a rumour going around that she ran away with $600,000 - I have no idea if this is true or not but I doubt it. Kepp me posted if you hear anything. : : If this is true I'd be interested in knowing how Ms. O'Hair can justify such a petition. It is my understanding that the stated goals of the American Atheists (of which she is the founder) do not include any effort toward restricting the freedom to practice any religion, but instead wish to prevent the imposition of religious belief systems on non-believers, particulary through government involvement. Broadcast religion doesn't seem to me to be much of an imposition since, as Amanda pointed out, the disinterested are free to switch stations or turn it off at will. I can't really imagine that atheists would perceive these broadcasts as a threat to their freedom. Also, wouldn't such an amendment as this petition seeks to promote violate the Constitution on several points? Its an interesting question, because applying it to a more extreme situation, one would have to ask if we should prevent the desemination of information pertaining to certain points-of-view that might be considered dangerous, i.e. neo-nazi propaganda, or the messages of the hate-mongers.

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