[NYTr] Amer Atheists: You're no John Kennedy, Mr. Romney

[All the News That Doesn't Fit]

AMERICAN ATHEISTS, INC. - Dec 6, 2007
http://www.atheists.org
http://www.americanatheist.org

For more information, please contact:
Ellen Johnson, President (908) 276-7300
Dave Silverman, Communications Director (732) 648-9333

YOU'RE NO JOHN KENNEDY, MR. ROMNEY:

PRESIDENTIAL HOPEFUL FAILS TO COURT AMERICA'S ATHEISTS & OTHER
NONBELIEVERS, MAKE FULL PLEDGE TO DEFEND ROBUST SEPARATION
 
An Atheist civil rights group  declared that Gov. Mitt Romney's 
statement made earlier today regarding his positions on religion and
the separation of church and state failed to reach out to millions of 
Atheists, Freethinkers, Secular Humanists and other citizens who
profess no religion, and that he was "no John Kennedy."
 
The Massachusetts Republican had been comparing his speech to that of 
John Kennedy in 1960 before the Houston Ministerial Association.  
Kennedy, a Roman Catholic, defended his political record and
unabashedly supported the full, robust  separation of church and state.
 
Ellen Johnson, President of American Atheists, said that Romney "is no 
John Kennedy when it comes to the First Amendment."
 
"His speech was a 'pitch' to the religious right which already has too 
much political clout in this country," said Johnson.  "Like other 
candidates, Romney is overlooking the 13% of Americans who profess no 
religious beliefs, and will voting their principles next November."
 
Johnson added that Romney "drapes himself in the mantle of religious 
self-righteousness, and then gives token mention to the First
Amendment." 
Dave Silverman, Communications Director for American Atheists said that 
"while there should be no religious test for public office, public 
officials -- including the President -- take an oath of office to
defend the Constitution, not preach from some holy book like the Bible
or the Koran."
 
"The President is supposed to represent all of the people in this 
country, not just the minority who say they go to church once a
month." Said Silverman.  "Romney ignored America's Atheists and other 
secularists, and  he -- along with any other candidate who makes the 
same error -- is missing out on millions of potential votes."
 

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.

American Atheists, Inc.
P. O. Box 5733
Parsippany, NJ 07054-6733
Tel.: (908) 276-7300
Fax: (908) 276-7402