Atheist Eye
On The Christian Lie
(Last Update 1/22/2010)
Effective Activism Guide
The information in this guide is time tested and very effective. It is a plan that a single activist can do to achieve results.
Activism is about achieving results. If you are going to spend your valuable time
being an activist, you should utilize a strategy that is effective in producing
results. A single activist can achieve
results by using a procedure that is effective. There is more to being an
effective activist than being right.
Achieving results involves:
- Determining if a genuine problem exists.
- Determining who the decision maker is who has the authority to fix
the problem.
- Contacting directly the decision maker, either in person or by
telephone.
- Explaining to the decision maker what the problem is.
- Proposing to the decision maker your solution for resolving the
problem.
- Negotiating a solution that both parties feel is reasonable.
- Obtaining a timetable for implementing the solution.
- Thanking the decision maker for working with you to resolve the
problem.
- Following up to ensure that the solution is implemented on a timely
basis.
- Going to court if you don't reach an acceptable solution or if the
solution is not implemented.
Some people think that activism consists of picketing,
protesting and writing letters. Those
things are helpful if they are done to demonstrate that there is public support
for the solution being proposed by the activist and to put public pressure on
the decision maker to resolve the problem in the manner proposed by the
activist. However, if those things are
done in the absence of the effective activism described above, they do little
more than make you feel better. In other words, picketing, protesting and
letter writing in the absence of effective activism is just feel-good therapy.
When addressing a state/church separation issue, first
determine whether the situation is a legitimate state/church separation
violation. The Supreme Court of the United
States set forth a three-part test in 1971 in deciding the case of Lemon v.
Kurtzman, 403 US 602 (1971). This test
is commonly referred to as the "Lemon Test." In order for an action by government to be
constitutional with respect to state/church separation, the Supreme Court held
that the action by government:
1. Must have a secular purpose,
2. Must have a principal or primary effect that neither
advances nor inhibits religion, and
3. Must not foster an excessive entanglement between government and religion.
If any of these 3 prongs are violated, the government's action is deemed unconstitutional under the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.
Not every instance of religion in a government setting is unconstitutional. As an example, if a public square is used throughout the year for expressive activity, the government generally cannot exclude speech by private parties from the public square solely on the basis that the speech has a religious content, so long as it is made clear that the religious speech is an expression of a private party and not that of the government.
The most important parts of being an activist is being observant and being willing to do something about it when you come across an issue. As an activist, you are not expected to be a legal expert. When you come across a state/church separation issue that seems to be improper, there are plenty of people out there who have the experience to advise you as to whether the issue is a genuine problem and to consult with you on strategies for successfully challenging the impropriety. Doing research on cases pertaining to your situation can take a lot of time. Don’t make this a major research project. You don’t have to do all the work yourself. Contact people in your state or U.S. District who know what the issues are and where the line of separation is drawn in your area. It is important to contact these experts because it may be necessary to act quickly. In time you will develop enough experience to determine much more quickly if there is a violation and later why it is. Here are some resources that you can check with to get a variety of perspectives on whether and how to address a state/church separation issue:
Americans United Examples
Of Violations Of Church-State Separation
Americans United Report a Violation
Freedom From Religion Foundation Report a Violation
The Anti-Discrimination Support Network (ADSN) ADSN Report Forms
American Atheist's Dave Silverman, Report a Violation (E-Mail)
Rob Sherman Report a Violation
This example shows how contacts like these can give you the leverage you need
After you determine there is a violation, you need to
determine who the decision maker was that is responsible for implementing it.
Do not contact them by letter, email or fax because it will be completely
ignored. This is what makes some activist groups ineffective. Always confront
the decision maker personally either by phone, private meeting or public
meetings such as School Board and Village Hall meetings. Explain to that person
what your issues are. Explain why the situation is a problem and propose a
solution. Ask for a timetable to get the problem solved and follow up to make
sure it has been resolved. If those tactics don’t work, we then put the
spotlight of publicity on the situation by informing the Newspapers, Radio and
Television Stations. After a few successes, the decision makers will typically
offer to resolve the problem immediately, as long as you don’t call in the
press. Developing a reputation as being somewhat of a media hound will be to
your advantage. In other words, being noticed has its rewards. It is a powerful
tool of intimidation that gives you the necessary leverage to be successful. Because
we are not expert lawyers, we need to use alternative strategies like this. The
strength of this strategy is the threat of public humiliation. For example, it
could let residents know how their tax dollars are being wasted.
If you have been unsuccessful so far, we now want to bring this issue to everyone’s attention. Prepare to give a speech at your local town hall meeting and provide a written statement. Before the meeting, contact your local media outlets like radio and local newspapers to inform them of the upcoming event and what your issues are. Church/State issues are hot topics these days and it may surprise you to find the media eagerly waiting outside for your comments. Make sure your speech is short and concise because you may have a time limit. Make sure you arrive early to sign up for a slot to speak.
The Church and State topic is very controversial these days and controversy is one key element for what is considered newsworthy. It is crucial for you to develop a professional relationship with reporters. Before you call a reporter, make sure to create your own news release. A news release is similar to a newspaper story, having a strong headline and containing facts and quotes. Write your News Release as professionally as possible because it may be published word for word.
News Release Format
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE For more information, contact:
Headline
- A headline should be only one sentence with every word capitalized except for
words like; of, it, the, a, an, from etc…
Introductory Paragraph – City, State Month Day, Year. Your opening paragraph
should cover who, what, when, where, why and how. This is the critical
paragraph that introduces your story and captures the editor’s attention and
desire to learn more. Never use an exclamation mark on any part of a news
release.
Body -
The body of your press release provides details on the information given in
your introductory paragraph. The body should contain at least two paragraphs.
Provide quotes and other relevant information.
Summary
– The final paragraph should restate and summarize the key points of your news
release.
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When possible, other background materials can also be helpful. The reporter will most likely ask for this information so have immediate access to a fax machine or be able to send it by e-mail. Be prepared to send this information on demand. Make sure you contact the appropriate reporter for this subject matter and develop a list of reporters. Click here to find local newspapers with a list of reporters for each You may end up talking to several reporters before one takes the bait. To help prevent the likelihood of having your story ignored, practice your oral presentation. Develop a well focused, 30-second pitch that highlights the essence of your news story. Once you hook them, you can describe in more detail why you are calling and how you can provide them with more information. Of course if you are leaving a message, don’t forget to leave them your phone number. Develop a friendly relationship with reporters. If they write about your story or any other story that you like, call them up and thank them. They will appreciate it, and will be more likely to return your phone call the next time around.
If you are addressing an issue at a town hall meeting in a town which you do not live, you will be ignored. To solve this problem claim that you are there on behalf of a resident who is afraid of publicity because of the potential for social ridicule and harassment at the workplace. This is a very important tactic because it allows you to cover a large area. Once the issue gets publicized, someone else in that community may step forward. Keep your eyes open for any local letters to the editor that expresses support for your position and try to contact these people to ask if they would step forward or if they know anyone that would. The residency issue will most likely come up so be prepared to remind them and the press later that the constitution applies to our entire country and that they do not live on some kind of remote island . Also, let the press know that the focus of non-residency was an attempt to dodge the real issue.
Next, we want to request a meeting with the mayor or some other elected official depending on the circumstances. Request a meeting in writing with specific times and dates and follow it up with a call to the scheduler or secretary to confirm the meeting. This meeting will give you an opportunity to show good character so be tactful, to the point and show up on time. You don’t want to come across as being militant or a cocky know-it-all. Be humble and keep your composure. Follow this meeting up with a thank you letter and provide any additional information asked for during the meeting. If all fails, keep persisting!
If you are serious about becoming an effective Church/State separation activist, these tactics will allow you to cover a large area, and gain some popularity. Once you become somewhat of a celebrity, people will try to contact you concerning Church/State violations in their area. So make sure you can be reached with ease. After a few successful battles, elected officials will begin to take you seriously. They will also think twice before allowing such violations.
After a while you may be hated by a lot of people in your area. This can be depressing to some. To help alleviate this, consider not limiting yourself towards violations that only affect atheists. If you find a violation that prohibits the Free Exercise of religion, tackle that as well. This will help your improve your public image as not being hostile to people's right to be religious. You could also expand your activism towards a variety of other social issues in your community.
One important advantage with this type of activism is that it opens the door to Educational Activism. Once you become popular, chances are good that you will be invited to speak on local radio talk shows and television shows. It is also very likely you’ll be challenged to debates. This is good stuff for community sections of local newspapers, so again get noticed by informing them of the event.
I also want to add that this activism guide works just as well for those who prefer to remain anonymous. You may live in an area in which publicity may pose a threat to you and your family’s personal safety or open the door to harassment at the workplace. You could also lose a lot of friends. Remember, you have the right to remain anonymous! When you talk with the mayor in your town, just let him or her know that.
© Dean R Watson (Email)
AtheistEye.com
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Church-State Court Decisions
American’s United Out-Of-Court Successes