The Atheist Alliance: Religion-free And Proud Of It

We are the last of the social pariahs in the United States. Atheists are the only citizens who cannot be elected to public office if their unbelief is known, and the only group that some dictionaries actually define as synonymous with immorality, wickedness and sinfulness. The Atheist Alliance Inc. (AAI) seeks to change this. We are proud to be religion-free.

Unique among national organizations, AAI is dedicated to coalition-building as a primary function. The assaults on our intellectual integrity and ethical sense are so relentless that only a concerted effort by all freethought groups offers any hope that we will prevail. AAI seeks to work with like-minded organizations to achieve a united front. We must lobby together, take legal action together, and mount protests together. There is strength in unity, but only marginal successes at best and ineffective posturing at worst by going it alone.

As a step toward united nationwide action, AAI has established the Coalition to Advance Rational Thinking (CART). This is a free-wheeling vehicle for collaboration to be used by all freethought groups. AAI does not "own" CART. Any group, or even an individual, can initiate a CART project that advances freethought goals. The initiator runs the project and is the media contact. All groups that agree with the project sign on as supporters to give credibility and strength. There are many national and local freethought organizations. If all signed on to each other's projects, the list of supporters would be extensive, impressive, and effective.

AAI is also unique in that another primary function is to help establish strong independent atheist organizations in every state. The local level is where atheists can be most effective in preserving state-church separation and defending the rights of atheists. This is where we can best reach our elected local, state and federal representatives because we are part of their constituency. This is where we can best affect public opinion because we are part of our community. AAI provides a connecting link for these local groups so a chain of concerted action can be created for both nationwide and local purposes.

AAI is completely democratic. Every member society elects its own representatives to the AAI Board of Directors. This board elects the executive officers. The member societies are the Atheist Alliance. They have direct control over developing and implementing organizational policies.

AAI consists entirely of local groups working together to help each other
and to help new groups get established

1. Neither member societies nor individuals pay dues to AAI. Instead, they participate in carrying out management tasks and outreach projects. When needed, and as they are able, they donate funds to help another member society in financial distress, or to provide seed money to help a new group get started, or to establish and/or maintain Alliance projects.
   
   
2. For membership in AAI, there are only two requirements: Groups must operate democratically and be atheist-oriented, whether or not they use "atheist" in their name. They are in all other respects completely independent. They can affiliate with any other organization and operate in any way they wish as long as their activities do not embarrass or disgrace atheism or the Alliance. AAI holds to a high level of integrity and will not support or defend any atheist organization, leader or spokesperson who publicly discredits atheism by being abusive, authoritarian or by engaging in any other unethical behavior.
   
   
3. AAI distributes atheist video programs produced and/or sponsored by member societies nationwide through Public Access TV. The public will never seek us out, so we must go to the public with a consistent atheist message and a positive image. Television is currently the most effective means of doing this.
   
   
4. Our TV project and web site help us find atheists in scattered areas and new members for local groups. We invite clusters of scattered individual atheists to organize, even if only to socialize, and we help them do it.
   
   
5. AAI publishes Secular Nation, a quarterly magazine to which writers from member societies contribute a wide variety of insightful and substantive material. The result is a uniquely "grassroots" publication by and for atheists.
   
   
6. Member societies are encouraged to take turns hosting the annual AAI national convention. AAI helps with detailed instructions, lends money for up-front expenses, and does a mass nationwide mailing of the convention brochure. Although it is the general practice of national organizations to keep all the revenue generated by a convention, even though the local membership necessarily does most of the work, AAI shares the revenue equally with the host society. AAI conventions have consistently netted a substantial income while keeping costs to attendees among the lowest for national freethought conventions.
   
   
7. AAI provides member societies with sample bylaws and information on how to incorporate and file for IRS 501(c)(3) tax exempt status so donations are tax-deductible. This status permits organizations to engage in issues-oriented political activity if it takes no more than around 5% of their income. AAI can also advise on how to file for state sales tax exemption where state laws allow this for non-religious nonprofit groups.
   
   
8. For individual atheists who have no local group available, AAI has the Atheist Outreach program, which connects scattered atheists through a newsletter provided quarterly.
   
   All groups within the Community of Reason are welcome to join AAI
   and unite in coalition to achieve a secular nation.
   
   a report from Gene and Kerry