Again, received via e-mail from Edwin Kagin
The carefully worded phrase, “Ellen Johnson is leaving her post as President
of the organization,” was designed, when written, to protect rather than to
deceive. Ellen Johnson did “leave her post as President of the
organization,” but she did so involuntarily. Since the foregoing was
published, Ellen Johnson has been involuntarily removed from the Board of
Directors of American Atheists. Edwin.
I have it on good authority that she was removed due to personal issues, not misconduct relating to American Atheists, Inc.
Ellen Johnson was an amazing President of AA, and I will personally miss her. She's a great spokesperson for atheists.
More from Edwin:
Ellen Johnson has been replaced as President of American Atheists. Frank
Zindler is the acting President. A far ranging search has been undertaken to
find a new President. Want to apply? You can find a form at www.atheists.org
Bart Metzler has resigned as American Atheist’s national coordinator of
state and regional directors. He has been replaced by Dave Kong, long time
activist and Florida {sic: Dave was California State Director, Greg McDowell is Florida State Director} State Director for American Atheists. We wish Bart
well, and we congratulate Dave who will do a splendid job.
There have been a lot of comments on our blog site about the changes going
on at American Atheists. Those most vocal in objection to the change in the
presidency of our organization opine in inverse proportion to their
knowledge of the facts of the situation and of the reasons for the actions
of the Board of Directors of American Atheists, a body on which your editor
is now honored to serve as a member. As a member of the Board of Directors,
I can, without violating confidences, assure you that the actions of the
Board were in the best interests of the organization.
Also from acting Pres Frank Zindler at atheists.org:
Let me make it absolutely, bluntly clear: Ellen had done nothing illegal or even close to being illegal leading up to her termination from office. Nevertheless the many issues in dispute were substantial and of great importance if American Atheists is to remain secure, stable, and positioned for growth. As I have observed in reply to several letters I have received concerning the circumstances of the separation, it is like a divorce “for irreconcilable differences.” Just as such divorces can nevertheless often be anguished and painful, so too is the present split. But it is also the case that even bitterly fought divorces can often lead to reconciliation after wounds have been healed by time. We earnestly hope that will be the case here as well.
There is, however, a remaining area of dispute of which readers should be made aware. The Board of the Atheist library corporation CESAALA is asking Ellen to return diaries of Madalyn Murray O’Hair and other memorabilia salvaged from the Murray-O’Hair home back in 1996 after the murder of the ‘First Family of Atheism.’ According to the terms of their joint will, all such personal property was to become the possession of CESAALA “with the stipulation that the library shall forever have the purpose of finding, preserving, and keeping Atheist and related books for research and enlightenment of Atheists.” The Board of Directors considers obtaining the diaries of its corporate founder a fundamental fiduciary duty. As this issue of American Atheist goes to press, no response from Ellen on this issue has been received.
I will miss Ellen, greatly. If you don't know, Ellen and Bart had/have? a personal relationship.
-Cindy in Fort Lauderdale
Edit to add Frank's comments from the AA website.