Mississippi A.C.L.U. Rejects $20,000 from Atheists for Alternate Prom

[Ian David]

To avoid further controversy, the American Civil Liberties Union of Mississippi has rejected a $20,000 gift intended to underwrite an alternate prom replacing one canceled by a local school district after a lesbian student demanded that she be allowed to attend with her girlfriend.

The gift, to sponsor one of several privately sponsored alternate events, came from the American Humanist Association, an advocacy group whose mission is to promote “good without God.”

“Although we support and understand organizations like yours, the majority of Mississippians tremble in terror at the word ‘atheist,’ ” Jennifer Carr, the fund-raiser for the A.C.L.U of Mississippi, wrote in an e-mail message to Roy Speckhardt, executive director of the humanist group.

According to Matthew Sheffield, a spokesman for the Mississippi Safe Schools Coalition, the organization arranging the event, the A.C.L.U. of Mississippi did not have authority to decline the gift.

More:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/01/us/01prom.html

Hat-tip to: http://twitter.com/atheistalliance/status/11424728381

[kirby]

1. The ACLU did this? Insane! n/t

[Ian David]

2. The Mississippi ACLU. Not the national ACLU. n/t

[RaleighNCDUer]

3. So make the donation to the national ACLU, with the stipulation that the

national organization in turn donate the same amount to the Mississippi ACLU.

[Fumesucker]

4. Clearly, religious bigotry is alive, well and totally accepted in Mississippi..

Not surprising but still a little hurtful.

[Ian David]

5. Humanists Feeling Sting of Rejection by ACLU Chapter, Contribution2 Alternate Prom Remains Uncertain

Washington, DC, April 1, 2010

Humanists across the nation are still reeling from a surprising refusal of their offered donation of $20,000 to underwrite an alternate prom replacing one canceled by a local school district after a lesbian student asked that she be allowed to attend with her girlfriend. As reported in today's New York Times, the American Civil Liberties Union of Mississippi has rejected the assistance of the AHA due to its nontheistic worldview. Said the ACLU spokesperson, "Although we support and understand organizations like yours, the majority of Mississippians tremble in terror at the word 'atheist.' These Southern Baptist types are mainly what makes up the town of Fulton."

With that letter it seemed that the AHA may have earned the distinction of being the first organization to be too controversial for the ACLU. However, the ACLU seems to recognize the shortcomings of these comments, and has since apologized.

"We accept the apology, but we feel that an apology is owed not just to us but to the people of Mississippi," said David Niose, president of the American Humanist Association. "To suggest that the good people of Mississippi are so unenlightened that they can't be accepting and welcoming to the goodwill of a humanist group is insulting to them, not just to us. We are confident that our involvement would have been met with warmth and Southern hospitality."

"There has been some confusion about alleged 'conditions' placed on our contribution," added AHA's executive director Roy Speckhardt in responding to ACLU-MS's Kristy Bennett's statement that the AHA attached conditions to its gift that would provide difficulty for organizers of the event. "We have no conditions other than the expectation that we will receive the same level of recognition as other sponsors donating similar amounts. If anyone was providing a condition, it was the ACLU chapter not the AHA, in suggesting that we contribute anonymously." Speckhardt referred to the spokesperson's statement that "If you would still like to contribute we would be thrilled, but I understand if you do not feel comfortable contributing a donation that you will not be recognized for."

More:
http://americanhumanist.org/news/details/2010-04-humanists-feeling-sting-of-rejection-by-aclu-chapter-