AMERICAN ATHEISTS
http://www.atheists.org
Pope Demo Update 4/15/08

In this Update:
* Pope pickets in Washington, DC Wednesday, April 16 ~ NW corner,
Lafayette Park
* New York City demo details released -- Saturday, April 19
* Austin, TX demo Sunday, April 20, 2008
* Endorse the pope protests!
* Take action!

AMERICAN ATHEISTS

http://www.atheists.org/temp/popeVisit2008.html

THE POPE IS COMING TO AMERICA...
And WeÂ’ll be Ready to Protest the VaticanÂ’s Oppressive and Theocratic
Agenda for Our Country and the Rest of the World!

POPE BENEDICT, a/k/a Joseph Ratzinger – formerly head of the Holy
Inquisition and now Pope of the Roman Catholic Church – is coming to
visit the United States/ Leading clerical and political figures –
including President George W. Bush – will be meeting in him during
papal visits to Washington, DC and New York City.

AMERICAN ATHEISTS will be hosting peaceful demonstrations in both
cities to protest the papal agenda for cultural, social and political
hegemony. We invite all Atheist, Freethought, Secular Humanists and
other nonbelievers to join us in speaking out. Whatever label you use
to describe your nonbelief and opposition to clerical authoritarianism
of all denominations – whether you’re a Rational, a Bright, a Humanist,
Agnostic, Atheist, or a strict Separationist – we welcome you!

WASHINGTON, DC. ~ SLIGHT CHANGE OF VENUE FOR LAFAYETTE PARK PROTEST

April 16, 2008

The Pope will join Bush for a reception on the south lawn of the White
House. Join us beginning at 10:00 AM across the street from the White
House in Lafayette Park. Gather at the Northwest corner of the park.
Bring signs and banners conveying a polite but firm message in
opposition to the Vatican/Ratzinger agenda. There will be a brief
program of speakers including:

* ELLEN JOHNSON, President of American Atheists
* ARLENE-MARIE, President of Michigan Atheists and State Director,
AA
* MARGARET DOWNEY, President of Atheist Alliance
* FRED EDWORDS, Director of Communications, American Humanist
Association
* CHRISTOPHER ARNTZEN, President, Gay and Lesbian Atheists and
Humanists
* RICK WINGROVE, Capitol Hill Representative, Virginia Director,
American Atheists

Lafayette Park is convenient to the McPherson Square station of the
METRO.

For further information, contact RICK WINGROVE at
rwingrove@atheists.org.
NEW YORK CITY, NY.

On Saturday, April 19, 2008 the Pope will celebrate Mass at St.
Patrick's Cathedral. Gather at 5th Avenue and 47th St. with
appropriate signs and banners beginning promptly at 8:30 AM. Ken
Bronstein of NYC Atheists is the demonstration coordinator; he reports
that we will be on the west side sidewalk of 5th Ave. between 46th and
47th streets. Police will likely shut down both people and street
traffic on 5th Avenue in the vicinity of the church.

Contact KEN BRONSTEIN of NYC Atheists. Reach Ken through
NYCATHEISTS@aol.com.
TEXAS DEMO TO SUPPORT PAPAL VISIT
PROTEST SLATED FOR SUNDAY, APRIL 20, 2008

Pope Benedict XVI isn't coming to the Lone Star State as part of his
U.S. tour, but American Atheists Texas State Director Joe Zamecki will
be hosting a demonstration to speak out against the Vatican agenda.
He's posted a great video about this at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1W5BIMsWm4w . Here's the skinny from
Joe on what's slated for Austin, Texas:

The Pope is coming to America for five days! We've got to take this
rare opportunity to demonstrate against him and his church while he's
in America. As picket-worthy groups go, this is the big one, the most
deserving one. We're going to have a peaceful picket of a popular and
very visible Catholic church here in Austin. The sidewalk is wide and
unobstructed, the parking is free, this is in a very high visibility
area that's already been the site of a lot of picketing and other
demonstrations over the years. I've already checked into the
demonstration legalities of that location, and it's simple. We don't
need a permit to picket peacefully on the sidewalk next to Guadalupe
Street. That's more than enough room. I will make sure that we give
plenty of notice to the police, and get their blessing for the whole
thing. They're very demonstration-friendly police here.

WHO: Joe Zamecki and other Texas Atheists

WHAT: Pope Picket 2008, Austin

WHERE: St. Austin's Catholic Church, 2026 Guadalupe St., Austin TX
78705, on the Drag across the street from UT Austin

WHY: To protest the huge number of harmful acts the Catholic Church is
currently engaged in, in addition to the state/church violations

WHEN: Sunday, April 20, 2008 starting around 8:30am, and lasting as
long as we can handle the bells which ring throughout the day. The
objective is to be seen and heard by their congregants as they enter
and leave that church.

VIDEO: I made a Youtube video about The Drag and this picket:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1W5BIMsWm4w

MORE INFO: We can meet up there, since it's so easy to find, and
parking meters in Austin are all free on Sundays.
For more information about this Austin picket: jzamecki@atheists.org
And: (512)927-6863, or visit http://www.atheists.org/tx .

We'll have two new picket signs specific to this event that I've just
had made. Please feel free to make and bring your own signs without
sticks or poles. I'll have fliers about the picket and the church and
the Pope, and at least one press release from American Atheists about
it.
After the picket, there are a number of good restaurants and bars in
the area for us to have lunch at, or whatever. Also I will be
videotaping the entire demonstration, so let's look nice and wear big
smiles. :o)

Joe Zamecki

ENDORSING ORGANIZATIONS

* Atheists of Silicon Valley
* Michigan Atheists
* American Humanist Association
* Free Inquiry Group of Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky

If your Atheist, Freethought, Humanist or Secularist group would like
to endorse the pope protests, let us know and we will list your group
on our web site at http://www.atheists.org/temp/popeVisit2008.html .
Contact cg@atheists.org with the name of the endorsing organization and
the appropriate URL.

TAKE ACTION!

We urge all Atheist, Humanist, Freethought and other secularist groups
to organize peaceful protests in their communities during the time of
the papal visit. Send details to cg@atheists.org and we will work to
publicize your event.

(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.)