Support Imprisoned Atheist Bloggers In Bangladesh

Police recently arrested these atheist bloggers in Bangladesh after they were accused of "defaming Islam and the prophet Mohammed." As a result of their atheistic blogs, each faces up to 10 years in jail for something that should never be a crime in any country that claims to respect religious freedom and the freedom of expression.

This isn’t the first case of atheist bloggers being arrested for a “crime” against religion. We informed you last year about Egyptian atheist Alber Saber, who was arrested and remains in prison for insulting Islam and the prophet Mohammed.

This alarming trend of arresting atheists is spreading throughout the world. I need your help to raise awareness of the situation to high-level government officials who must take action now.

Please do your part in protecting freedom of speech by demanding that the U.S. Ambassador to Bangladesh lodge a formal complaint with the Government of Bangladesh over these anti-democratic arrests.

Religious beliefs should be respected, even if they differ drastically from our own. However, religious groups and individuals must remember that they are not immune from having their beliefs questioned, nor do they have the right to imprison others who they feel have insulted their faith.

Stand up to the international prosecution of atheists by contacting the U.S. Ambassador to Bangladesh today.

April Fools in North Carolina Pursue State Religion

Without intended irony on April Fools' Day, Republican Rowan County Reps. Harry Warren and Carl Ford introduced House Joint Resolution 494 to establish a state religion in North Carolina.

Unbelievably, the bill has already attracted 12 other equally ignorant sponsors. It’s no joking matter that 14 people who have absolutely no understanding of our Constitution have been elected state legislators.

Someone needs to tell these legislative Rip Van Winkles that under the 14th amendment adopted in 1868, state citizens have the same protections under the federal Bill of Rights as federal citizens:

“No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States, nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty, or property without due process of law, nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.”

The Establishment Clause of the First Amendment, reading “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof . . .” also means “State legislators shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion.” Thomas Jefferson’s “wall of separation between church and state” extends to state as well as federal citizens.

These legislators refuse to acknowledge any federal judicial ruling over a constitutional topic, such as government prayer. Their rancor over the First Amendment stems from conflicts over government prayer. They’re especially mad at the ACLU right now, which is suing over sectarian Christian prayer by the Rowan County Board, N.C. They’re also mad at complaints over statehouse prayer. The Freedom From Religion Foundation has formally complained over overtly Christian prayer in the state Senate, for example, where a state Senate chaplain routinely offers overtly Christian prayers.

Read the Freedom from Religion Foundation's letter to the Senate.
Read FFRF’s letter to the House.