Press Release

National Day of Reason Celebrated as Alternative to National Day of Prayer

(Washington, DC, May 1, 2003) Today the American Humanist Association (AHA) and the Washington Area Secular Humanists (WASH) held an event at the National Press Club announcing the National Day of Reason (NDR) an alternative to the National Day of Prayer. Edd Doerr, president of Americans for Religious Liberty, said, “Whereas the government-sanctioned sectarianism inherent in the National Day of Prayer is unduly exclusionary, celebrating reason is universal. All religious and non-religious people recognize the value of reason.”

Simultaneous NDR events are taking place in over a dozen locations across the country. The website listed 45 national and local group endorsements along with hundreds of individual endorsers from 46 states and the District of Columbia.

Dr. Steven Goldberg, a WASH board member, said, “Today we stand against the constitutional abuse given credence by the White House in the form of the National Day of Prayer. The National Day of Reason is a thoughtful alternative to government-sponsored religious activities, and the NDR events show what many Americans are doing to oppose the church-state alliance the Bush administration is forcing upon the country.”

Tony Hileman, executive director of the AHA, called on others to join in this effort, “On behalf of all the groups involved, we ask people to stand together with us to support reason, religious freedom, and our constitutional right to keep the government out of our private religious or philosophic beliefs.”

The National Day of Reason (www.nationaldayofreason.org) celebrates reason - a concept all Americans can support - and raises public awareness about the persistent threat to religious liberty posed by government intrusion into the private sphere of worship.

Speeches from the Press Conference, May 1, 2003:
Edd Doerr
Steven Goldberg
Tony Hileman

National Day of Reason Press Coverage

Press Room