Press Release

Humanists Lack Faith in Bush's "Compassionate" Conservatism, Expect Even Less Compassion in State of the Union Address

For Immediate Release - Contact: Roy Speckhardt (202) 238-9088

(Washington, D.C., January 19, 2004) "President Bush's attempt to portray himself as a compassionate conservative throughout his 2003 State of the Union address was not reinforced by his actions which catered to the Religious Right," states Mel Lipman, president of the American Humanist Association (AHA).

In the 2003 State of the Union address, Bush announced a global AIDS initiative committing "$15 billion over the next five years, including nearly $10 billion in new money, to turn the tide against AIDS in the most afflicted nations of Africa and the Caribbean," treating "at least 2 million people." "But," says Lipman, "this year he's more concerned with funding a mission to Mars than he is about saving lives. The $1 billion dollars proposed for that venture could treat 400,000 people with AIDS instead of the 1,000 that were reached since his high-sounding statement."

The planned funding is authorized for abstinence-only programs, such as those endorsed by religious conservatives, rather than programs advocating scientifically sound sex education and the use of condoms to prevent the spread of HIV. "At this critical time it's urgent to eliminate barriers to proven programs, not erect new obstructions," adds Lipman.

Bush promoted faith-based initiatives in his 2003 address, citing a Baton Rouge church-affiliated drug-abuse program, as the type of organization the federal government should support. Despite that group's insistence that it relies "solely on the foundation of the Word of God to break the bands of addiction," the Bush administration claimed such funds wouldn't fund proselytization. But just five days before the 2004 address, President Bush touted faith-based programs declaring "the miracle of salvation" is the key to solving many of society's more intractable problems. "Clearly Bush has no qualms about government funding of religion," states Lipman, "no matter what the First Amendment says on the subject."

"The work of compassion, providing social services to the needy and underprivileged, should be wholly endorsed by the federal government. But faith-based programs paid for with tax dollars are an utter disregard for the principle of church-state separation," continues Lipman.

Also during the last State of the Union address Bush said, "I have a message for the brave and oppressed people of Iraq: Your enemy is not surrounding your country -- your enemy is ruling your country." He also states, "And as we and our coalition partners are doing in Afghanistan, we will bring to the Iraqi people food and medicines and supplies -- and freedom." Yet a year later the Iraqi civilian body count is between eight and ten thousand, and tens of thousands are protesting in Basra because the Bush administration refuses to allow democratic self-governance in Iraq. The U.S.-backed Iraqi Governing Council has voted to eliminate freedoms Iraqi women used to enjoy; no longer is there a prohibition on marriage below the age of 18; arbitrary divorce and male favoritism in child custody and property inheritance disputes are now acceptable for the first time in decades.

AHA executive director Tony Hileman suggests, "Perhaps Bush feels that he must destroy Iraq in order to save it, but that is not a strategy for peace and stability."

One of the key issues likely to be addressed in tomorrow's State of the Union Address is the Bush administration's $1.5 billion "marriage proposal" to help low-income couples develop interpersonal skills that sustain "healthy marriages." The president plans to present himself as a "compassionate conservative" to churches in poor neighborhoods to promote marriage. Yet his real motive is to prevent the expansion of marriage to gays and lesbians. "Let us not be mislead by President Bush's grandiose rhetoric of 'compassionate conservatism' in this year's State of the Union Address. His real agenda is to impose his personal far right religious beliefs, politicized through public office," concludes Hileman.

The American Humanist Association is the oldest and largest Humanist organization in the nation. The AHA is dedicated to ensuring a voice for those with a positive nontheistic outlook, based on reason and experience, which embraces all of humanity .

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