Humanists Launch Groundbreaking Public Relations CampaignFor Immediate Release - Contact: Roy Speckhardt (202) 238-9088 July 28, 2005 (Washington, DC) The American Humanist Association just launched an unprecedented advertising campaign to promote Humanism. Advertisements running in several national publications aim to educate the public on the strong ethical underpinnings of the Humanist lifestance and the relevance of Humanist values to American society. “The AHA is uniquely positioned to show the nation a better option than the intolerant and dogmatic views promoted by the Religious Right,” said Mel Lipman, president of the AHA. “The Religious Right claims to have a monopoly on values, but most people know better—there are millions of ethical nontheistic Americans.” One advertisement running in this month’s Progressive and American Prospect magazines depicts a young, professional woman accompanied by the message: “My values? I’m a Humanist.” Another depicts a father and daughter looking through a telescope and asks: “Children are our future: are we pointing them in the right direction?” The accompanying text accuses the Religious Right of intolerance and compares that to the humanistic value of compassion. “Humanists are strong advocates of religious pluralism, and we have historically avoided promoting our values over that of other traditions,” Lipman said. “But the pervasive influence of religious political extremists has forced us to actively engage in the struggle of ideas. We believe Humanism offers a positive alternative to the intolerant rhetoric of the Religious Right.” This campaign will run nationally through the summer and fall of 2005, and may be extended as the AHA evaluates the need to communicate Humanism’s focus on reason and compassionate ethics. “Humanism is a lifestance that is well-equipped to move society forward and to deal with the pressing ethical challenges that confront us,” said Lipman. “This is demonstrated by the impressive list of people who have accepted the AHA’s annual awards.” Each year the AHA presents awards to individuals who exemplify Humanist values. The 2005 recipients include Nobel laureate Murray Gell-Mann and journalist Amy Goodman. Past recipients include Isaac Asimov, Richard Dawkins, Betty Friedan, Jonas Salk, Margaret Sanger, Alice Walker, and Kurt Vonnegut. Never before has a nontheistic organization run a sustained national advertising campaign. “The swing toward religious extremism has reached a point of crisis,” said Lipman. “We feel it is our duty to act.” See copies of the ads at: # # # 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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