FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

IOWA ATHEISTS PROTEST THE FAMILY LEADER IN SUPPORT OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND SECULAR DEMOCRACY

Des Moines, IA 07/12/2024- Central Iowa based nonprofit Iowa Atheists and Freethinkers will be protesting the Family Leader Summit outside of Veterans Auditorium on July 12th, 2024 with a message in favor of human rights, equal protection under the law, and secular governance. IAF will be protesting in opposition to Christian Nationalism, faith based legislation in Iowa’s government, and the erosion of democracy and human rights. The protest will begin at 4:00 PM and is open to the public.

The protest is to be peaceful and on public thoroughfares with the intention of dialogue and to raise public awareness that the events being held by Christian Nationalist organizations like The Family Leader are the source of the threats to our democracy and secular governance.

The rights of all Iowans are precious and the well being of our democracy depends on a strict wall between church and state, a wall this governor has consistently attacked and eroded over time. Please join Iowa Atheists and Freethinkers in standing against this subjugation of rights and standing for the separation of church and state, the rights of Iowans, and for secular democracy.

With the rise of Christian nationalism in the United States, as seen explicitly on January 6th 2021, and more recently in the state legislature using religious arguments to justify targeting LGBTQ Iowans, removing the rights of Iowans to their own bodily autonomy, and funneling public funds to sectarian religious institutions, IAF intends to remind the public that church and state are to remain separate. In order to have freedom OF religion, one must have freedom FROM religion and not be compelled to support or fund any faith with public tax dollars nor have laws derived from and justified by faith based sectarian ideals.

Iowa Atheists and Freethinkers, Inc. (IAF) is a non-profit social and educational group based in Des Moines, Iowa, dedicated to supporting local atheists, freethinkers, secular humanists, agnostics, and other non-religious people. IAF is a warm and welcoming community of humanists, atheists, agnostics, freethinkers, and non-theists of all types.

Jason Benell

President

Iowa Atheists and Freethinkers

Iowaatheists.org