Selecting an attorney for legal cases is a very important decision. Please enter your information below to receive a Free Consultation from an attorney in your area:
Michigan Civil Rights News
Watchdog Group Calls for NBC Apology
Katie Couric Repeats “No Atheists In Foxholes” Canard: Watchdog Group Calls for NBC Apology An Atheist civil rights group is calling for an apology from the NBC television network over remarks made by “Today Show” host Katie Couric in a segment aired on Wednesday, April 5, 2006 that included the statement: “There are no Atheists in foxholes.”
The remarks came in an introduction to Lester Holt’s piece on “God, America & War,” which profiled the role of religious faith in times of military conflict. Couric said: “Perhaps you have heard the expression, ‘There are no Atheists in foxholes,’ and the men who have occupied the oval office have also turned to a higher power.” The program included mention of a book (American Gospel : God, the Founding Fathers, and the Making of a Nation by Jon Meacham) detailing the role of religion in American history. There was NO mention, however, of the secular tradition in the United States, nor was there any critical examination of the claim that “There are no Atheists in Foxholes.”
On Veterans’ Day, 2005, Atheists, Freethinkers, Humanists and other nonbelievers from across the country were in Washington, DC for the first “Atheists in Foxholes” rally (see: http://www.atheistfoxholes.org).
“We are asking for Katie Couric and NBC to issue a statement recognizing that there ARE and have been ‘Atheists in Foxholes’ serving this nation and upholding our secular Constitution,” said Ellen Johnson, President of American Atheists. “It would be unfair and discriminatory to claim, for instance, ‘There are no blacks’ or ‘There are no gays’ in foxholes. We want to educate the public and our media, about this serious misconception.”
Dave Silverman, Communications Director for American Atheists, said that NBC needs to recognize that there are over 30 million people in the United States who profess “no religion” (American Religion Identification Survey).
“It’s wrong to single out a whole segment of Americans by using an inaccurate and disparaging cliché,” said Silverman. “Many citizens have served our country with honor, and this includes Atheists,” said Mr. Silverman.
American Atheists is a nationwide movement which defends the civil rights of nonbelievers, works for the separation of church and state, and addresses issues of First Amendment public policy.
Definition:
The smaller part of a group. A group within a country or state that differs in race, religion or national origin from the dominant group.
Disparate Treatment
Definition:
Inconsistent application of rules and policies to an individual or one group of people over another. Discrimination may result when rules and policies are applied differently to members of protected classes. Disciplining Hispanic and Afro-American employees for tardiness, while ignoring tardiness among other employees, is an example of disparate treatment.
Discrimination
Definition:
Discrimination is defined in civil rights law as unfavorable or unfair treatment of a person or class of persons in comparison with others who are not members of the protected class because of race, sex, color, religion, national origin, age, physical/mental disability, or reprisal for opposition to discriminatory practices or participation in the EEO process.
If you live in the following cities and need an Civil-Right attorney you should contact
our Civil-Right Attorney as soon as possible:
Adrian
Ann Arbor
Battle Creek
Bay City
Belleville
Canton
Clinton Township
Dearborn
Dearborn Heights
Detroit
East Lansing
Flint
Grand Blanc
Grand Rapids
Hamtramck
Highland Park
Holland
Howell
Jackson
Lansing
Lincoln Park
Livonia
Macomb
Mount Pleasant
Muskegon
Niles
Northville
Plymouth
Port Huron
Redford
Rochester
Roseville
Saginaw
Sterling Heights
Taylor
Traverse City
Trenton
Troy
Warren
Westland
Wyandotte
Ypsilanti
Legal Disclaimers All attorney listings are a paid attorney advertisement, and do not in any way constitute a referral or endorsement by an approved or authorized lawyer referral service. The information provided on Michigan Civil Rights Attorneys.com is not intended to be legal advice, but merely conveys
general information related to legal issues commonly encountered. Your access
to and use of this website is subject to additional Terms
and Conditions.
Local Professional? Generate new business today
Call 866-227-9356 or contact a sales rep
Did You Know?