Election season has finally come to a close and the outcome couldn’t be more foreboding for atheists, freethinkers, members of the LGBTQ community, minorities and those who support equal rights and the separation of church and state.
With the election of Donald Trump and Mike Pence, in addition to what is now a conservative majority House of Representatives and Senate – not to mention near-certain appointments of ultra-conservative Supreme Court justices in the future, we are left with a choice: Either wallow in self-pity or rise up and stand together, determined to fight back against the regressive ideologies of those who will soon be in power.
2016 presidential election results
The Tri-State Freethinkers would like to take this opportunity to reaffirm its support of all groups that could be negatively impacted by this outcome.
We support women. With our longstanding relationship with Planned Parenthood, we will continue to fight policies that would negatively affect women’s health issues and rights.
We support the LGBTQ community. We understand that many LGBTQ people are living with uncertainty of how the coming years will affect them. We stand with you and are here for you. We will do everything in our power to protect your rights.
We support all races and ethnic groups. We stand for equality and diversity. There are hate groups in our own backyard and they must be challenged. We cannot afford to remain silent. Silence only benefits the oppressors.
We support science. Decisions should be made on facts and evidence, not beliefs. Our representatives have the right to their own personal religious beliefs, but they do not have the right to impose those beliefs on others.
If you are among these groups, or if you’re an ally, we welcome you. We offer you a place to be yourself and an opportunity to be part of a strong, local non-profit that will work with and for all who desire more inclusion, more diversity, more acceptance, more rationality and fewer restrictions on our freedoms. Find out more by exploring our event calendar and consider adding your strength to ours.
What can you do?
Attend this free event
- Attend this event (pictured above) by the Tri-State Freethinkers on how to identify church/state separation violations.
- Support groups in favor of the separation of church and state, both nationally and locally, with your time and money (see list below).
- Spread awareness of the issues. Talk to people, both online and in person.
- Become educated on what your representatives are doing, contact them to get your voice heard and vote. Here’s how to find who represents you.
Fighting back will not be free. Volunteers are needed for activism, community service, education and social events (our ACES). Here is a list of organizations that need your support:
- American Atheists
- American Civil Liberties Union
- American Humanist Association
- Freedom From Religion Foundation
- Planned Parenthood
- Secular Coalition for America
- Tri-State Freethinkers
- Tri-State Skeptics
If you just need a drink or people to hang and game with, try these social groups:
We hope to see you at an upcoming Tri-State Freethinkers meetup. If you aren’t local, please consider supporting us with a donation.
“United we stand.” This phrase is more important now than ever.
