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'[[File:Reason Rally-Crowd-3.JPG|thumb|300px|[[Atheists]] and [[irreligious]] people gathered for the Reason Rally on the [[National Mall]].]] The first '''Reason Rally''' was a public gathering for [[secularism]] and [[religious skepticism]] held on the [[National Mall]] in [[Washington, D.C.]] on March 24, 2012.<ref>Aratani, Lori, " 'Godless Rally' in D.C. for Recognition and Respect", ''[[The Washington Post]]'', C1, C10; Sunday, March 25, 2012.</ref><ref name=About>{{cite web|title=Reason Rally - About|url=http://reasonrally.org/about/|access-date=April 7, 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120402171445/http://reasonrally.org/about/|archive-date=April 2, 2012}}</ref> The rally was sponsored by major [[atheism|atheistic]] and secular organizations of the United States and was regarded as a "[[Woodstock]] for atheists and skeptics". A second Reason Rally was held on June 4, 2016 at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.. Speakers and performers at the first rally included biologist [[Richard Dawkins]], physicist [[Lawrence M. Krauss]], musician [[Tim Minchin]], ''[[MythBusters]]'' co-host [[Adam Savage]], actor-comedian [[Eddie Izzard]], [[Paul Provenza]], [[PZ Myers]], [[Jessica Ahlquist]], [[Dan Barker]], and magician [[James Randi]], among others.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.reasonrally.org/speakers-2/ |title=Speakers |publisher=Reason Rally |access-date=2012-06-18 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120606192653/http://reasonrally.org/speakers-2/ |archive-date=2012-06-06 }}</ref> The punk rock band [[Bad Religion]] performed and other notables (Rep. [[Pete Stark]], Sen. [[Tom Harkin]], comedian [[Bill Maher]], magician [[Penn Jillette]]) addressed the crowd by video link. Participants recited the [[Pledge of Allegiance (United States)|Pledge of Allegiance]], deliberately omitting the phrase "under God", which was added by the [[U.S. Congress]] in 1954 (How classic of them...quite disrespectful). Veterans of the [[U.S. Armed Forces]] were represented, and a retired [[United States Army|Army]] colonel, Kirk Lamb, led veterans in an affirmation of their secular [[United States Uniformed Services Oath of Office|military oaths]].<ref>Torpy, Jason, [http://blog.militaryatheists.org/ “Reason Rally shows patriotism and military support”] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120320172315/http://blog.militaryatheists.org/ |date=2012-03-20 }}, ''Atheists in Foxholes News'', 26 March 2012.</ref> Speakers urged those assembled to contact local and national representatives and ask them to support church-state separation, science education, marriage equality for gays and lesbians, and ending government support of faith-based organizations, among other causes.<ref>{{cite news| last = Winston| first = Kimberly| title = ''Nonbelievers flex their political muscles''|year = 2012|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/on-faith/nonbelievers-flex-their-political-muscles/2012/05/09/gIQABIAnDU_story.html|access-date =May 9, 2012}}</ref> According to the official website of the first rally, the aim of the Reason Rally was to "unify, energize, and embolden secular people nationwide, while dispelling the negative opinions held by so much of American society."<ref name=About /> The website had predicted it would be "the largest secular event in world history." ''[[The Atlantic]]'' said 20,000 people were in attendance.<ref>Benjamin Fearnow & Mickey Woods, [https://www.theatlantic.com/national/print/2012/03/richard-dawkins-preaches-to-nonbelievers-at-reason-rally/255012/ "Richard Dawkins Preaches to Nonbelievers at Reason Rally"], ''The Atlantic'', March 24, 2012.</ref> ''[[Religion News Service]]'' said 8,000–10,000.<ref name=winston /> The documentary ''[[The Unbelievers]]'' says that over 30,000 people attended the rally.<ref>Gus Holwerda, [http://unbelieversmovie.com/ "The Unbelievers"] April 2013</ref> There are no official crowd estimates of events on the Mall. The second rally, the Reason Rally for 2016, was billed as "a celebration of fact-driven public policy, the value of [[critical thinking]], and the voting power of secular Americans".<ref>[http://reasonrally.org/about/ Speak Up for Reason!] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120402171445/http://reasonrally.org/about/ |date=2012-04-02 }}</ref> The weekend of the Rally included advocacy events and conference sessions. ==Purpose of the first rally== According to the first rally's official website, the event had three main goals:<ref name=About /> *To encourage attendees (and those who couldn’t attend) to [[coming out|come "out]] of the [[closeted|closet]]" as secular Americans, or supporters of secular equality. *To dispel stereotypes ("there is no one 'True Atheist' "). Participation by [[nontheism|non-theists]] of all political persuasions, ethnicities, genders, and backgrounds was encouraged. The intent was to show that there are secular Americans in every major demographic. *Legislative equality. Secular Americans should be permitted to run for public office and adequately represent non-theists, just as theists in office represent their constituents. Non-theists deserve a seat at the table just as theists do; the rally should put secular values "on the radar" of American voters. [[David Silverman (activist)|David Silverman]] was the creator and executive producer of the event, and the president of the Reason Rally Coalition. Organizers said the aim of the rally was twofold: to unite individuals with similar beliefs and to show the American public that the number of people who don’t believe in God is large and growing. “We have the numbers to be taken seriously,” said Paul Fidalgo, spokesman for the [[Center for Inquiry]], which promotes the [[scientific method]] and reasoning and was one of the organizations sponsoring the rally. “We’re not just a tiny fringe group.”<ref name=Washington>{{cite news|last=Aratani|first=Lori|title=Atheists, others gather at Reason Rally|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/atheists-others-to-gather-at-reason-rally/2012/03/23/gIQAvqY2WS_story.html|access-date=6 April 2012|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|date=24 March 2012}}</ref> According to rally spokesman [[Jesse Galef]], diversity with the attendees was a focus this year, he stated 'We can't succeed if we are only coming from one demographic'". Comparing the 2012 rally to the 2002 Godless rally which was mainly over-40 white men, the attendees were "largely under the age of 30, at least half female and included many people of color".<ref name=winston>{{cite news|last=Winston|first=Kimberly|title=Atheists Rally On National Mall; The 'Reason Rally' Largest Gathering Of Nonbelievers (PHOTOS)|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/24/atheist-rally_n_1377443.html#s811235&title=Reason_Rally_on|work=Huffington Post|access-date=2012-05-02|date=March 24, 2012}}</ref> Speaking to [[NPR]] prior to the rally, American Atheist president David Silverman stated that this is a coming-of-age event for atheists, "We'll look back at the Reason Rally as one of the game-changing events when people started to look at atheism and look at atheists in a different light".<ref>{{cite web|last=Hagerty|first=Barbara|title='Woodstock For Atheists': A Moment For Nonbelievers|url=https://www.npr.org/2012/03/23/149021993/woodstock-for-atheists-a-moment-for-nonbelievers|publisher=[[NPR]]|access-date=2012-05-02}}</ref> With goals of bringing unity, energy, and visibility to the secular demographic, the rally can be seen as a manifestation of the [[secular movement]] that emerged in America and elsewhere in the first decade of the twenty-first century. Writing for ''[[The Guardian]]'' Sarah Posner states that the Reason Rally was modeled on the LGBT movement, encouraging people to 'come out' about their non-belief and working to humanize atheism by getting "people to personalize someone they'd always thought of as an 'other.'" Once people realize that their neighbor, co-worker or family member is an atheist it goes a long way towards acceptance. Politics played a large part of the Rally according to Posner; considering that there is only one openly atheist American Congressperson, there is a lot of work to still be done.<ref>{{cite news|last=Posner|first=Sarah|title=''Can the Reason Rally resonate in this most religious of democracies?''|url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/cifamerica/2012/mar/26/reason-rally-resonate-religious-democracy|newspaper=[[The Guardian]]|access-date=2012-05-03|location=London|date=March 26, 2012}}</ref> ==Sponsors of the first rally== {{col-begin}} {{col-break}} * [[American Atheists]] * [[American Humanist Association]] * Atheist Alliance of America * Atheist Nexus * [[The Brights]] * [[Camp Quest]] * [[Center for Inquiry]] {{col-break}} * [[Foundation Beyond Belief]] * [[Freedom From Religion Foundation]] * Freethought Society * [[James Randi Educational Foundation]] * [[Military Association of Atheists & Freethinkers]] * National Atheist Party * [[Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science|Richard Dawkins Foundation]] {{col-break}} * [[Secular Coalition for America]] * [[Secular Student Alliance]] * [[Society for Humanistic Judaism]] * Stiefel Freethought Foundation * [[United Coalition of Reason]] * Washington Area Secular Humanists {{col-end}} ==Response to the first rally== [[File:Reason Rally-Crowd-2.JPG|thumb|Reason Rally crowd]] [[File:Greg Graffin of Bad Religion sings the National Anthem at the Reason Rally. National Mall, Washington, DC, 2012.jpg|thumb|[[Greg Graffin]] of [[Bad Religion]] sings the National Anthem at the Reason Rally.]] [[File:26-Jessica Ahlquist-1.JPG|thumb|[[Jessica Ahlquist]] speaks at the Reason Rally]] ===Support of the first rally=== In the ''[[Huffington Post]]'', Staks Rosch praised the rally. He stated that atheists "face a great deal of discrimination and fear of discrimination for being outspoken" and that many "fear having their families disown them, losing their jobs, or simply being harassed by the religious."<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/staks-rosch/why-the-reason-rally-is-w_b_1326705.html | title=Why The Reason Rally is Worth Coming Out For | author=Staks Rosch | work=Huffington Post | date=March 8, 2012 | access-date=March 17, 2012 }}</ref> [[David Niose]], the president of the [[American Humanist Association]] stated that "The secular demographic does not claim to have a monopoly on rationality, but it does feel that it has something to offer. By rallying in Washington, seculars are not whining about some imagined victimization, but rather they are exercising a voice that has been silenced for too long."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2012/03/24/reason-rally-is-coming-out-party-for-secular-movement/ |title=Reason Rally is a coming out party for the secular movement |publisher=Foxnews.com |date=2010-04-07 |access-date=2012-06-18}}</ref> [[Nathan Phelps|Nate Phelps]], an atheist and estranged son of [[Fred Phelps]], the founder of the fringe group, [[Westboro Baptist Church]], supported the Reason Rally and was among the event's speakers.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/03/15/10706741-westboro-church-pastors-son-to-face-off-against-dads-picketers-at-atheist-rally | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120316204314/http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/03/15/10706741-westboro-church-pastors-son-to-face-off-against-dads-picketers-at-atheist-rally | url-status=dead | archive-date=March 16, 2012 | title=Westboro church pastor's son to face off against dad's picketers at atheist rally | publisher=msnbc.com | date=March 15, 2012 | access-date=March 17, 2012 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/15/nate-phelps-westboro-baptist-church_n_1348861.html | title=Nate Phelps, Son Of Westboro Baptist Church Pastor, To Speak At Reason Rally | work=Huffington Post | date=March 15, 2012 | access-date=March 17, 2012 | first=Simon | last=McCormack}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=http://global.christianpost.com/news/westboro-to-protest-reason-rally-where-phelps-atheist-son-will-speak-71594/ | title=Westboro to Protest 'Reason Rally' Where Phelps' Atheist Son Will Speak | newspaper=The Christian Post | date=March 16, 2012 | access-date=March 17, 2012 }}</ref> ===Criticism of the first rally=== The Reason Rally elicited criticism for the [[antitheism|antitheist]] rhetoric and tone that some speakers employed, since its purpose is to reject religion and [[superstition]]s, in favor of employing reason and promoting a secular lifestyle. Editorial writers such as Nathalie [[Rothschild]]<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/nathalie-rothschild/why-the-reason-rally-isnt_b_1320748.html |title=Why The Reason Rally Isn't Worth Coming Out For |first=Nathalie |last=Rothschild |work=[[Huffington Post]] |date=March 5, 2012 |access-date=March 17, 2012}}</ref> and Tom Gilson, <ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/guest-voices/post/atheists-dont-own-reason/2012/03/21/gIQA4JWUSS_blog.html |title=Atheists don’t own reason |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |date=March 21, 2012 |first=Tom |last=Gilson}}</ref> and representatives of various religious communities, such as [[Rabbi Brad Hirschfield]] of the [[National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership]]<ref name="fox">{{cite news | url=http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2012/03/24/why-reason-rally-is-unreasonable/|title=Why the Reason Rally is unreasonable |publisher=[[Fox News]] |date=March 26, 2012}}</ref> and [[William Anthony Donohue]] of the [[Catholic League (U.S.)|Catholic League]],<ref name=League>{{cite web |title=Atheist Rally Draws Haters |url=http://www.catholicleague.org/atheist-rally-draws-haters/ |publisher=Catholic League |date=March 26, 2012}}</ref> all voiced disapproval. ==Notable speaker quotes of the first rally== *Rally host [[Paul Provenza]] addressed the issue of "anti-religiosity" in his opening announcement, saying: “We're not here today to bash anyone's religion… but, hey, if it happens it happens.”<ref>Rosenhouse, Jason, [http://scienceblogs.com/evolutionblog/2012/03/at_the_reason_rally.php “At the Reason Rally”] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120331085611/http://scienceblogs.com/evolutionblog/2012/03/at_the_reason_rally.php |date=2012-03-31 }}, EvolutionBlog, March 27, 2012.</ref> *Keynote speaker [[Richard Dawkins]] spoke about the differences between the US and the UK, which does not have separation between church and state. "The American Constitution is a precious treasure, the envy of the world". He praised the size of the crowd at the rally calling it a "magnificent and inspiring sight". He said he believes that this rally, in hindsight, will be seen as a tipping point that is "not far away" when "so many people will have come out [as atheists] that 'I can come out too'... we are far more numerous than anybody realizes." Reason to Dawkins means "basing your life on evidence and on logic, which is how you deduce the consequences."<ref>{{cite web|last=Dawkins|first=Richard|title=Richard Dawkins - Reason Rally 2012|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9UKTuuTHEg|access-date=2012-05-01}}</ref> He encouraged attendees to confront believers regarding what he called their "most absurd" beliefs (e.g., [[transsubstantiation]]), stating: "Mock them, ridicule them in public. Don't fall for the convention that we're all too polite to talk about religion. Religion makes specific claims about the Universe which need to be substantiated and challenged."<ref name="League"/><ref name=Haggerty>{{cite news| last = Haggerty| first = John | title = Letters: Mockery hurts understanding of religion| url = https://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/letters/story/2012-03-27/reason-rally-atheists/53812948/1|newspaper=USA Today| date=March 27, 2012}}</ref><ref name=Kwon>{{cite web| last = Kwon| first = Lillian| title = Atheists Rally for Reason; Urged to Mock the Religious|year = 2012| url = http://www.christianpost.com/news/atheists-rally-for-reason-urged-to-mock-the-religious-72033/|access-date =March 25, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| last = Grossman| first = Cathy| title = Richard Dawkins to atheist rally: 'Show contempt' for faith| url = http://content.usatoday.com/communities/Religion/post/2012/03/-atheists-richard-dawkins-reason-rally/1#.T29HTWFv8Ro|newspaper=USA Today|access-date =March 25, 2012| date=March 24, 2012}}</ref> *''[[Mythbuster]]'' [[Adam Savage]] stated "I play a scientist on TV; I am in awe of those that do it for real." He discusses science and reason by saying "Everything that we have that makes our lives possible exists because human beings have... made predictions based on those tests and then improved upon them. This is reason: the human capacity to make sense of the world." He concluded "through careful empirical analysis and much thought that someone is looking out for me... I have concluded that this person keeping score - is me."<ref name="5//1/2012">{{cite web|last=Savage|first=Adam|author-link=Adam Savage|title=Adam Savage at the Reason Rally|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1nSuWztIrY}}</ref> *Provenza, introducing [[Ahlquist v. Cranston|Jessica Ahlquist]], stated that "for standing up for her beliefs and rights under the Constitution ... [she has] suffered a lot of hate." Ahlquist's speech thanked the atheist community for its support for her. She felt that students are a really important part of this movement. "What I did can be done by anybody."<ref>{{cite web|last=Ahlquist|first=Jessica|title=Jessica Ahlquist at Reason Rally|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1G__Yo6vTiw|access-date=2012-05-01}}</ref> *Blogger [[Greta Christina]], author of ''Why Are You Atheists So Angry?: 99 Things That Piss Off the Godless'', gave an abbreviated list of things she was angry about, concluding "Atheists aren't angry because we're selfish, or bitter, or joyless. Atheists are angry because we have compassion. Atheists are angry because we have a sense of justice. Atheists are angry because we see millions of people being terribly harmed by religion, and our hearts go out to them, and we feel motivated to do something about it."<ref>{{cite web|title=Greta Christina|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9Up_Beqmq4|access-date=2012-05-01}}</ref> *[[David Silverman (activist)|David Silverman]], president of [[American Atheists]], encouraged atheists to come out of the closet to reduce atheophobia: "If the atheists weren't closeted, it would be harder to hate us, because in the end, you can't hate what you already love."<ref>{{cite web|title=Reason Rally - March 24, 2012 Washington DC (highlights from Rally) |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGBBiFxD2pc|access-date = 2012-05-13}}</ref> *Magician [[Penn Jillette]], speaking via pre-recorded video, stated "I can make the argument...that the only ones with true morality are us, the atheists. We are doing good because it's good and are doing right because it's right, and not for reward or punishment. We have love for each other, we have community, we have charity." Jillette told the audience to "band together and make it okay to be an atheist."<ref>{{cite web|last=Jillette|first=Penn|title=Penn Jillette Reason Rally Address|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rudd6Dzp9eI|access-date=2012-05-01}}</ref> *[[Bill Maher]], speaking remotely, said, "When it comes to religion, we're not two sides of the same coin, and you don't get to put your unreason upon the same shelf with my reason. Your stuff [religion] has to go over there, on the shelf with [[Zeus]], and [[Thor]], and the [[Kraken]]. With the stuff that is not evidence based, stuff that religious people never change their mind about, no matter what happens."<ref>{{cite web|last=Maher|first=Bill|title=Bill Maher at the Reason Rally 3/24/12|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHtaiuJc0KM|access-date=2012-05-03}}</ref> ==2016 rally (the second rally)== The second quadrennial Reason Rally was held on June 4, 2016 at the [[Lincoln Memorial]] in [[Washington, D.C.]]. The Reason Rally for 2016 was billed as "a celebration of fact-driven public policy, the value of [[critical thinking]], and the voting power of secular Americans".<ref>[http://reasonrally.org/about/ Speak Up for Reason!] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120402171445/http://reasonrally.org/about/ |date=2012-04-02 }}</ref> The weekend of the Rally included advocacy events and conference sessions. Event organizers were targeting an attendance of 30,000, but crowds proved much smaller; sources disagree on the exact attendance.{{Citation needed|date=June 2016}}. One of the featured speakers at the rally was [[John de Lancie]]. Speaking in reference to his ''Star Trek'' character [[Q (Star Trek)|Q]], de Lancie said:{{quote|text=My name is John de Lancie, and I am a god. At least, I've played one on TV. And I'm here to tell you as a god that I was created by humans. And the words I spoke were written by men and women ... My creators took great care in exalting me to the position I hold today. And just like all the gods before me—Zeus, Baal, Yahweh—my god creators wanted you to believe that I am the omnipotent one. The alpha and the omega… Truth be told… I don't exist any more than the thousands of other gods that humans have created, worshiped, and died for since the beginning of time. But if you insist on believing in me, you do so at your own risk… I will lead you down the path of ignorance, intolerance, and bigotry… All because you believe.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://skepticalinquirer.org/exclusive/qa-with-john-de-lancie/|title=Q&A With John De Lancie|last=Palmer|first=Rob|date=June 19, 2019|website=Skeptical Inquirer|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190620005006/https://skepticalinquirer.org/exclusive/qa-with-john-de-lancie/|archive-date=June 20, 2019|url-status=live|access-date=June 19, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-EjUahdJEY0|title=John de Lancie&nbsp;– Openly Secular|last=Openly Secular|date=September 10, 2015|via=YouTube}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Star Trek's Q (John de Lancie) at Reason Rally|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buBRGgm5LAU|access-date=August 20, 2017}}</ref>}} ==See also== *[[Godless Americans March on Washington]] (2002) *[[Irreligion in the United States]] *[[New atheism]] *[[Secular humanism]] ==References== {{reflist|2}} ==External links== {{Commons category|Reason Rally}} *{{Official website|http://www.reasonrally.org/}} {{irreligion}} [[Category:Atheism rallies]] [[Category:Atheism in the United States]] [[Category:Critical thinking]] [[Category:Skepticism]] [[Category:Scientific skepticism]] [[Category:Freethought in the United States]] [[Category:2012 in Washington, D.C.]]'