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'{{Redirect|Dave Silverman|the animator|David Silverman}} {{Infobox scientist |name = Dave Silverman Sex Stripper |image = David_Silverman-Apr_4_2011.JPG |image_size = |caption = Dave Silverman in 2011 |birth_name = |birth_date = {{birth date and age|1966|08|13|df=yes}} |birth_place = |death_date = |residence = [[Cranford, New Jersey|Cranford]], [[New Jersey]] |citizenship = [[United States|American]] |nationality = |ethnicity = [[Jewish]] |Alma Mater = [[Brandeis University]][[Penn State University]] |fields = |workplaces = [[American Atheists]] |doctoral_advisor = |academic_advisors = |doctoral_students = |notable_students = |known_for = [[Atheist]] activism, [[Separation of Church and State]], [[Criticism of religion]], an Internet [[Meme]] |author_abbrev_bot = |author_abbrev_zoo = |influences = |influenced = |awards = |signature = |footnotes = |religion = None ([[Atheism|Atheist]]) }} '''David Silverman''' (born August 13, 1966) is the current president of the [[American Atheists]], a non-profit organization that supports the rights of atheists and the removal of expressions of religion in public when possibly interpretable as governmental endorsement. ==Biography== Dave Silverman is an activist from [[Marblehead, Massachusetts]]. Silverman began publicly challenging religion in high school and often states in interviews that he became an atheist at the age of six.<ref name="mastermedia">{{cite news | url=http://www.mastermediaspeakers.com/davidsilverman/index.html | title=Dave Silverman - MasterMedia Speakers Bureau | publisher=[[MasterMedia]] |year= 2011 | first= | last= | accessdate =2011-04-09}}</ref> Although he was never in the closet about his disbelief, he was forced to do his [[Bar mitzvah]]. He calls this the turning point in his life where he decided never to lie about his atheism again because he had gotten up on stage and told all the people he knew that he believed in God.<ref name=interview>{{cite web|last=Merica|first=Dan|title=Atheist organizer takes ‘movement’ to nation’s capital|url=http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2012/03/23/atheist-organizer-takes-movement-to-nations-capital/|work=cnn.com|publisher=CNN|accessdate=06/18/2013}}</ref><ref name="Daily KOS interview">{{cite web|last=Pakman|first=David|title=TDPS: American Atheists' David Silverman Fascinating O'Reilly Behind-Scenes, Agnostic vs. Atheist|url=http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/02/09/942401/-TDPS-American-Atheists-David-Silverman-Fascinating-O-Reilly-Behind-Scenes-Agnostic-vs-Atheist|work=Daily KOS|accessdate=06/18/2013}}</ref> Seventeen years later his father admitted to him that he also was an atheist. <ref name="Daily KOS interview">{{cite web|last=Pakman|first=David|title=TDPS: American Atheists' David Silverman Fascinating O'Reilly Behind-Scenes, Agnostic vs. Atheist|url=http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/02/09/942401/-TDPS-American-Atheists-David-Silverman-Fascinating-O-Reilly-Behind-Scenes-Agnostic-vs-Atheist|work=Daily KOS|accessdate=06/18/2013}}</ref> He received a bachelors degree in Computer Science from [[Brandeis University]] and a Marketing MBA from [[Penn State University]]. Silverman is an inventor with seventy four patents, and has authored several articles, including a cover story for [[Inventors digest]]. Dave Silverman has been married for nearly two decades to publisher Hildy Silverman who is an active worshiper in Judaism. The couple has one teenage daughter.<ref name="mastermedia" /><ref name="SilvermanPresident">{{cite news | url=http://atheists.org/blog/2011/09/16/dave-silverman-president-elect | title=American Atheists - Dave Silverman, President-elect | publisher=[[American Atheists]] |year= 2010 | first= | last= | accessdate =2010-04-09}}</ref> Silverman has worked with the [[American Atheists]] organization since 1996, and has held a variety of roles, including: New Jersey State Director, Communications Director, and Vice President. He was elected president of [[American Atheists]] on September 16, 2010, following Ed Buckner. Silverman also cohosts the Atheist Viewpoint television program, writes for the NoGodBlog, attends protests, debates and conferences for atheism and freethought, across the country.<ref name="SilvermanPresident" /><ref name="Media">{{cite news | url=http://atheists.org/media/media_releases | title=American Atheists - Media Releases | publisher=[[American Atheists]] |year= 2010 | first= | last= | accessdate =2011-04-09}}</ref> ==Media appearances== During his tenure as Communications Director and Vice President of [[American Atheists]], Dave Silverman made several media appearances, but has been especially visible since becoming president.<ref name="Media"/> An atheist-awareness billboard campaign launched in the Winter of 2010 sparked controversy and increased media exposure for the organization.<ref name="NPR">{{cite news | url=http://www.npr.org/2010/12/11/131988679/War-On-Christmas-Spreads-To-Lincoln-Tunnel | title=NPR - War on Christmas Spreads to Lincoln Tunnel | publisher=[[NPR]] |year= 2010 | first= | last= | accessdate =2011-04-09}}</ref> As a result of this campaign, Silverman has appeared on a number of television shows in late 2010, most notably, ''The O'Reilly Factor'' on January 4, 2011. It was under Silverman's direction that the American Atheists group sought to block the preservation of a cross-beam section of the World Trade Center skeleton that resembled a cross. Silverman opined: "The World Trade Center cross has become a Christian icon. It has been blessed by so-called holy men and presented as a reminder that their God, who couldn’t be bothered to stop the terrorists or prevent 3,000 people from being killed in his name, cared only enough to bestow upon us some rubble that resembles a cross."<ref name="Cross">{{cite news | url=http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/thu-august-4-2011/culture-war-update---the-dividening-of-america---american-atheists-vs--the-ground-zero-cross | title= Jon Stewart on American Atheists vs. Ground Zero Cross | publisher=[[The Daily Show]] |year= 2011 | first= | last= | accessdate =2011-08-25}}</ref> Dave Silverman attended and spoke at the 2011 American Atheists National Convention, in [[Des Moines, Iowa|Des Moines]], [[Iowa]] <ref name="Convention">{{cite news | url=http://www.atheists.org/events/National_Convention | title=American Atheists - National Convention | publisher=[[American Atheists]] |year= 2011 | first= | last= | accessdate =2011-04-10}}</ref> During his speech, he announced [[Reason Rally]], scheduled for Spring 2012. On March 24, 2012 the Reason Rally took place at the [[National Mall]] in Washington, D.C. On October 28, 2011 David Silverman and [[Dinesh D'Souza]] participated in a public debate on whether [[Christianity]] is beneficial for America.<ref>[http://www.dineshdsouza.com/videos/?tag=Silverman Dinesh D'Souza, The King's College]</ref> ==References== {{Reflist}} ==External links== {{Portal|Biography|Atheism}} * [http://atheists.org American Atheists Website] * [http://atheists.org/blog/ The No-God Blog] * [http://atheists.org/media/Atheist_Viewpoint_TV_Show The Atheist Viewpoint TV Show] {{Criticism of religion}} {{Persondata <!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]]. --> | NAME = Silverman, Dave | ALTERNATIVE NAMES = | SHORT DESCRIPTION = President of American Atheists | DATE OF BIRTH = August 13, 1966 | PLACE OF BIRTH = | DATE OF DEATH = | PLACE OF DEATH = }} {{DEFAULTSORT:Silverman, Dave}} [[Category:American atheists]] [[Category:Jewish atheists]] [[Category:Atheism activists]] [[Category:Critics of religions]] [[Category:1966 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:People from Marblehead, Massachusetts]] [[Category:People from Cranford, New Jersey]] [[Category:Brandeis University alumni]] [[Category:Pennsylvania State University alumni]]'