On August 1st at 12am Eastern standard time our party, which has been known as the “National Atheist Party” since March of 2011, will undergo a transformation that will help focus us on the journey ahead. Our new designation was overwhelmingly selected by a “supermajority” of the members who voted to change the name to the far more inclusive and politically motivated “Secular Party of America.”
With such a monumental change, there is obviously much to do: new logos, new promos, new merchandise, and a basic revising and updating of our charter to make the change complete and to include the other proposals and wording that also passed the vote. Everything else essentially will stay the same: our motto, our non-profit status as a 527, and all of our planks remain as was written and intended by the Party’s founders. Our goals and mission statement are still focused on secular principles and the will of our membership. We are still YOUR Party and we are looking towards the future. New contacts, new members, new partnerships, increased donations, enlisting and endorsing secular candidates, attending and participating in more conventions and conferences, inspiring more secular speakers, getting our name out there, supporting organizations that share in the vision of true separation of church and state, and so much more. We hope to reach out to more religious-secular organizations and form an understanding that only through a secular government can all Americans truly be free.
Already we have spoken with and have been approached by several that were initially wary of us as the National Atheist Party as the name itself tended to distance them. They could not necessarily relate to being a member of or involved with an “Atheist Party” regardless of how ‘open’ we claimed to be to all Americans regardless of faith. By changing our name we have truly opened doors that were essentially closed to us and always would have been in the political arena- and this is just the beginning…
We envision a massive growth of our Party from this day forward with continued accomplishments and successes that we are making reality every day. We respectfully ask for your continued support, your willingness to volunteer at least a few hours of your time when possible, and your participation in the direction of the Secular Party of America by your involvement in the process. This includes continuing to stay informed of the goings on within the Party, being active in the discussions and voting process that help direct the Party’s future, and by helping shape our focus as we become a bigger influence in this nation’s government.
In return, we promise to continue keeping you informed of the happenings within the Party, to keep, trustworthy, hardworking, inspiring, and motivated members in leadership positions, to always do our best to keep this organization moving forward, and to make it into the kind of organization that will help make a difference and be a positive influence in this country for years to come.
We humbly ask that you all bear with us though our transition as we attempt to make it as smooth as possible and we thank you all for being a part of this journey.
Bernard “Flash” Kellish
VP of Public Relations & Marketing
Executive Board Member
National Atheist Party/Secular Party of America