Starpower of Speakers Shows Broad Base of Reason Rally 2016
In an election year that rings with declarations about religion, the nonreligious voter is ignored. But 56 million people, of all demographics, should be counted and courted.
Washington, D.C. — February 23, 2016 — What do Bill Nye, Andrés Roemer, Johnny Depp, Maryam Namazie, and Killah Priest have in common? Two things: They all want reason — not religion — to guide public policy and they will all be speaking at Reason Rally 2016.
That the man who made science cool to generations of kids, the Mexican consul in San Francisco, in-demand Hollywood celebrities, an Iranian civil rights activist, a rapper — and more — are headed to Reason Rally 2016 on June 4 indicates the reach of the event’s message: Nonreligious voters cross all demographic lines and are coming out as a force to be reckoned with in upcoming elections.
In fact, 56 million people identify as “nones,” just a shade fewer than those that identify as evangelicals and more than those who identify as Catholic or mainline Protestant [//www.pewforum.org/2015/05/12/americas-changing-religious-landscape/]. Yet exit polls focus on how evangelicals voted and campaign strategists still court them.
“No longer hiding their lack of religion, ‘nones,’ atheists, and secular voters are demanding that their voices be heard and their votes sought,” says Lyz Liddell, executive director of Reason Rally 2016. “And those votes will go to candidates who base their policies on science and facts.”
Iranian civil rights activist Maryam Namazie adds another level of concern to the value of reason-based policy: the destabilizing effects of policies guided by religion. “I am excited about Reason Rally because the demand for reason, secularism, and universal rights in the age of ISIS is an historical task and necessity,” she says.
Joining her and other “nones” at Reason Rally 2016 will be scientists, such as Lawrence Krauss. “The Reason Rally is important precisely because it demonstrates for all to see that people who care about reason, rationality, and empirical evidence as the basis of public policy are not alone. We are far more prevalent than the media makes out,” Krauss says.
Reason Rally 2016 is a Voting Bloc Party to celebrate both the growing number of “nones” and their willingness to speak up for reason, with entertainers — Margaret Cho, Penn Jillette, Baba Brinkman, Julia Sweeney, John de Lancie, and Mark White — joining scientists —Carolyn Porco, Richard Dawkins, Eugenie Scott — in a four-day extravaganza of lobbying, comedy, music, and serious discussion about how to impact this election.
For more about the speakers and the schedule of events, visit Reason Rally 2016 [reasonrally.org] Registration is now open so you can get your tickets to the pre-parties, after-parties, and the limited VIP package. Or just come to the Rally itself: It’s free and fun!
Reason Rally 2016 Contact: Lyz Liddell [lyz@reasonrally.org]
Press Contact: Paul Fidalgo [pfidalgo@centerforinquiry.net]
About Reason Rally 2016
Reason Rally 2016 is a celebration of fact-driven public policy, the value of critical thinking, and the voting power of secular Americans. The Rally will be held June 2- 5, 2016, at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC. Two days of lobbying will precede the Rally itself on June 4 and a conference will be held Sunday, June 5. Participants will be joined by speakers, entertainers, top-level scientists, and political leaders as they celebrate their secular, humanist and other nonreligious identities.
About the Sponsors
The coalition of Reason Rally 2016 sponsors represent a cross-section of the atheist/secular humanist sector. Together, they attract more than 2,800,000 Facebook “likes” per month and 280,000 Twitter followers. For more about our sponsors, visit our website, [www.reasonrally.org/sponsors]