The Day of Reason

Published by Minnesota Atheists on June 13, 2012June 13, 2012

Photo of speaker at a podium showing audience in the background.

From noon to 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, May third, Minnesota Atheists hosted the annual Day of Reason rally inside the Minnesota State Capitol Rotunda. This is the seventh year that we have held this celebration of the separation of state and church to protest the Day of Prayer event held at the same time outside on the Capitol steps.

There are many ways in which the separation of state and church is violated, and this year we focused on the denial of equal rights to gays and lesbians, especially when it comes to civil marriage.

Speakers included:

Phyllis Kahn, Minnesota State Representative
Eric Jayne, Minnesota Atheists Associate President
Doug Benson, Lead plaintiff of Marry Me Minnesota
Scott Lohman, President of Humanists of Minnesota
Charles Samuelson, Executive Director of ACLU Minnesota
Robin Raianiemi, Minnesota Atheists Associate Chair
James Zimmerman, Editor for The Minnesota Atheist
David Pacheco, Representative from Minnesota United for Separation of Church and State
Grant Steves, Former Minnesota Atheists board member

Steve Petersen hosted the event, and George Kane served as Master of Ceremony.