This movement stretches beyond college campuses, crossing state boundaries and international borders. Political participation as students can affect your community, the country, and the entire world. The SSA wants you to realize that our mission goes beyond college campuses. What can you do to make a difference? Sometimes activism can be a subset of road trips, but you might be astonished at what demonstration opportunities exist in your own town. You might even be able to get nearby freethinkers from other campuses to join you. A salient example is the Godless Americans March on Lansing. The Michigan State Freethinkers Alliance was only a short drive from this event, but Students for Freethought at OSU drove for five hours to attend the event. Much to the delight of the Michigan State Atheist organizers, both groups had speakers at the event.

Note: Many campuses require prior notice and approval for demonstrations, and restrict the place, time, and manner in which they can be conducted; regulations in high schools can be especially limiting. Review your school's policies before planning something, and consider alternative ways of promoting your message. Concerns about unduly restrictive policies can be referred to the American Civil Liberties Union, the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education and, of course, Secular Student Alliance.

Encourage group members to subscribe to action alerts through the Secular Coalition of America website [www.secular.org]. This system will notify you by e-mail to contact legislators on key votes, and also provides scorecards of Congressional votes on secular issues.

What Should My Group Get Angry About?

• Discrimination against atheists, the non-religious, and minority faiths
• If a group member or local freethinker is discriminated against on account of their nonbelief, you can contact the Anti-Discrimination Support Network [www.fsgp.org/anti-discrimination-support-ne], which can provide them with counseling and legal support.
• Preachers of intolerance and hate (e.g., Westboro Baptist Church)
• Creationism and intelligent design in schools
• Religious invocations at commencement
• Some case histories of groups who have challenged graduation prayers are collected at [www.secularstudents.org/node/2610].
• National Day of Prayer
• Atheists celebrate the alternative, the National Day of Reason by holding blood drives [www.secularstudents.org/node/2542] and protests.
• Religious Demonstrations that Restrict Civil Liberties
• Reproductive rights
• Gay rights
• Religious requirements for group membership (e.g. Boy Scouts of America)
• Government establishment of religion
• If you're interested in challenging the legality of a religious display in your area, the Freedom from Religion Foundation [ffrf.org] can offer advice and assistance.

What Can My Group Do About [Insert Issue Here]?

If you‘re going to do something about issues in your community, here is a three-step model to follow:

Get Educated

It‘s not just enough to know that something‘s wrong. You need to know why it‘s wrong, how it got that way, and how to fix it. You and your group can educate yourselves in a variety of ways – reading up on current events, local and national, is easier than ever in the age of the Internet. Activist groups on and off campus are simply chomping at the bit to tell you about their causes – try contacting them for information, or even invite them to speak at your meetings! There may also be professors on your campus who are studying the problem you are trying to address – reach out to them as well.

Get Organized

Now that a core cadre of community organizers (your group) wants to do something about an issue, you need to plan a campaign for change. This doesn‘t mean giving yourselves titles, but rather identifying how your group can create the change you want. It also means making your campus and community painfully aware of the issue at hand. Raising awareness, while a long, challenging process, can in time attract supporters and produce change.

Get Results

Now that you have some grassroots support, you need to get what you want. If you‘re trying to sway those in power to your side – say, to change a school policy, support a piece of legislation, or get your town council to pass a resolution – lobbying is the way to go! Our Lobbying & Political Activism activity packet has a number of ideas and suggestions for making substantive headway in this area.

At times the tactics listed above won‘t work, or don‘t fit the situation. For instance, a fundamentalist preacher simply won‘t listen to a petition demanding gay rights, and a school administration may be unwilling to support a policy without massive visible support for it. In these instances, demonstrations and protests can get your message out in public, loudly, albeit in a less focused manner.

MSUAers at the Godless Americans March on Lansing.

Online Resources

Lobbying & Political Activism

(Letter-Writing Campaigns, Petitions, Calling Legislators / Phonebanking, Action Alerts, Dorm-Raps / Canvassing, Leafleting, Letters to the Editor / Op-Eds, Meeting with Elected Officials & Staff, Proposals & Resolutions, Public Hearings / Town Hall, Rallies, Polling & Referendums, Voter Registration)

Demonstrations & Protests

(Protest marching & picketing, Sit-ins, Teach-ins, Soapboxing, Banner Dropping, Balancing Something Bad with Good)

Activist Resources

(Campus Publicity Techniques, Communicating with Decision Makers on Campus, Educational Tactics, Engaging the Religious Right, Event Planning, FAQ's and Fact Sheets, Leafletting in High Schools, Organizing a Campaign for Change, Petition Strategy Guide, Rallies, Research, Working with Legislatures)