For Immediate Release

 

Contact:

Merrill Miller, 202-238-9088 ext. 105, merrillmiller@americanhumanist.org

 

(Washington, DC, Oct. 2, 2015)—We at the American Humanist Association, saddened by the news of a mass shooting at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Oregon, mourn with the families of the victims and the residents of Roseburg. Though details continue to be revealed, it appears that the shooter specifically targeted Christians in his attack.

 

“We abhor this atrocity and recognize that no matter its target, such violence born of hate must be met with universal condemnation. All Americans, religious or non-religious, should be able to live free from violence,” said Roy Speckhardt, executive director of the American Humanist Association. “As a society we must better cultivate the empathy that helps people learn that we are one world of one people. Nothing, not race, not faith, not how people think or how they love can be grounds for setting aside the human rights and dignity each one of us deserves.”

 

The American Humanist Association’s Resolution Affirming Human Rights for All, adopted by its board on September 27, maintains the “worth and dignity of all persons.” In its focus on shared humanity, the humanist lifestance holds as its highest values tolerance, peace, and compassion toward others. The American Humanist Association continues to advance the humanist philosophy in its efforts to promote human rights and dignity for all.

 

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Founded in 1941 and headquartered in Washington, D.C., the American Humanist Association (AHA) works to protect the rights of humanists, atheists, and other nontheistic Americans. The AHA advances the ethical and life-affirming philosophy of humanism, which—without beliefs in any gods or other supernatural forces—encourages individuals to live informed and meaningful lives that aspire to the greater good of humanity.