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The Secular Coalition for America is an advocacy group located in Washington D.C.. It describes itself as "representing the interests of atheists, humanists, freethinkers, agnostics, and other nontheistic Americans." The Secular Coalition has chapters in all 50 states, composed of lobbyists trained by the organization. The Coalition holds an annual lobby day and policy conference, publishes yearly Congressional report cards and voter guides, and in 2013 issued its first (Model Secular Policy Guide for Legislatures ). Former White House staffer Edwina Rogers served as Executive Director from May 2012 to May 2014. Sean Faircloth, a five-term Maine state legislator, served as Executive Director between 2009 and 2011.〔(Sean Faircloth Stepping Down as Executive Director )〕 Between 2005 and 2009, it was directed by former Nevada state senator Lori Lipman Brown, who became its first full-time lobbyist in September 2005.〔''(Non-believers raising voice in capital ),'' article by Jill Lawrence, ''USA Today,'' September 18, 2005〕〔''(Godless Pride ),'' article by Art Levine, ''Mother Jones,'' December 2005〕〔''(Atheists Challenge the Religious Right ),'' article by Jane Lampman, ''Christian Science Monitor,'' January 4, 2007〕 The Secular Coalition works to increase visibility and respect for nontheistic viewpoints in the United States and to protect and strengthen the secular character of the U.S. government. The Coalition advocates complete separation of church and state within American politics which they claim is clearly established in the U.S. Constitution under the First Amendment. They say that freedom of conscience, which includes religious freedom, was of such importance that it was made the first of all freedoms protected in the Bill of Rights.〔Boston, Rob. ''Why the Religious Right Is Wrong About Separation of Church & State''. Buffalo, N.Y., Prometheus Books (1993) ISBN 978-0-87975-834-9〕 They say that they hold reason and science as guiding tenets for public policy. ==Mission== The mission of the Secular Coalition for America is to increase the visibility, amplify the diversity of, and respect for, the growing voice of the nontheistic community in the United States, and to protect and strengthen the secular character of government as the best guarantee of freedom for all.〔''(CBS News: Atheists Have a Lobbyist, Too ),'' article by Joel Roberts, ''CBS News,'' October 25, 2005〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Secular Coalition for America」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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