An exciting event is in the planning stages. Sunday, October 8 of this year has been set aside for the first National Proclaim Non-belief Day or N-Day. On this day, it is hoped that a mighty chorus of voices, all proclaiming their disbelief of gods and religion, will be heard across the country, as thousands of atheists, agnostics, and other freethinkers join to celebrate non-belief.

The day will mark the start of National Freethought Week, which runs October 12 - 19, 1995. (Although we have chosen to "kick off" National Freethought Week with N-Day, the two events are administered separately.) N-Day exists for several purposes:

1. Visibility: According to our best surveys, nonbelievers make up anywhere from 7 to 15% of the populace. This translates to as many as 20,000,000 of us, roughly the same as the gay population. Yet, unlike the gays, we seem to be the 20 million quietest people in the country. N-Day would hopefully give isolated freethinkers nationwide the courage to come forward and voice their disbelief.
2. Publicity: N-Day is designed to focus media attention on nonbelievers and freethought issues in a positive, non-controversial context. Thousands of people proclaiming that they don't believe in god, all on the same day, cannot help but attract camera lenses and talk shows. This will be a golden opportunity for nonbelievers and freethought groups to garner some publicity and say to the public, "We exist, and we have points of view that you need to hear."
3. Solidarity: Compared again to the gay community, nonbelievers have little or no political clout. Speaking with one voice on our "coming out" day is the first step toward developing the cohesiveness necessary to be recognized as a special interest group that politicians will need to deal with in the future...especially important if we are to have any say in the church/state separation issues.

N-Day is a project that started with our group, Arizona Secular Humanists, which is loosely affiliated with CODESH. But we do not wish to be "in charge" of N-Day. We are asking atheist, agnostic, non-belief, humanist and other freethought groups around the country to join with us in organizing the first National Proclaim Non-belief Day, to make it as successful as possible. It is important that we show a united front, so that we are perceived as the cohesive and dynamic movement that we must become.

--Jim Speiser
President, Arizona Secular Humanists