"Laws and institutions must go hand in hand with the progress of the human mind." Thomas Jefferson
The Appignani Humanist Legal Center Officially Launches in Washington D.C. with Exciting Legal Case
After the midterm elections in November 2006, a number of voters shared with the A.H.A. what they had experienced or witnessed regarding church-state violations at polling places.
Many voted in churches and, this year, we were able to document that some of those churches displayed politicized religious messages prominently in the voting area!
This led to the Appignani Humanist Legal Center, the newest part of the American Humanist Association, filing suit on November 29 2006 against the supervisor of elections for Palm Beach County, Florida. Other suits are expected to follow in additional states.
As you might expect, this action has caused quite a stir! There was an initial flurry of media attention immediately on the heels of the November 29 press conference at the National Press Club in Washington DC. This included a lot of buzz generated by Internet bloggers. Then, a week later, the Associated Press ran a story that started a second, and larger, wave of media attention. As a result, well over 100 media outlets carried the story.
People read about this Humanist legal case in newspapers from coast to coast, hearing about it on radio, and seeing reports on television. You can view our press materials on this story by visiting the new Appignani Humanist Legal Center website at and clicking on the Legal Activity link at the top or bottom of the page.
The Humanist Fellowship of San Diego is a non-profit educational organization.