The Early Ideals of the Republic in Freethinkers’ League

Vague, loose talking is common on the ideals of the “founding fathers” of the Republic. There is lacking, however, in the pseudo-patriotic flow of demagogy and national egotism, a definite statement or inquiry as to what the ideals of the American forefathers really were: it is somehow assumed that those ideals have been untarnished, uninjured by the developments of American life. Ironically, when anyone advocates in plain words a defense of or a renewed allegiance to those ideals, he is likely to be damned as a traitor. The thought of Jefferson is not popular with the rulers of America, or the blindly led yokelry, of today.

It is, says Stanley Chimiell (rooms 509–510, 40 Court Str., Boston Mass.), a soundly valuable feature and promise of The American Freethinkers’ League that it will boldly announce and revive an intelligent consideration of those early ideals of the Republic that have been so generally forgotten and, indeed, are so generally contemned. He writes:

“I take this opportunity to express my views of the value and necessity of The Freethinker’s League. At this time when the Scopes case has recently been heard, and people are beginning to think after a long sleep, The American Freethinkers’ League can make great headway. It is rather a psychological moment for it to come to light.

“The American Republic, born in 1776, was for some years the great heart of toleration of the whole world; the home of liberal thought and expression; the leading example of the result of the separation of Church and State; the harbor of safety for the persecuted as well as the prosecuted.

“Long years have passed since this Republic reached the stage of maximum perfection (for a Republic), or, in other words, reached the culminating point and now is far degenerating. It will soon be below the zero mark on its way down, if it has not already done so. That is where The American Freethinkers’ League must do its work, by bringing home to the great masses of the people. By the most effective means, the present situation.

“The most effective way of doing this, if I may suggest, is by organizing the Freethinker’s League through its subsidiary clubs to act as debating clubs and speakers’ bureaus. The national headquarters can have its publication and provide the literature for the speakers. The subsidiary clubs or groups can be tremendously effective in their operation by providing speakers for debates or organizing debates on the world’s bunk subjects, training speakers in general as well as in our particular field of thought. I favor propaganda from our cause through word of mouth and I am of the opinion that it can be far more effective than written propaganda. Spoken propaganda can be understood by everyone while the written cannot be read by some.”

Thomas Jefferson would be a member of The American Freethinkers’ League if he were alive today. So would Benjamin Franklin, scientist and skeptic and statesman. And Thomas Paine—the friend of liberty in all the relations of life, in religion and politics and society. Indeed, the marked general atmosphere of the American Revolution, of the young life of this Republic which challenged the tyranny of Europe, was that of free thought.

These patriots who labored to inaugurate a truly liberal government in the new world would be dumbfounded and dismayed to know of the attempts now being directed toward the throttling of education by the hand of bigotry; they would be amazed to learn of the evangelical mob spirit that is now blustering and breathing fire in the guise of democracy, of the censorship and the intimidation and the tyranny of churchly laws that are in sinister and mocking contrast to the America envisaged by Jefferson and Franklin and Paine and the other “Founding Fathers.”

George Washington, who informed the Mohammedan government of Tripoli that America was not a Christian country—that it was beholden to no State religion—would be astonished to observe the movement now brazenly undertaken to establish what is tantamount to a State religion in this country.

Yes—The American Freethinkers’ League is standing for the original, sound ideals of the American Republic and for the ideals of freedom-loving and freethinking men and women everywhere.

It is good to see Mr. Chimiell having such a definite, planful interest in the American Freethinkers’ League. His suggestions are sensible. Plainly, the League can function to great advantage through such well-defined local groups, in every part of the country, bringing the issues home to every citizen. No stone will be left unturned to make the League’s organization sound in program, through its methods, nationwide in extent and influence. The spoken and the written work will be used to the limit of effectiveness. And, above all, will be the thought that inspires the League—its appeal to all those who at heart really believe in the early, liberal ideals of the American Republic.

Source: Haldeman-Julius Weekly, Sat, Aug 15, 1925 · Page 2