Lori Lipman Brown

Lori Lipman Brown has served as a state senator, lobbyist, lawyer, educator, and social worker supporter. Additionally, her political views have been secularist and civil libertarian and describes herself as an atheist humanist Jew. She served as a Nevada Senator from 1992-1994, advocating for repeals of consensual sex crimes. This led to her being named Civil Libertarian of the Year by the Nevadan chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union. Additionally, she has organized numerous events for the Humanist Association of Las Vegas and Southern Nevada, the Secular Student Alliance, and the American Humanist Association. She was defeated for reelection to the State Senate by Kathy Augustine in 1994.

Outside of the secularist and nontheistic movement, Brown additionally worked in education and social work. From 1996-2000 she was the National Education Association's diversity trainer. Formerly a private lawyer, she taught United States constitutional law, education law, and American history at the University of Phoenix. Additionally, she taught high school drama, English, and speech and helped found Eldorado High School's Gay-Straight Student Alliance. For social work friendly legislation, she won the Legislator of the Year by the Nevada chapter of the National Association of Social Workers.

On September 19, 2005, Brown became the director and lobbyist for the Secular Coalition for America’s campaigns on Congress. Three of the top priorities Brown immediately proposed included fighting policies based on religious grounds, opposing faith-based programs, and advocating for eliminating the God reference in the U.S. oath of citizenship. Brown also plans to get involved in the creation-evolution conflict.

On November 29, 2005, she appeared on "The O'Reilly Factor" to debate Christmas’s recognition as a national holiday from a secularist point of view. [ [http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,177143,00.html "Is 'The Factor's' Christmas Campaign Going Overboard?"; foxnews.com; November 30, 2005] ]

On August 29, 2008, she appeared on "The Colbert Report" in an interview with Stephen Colbert. [ [http://www.comedycentral.com/colbertreport/videos.jhtml?episodeId=180208 "Better Know a Lobby - Atheism"; colbertnation.com; August 30, 2008] ]

Controversy

During her campaign for reelection in 1994, Brown's political opponent, Kathy Augustine, along with Senators William Raggio, Raymond Rawson, and former Senator Sue Lowden, accused her through campaign ads of refusing to say the Pledge of Allegiance [ [http://www.lasvegasmercury.com/2004/MERC-Jul-15-Thu-2004/24293150.html Backstory: Nader and nadirs] by Michael Green, Thursday, July 15, 2004, Las Vegas Mercury] and for opposing legislative prayer.Marilyn Westfall. [http://www.eloquentatheist.com/?p=42 "An Interview with Lori Lipman Brown"] . September 18, 2007]

Brown, who had previously participated in non-sectarian prayers which opened daily legislative sessions in 1993, had later abstained from participating in explicitly Christian prayers. [ [http://www.lasvegasun.com/news/2001/dec/14/the-new-campaign-trail/ "The new campaign trail"] By Erin Neff, Las Vegas Sun, Fri, Dec 14, 2001] However, the aforementioned senators, along with her opponent, initiated campaign ads and mailed a letter entitled, "The Truth Hurts, but the Truth is Still the Truth" to her constituents, alleging that she had turned her back on the flag. [ [http://www.eloquentatheist.com/?p=42 "An Interview with Lori Lipman Brown"] By Marilyn Westfall, September 18, 2007]

Later, Brown and her father, Mel Lipman, took her erstwhile opponents to the Nevada Supreme Court. The court ruled against her opponents, who were then forced to write statements recanting their previous statements against Brown, Kathy Augustine wrote that Brown had "never actually done anything...which showed anything but the utmost respect for our flag and for the veterans of our nation." [Newt Briggs. [http://www.lasvegasmercury.com/2004/MERC-May-20-Thu-2004/23908832.html "Tipping the scales: Lori Lipman Brown imagines court by the people, for the people"] . "Las Vegas Mercury" May 20, 2004.]

References

External links

* [http://www.secular.org/news/brown_appointment.html Secular Coalition Page]
* [http://www.motherjones.com/radio/2005/12/brown_bio.html Mother Jones Biography]
* [http://www.secular.org/news/2005report.html Report at the end of the year]
* [http://mymovies.imdb.com/name/nm2048336/bio imdb page]
* [http://atheism.about.com/b/a/214272.htm atheism about page]
* [http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2005-09-18-atheists_x.htm "USA Today": Non-believers raising voice in capital]
* [http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/10/25/politics/main974730.shtml CBS News: Atheists Have A Lobbyist, Too]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-dmugx3js0 Speech] (YouTube)