Implicit in our First Amendment freedom of religion, wherein we are entitled to the free exercise of religion and the state is prohibited from the establishment of a state religion, is the freedom from religion. Yes, there is a right to not believe in God, to not follow a religion.
The General Assembly has passed resolutions recognizing religious holidays in the past. Surely the General Assembly would not violate the Constituion and display such blinding hypocrisy in not recognizing those who do not follow a religion. Alas..
Last Thursday, the House took up and debated a resolution, House Concurrent Resolution 18, that was sponsored by Rep. Eric Morrison, who identifies as an atheist. The resolution would have recognized March 23 as National Atheist’s Day in Delaware.
The resolution was defeated by a vote of 11-26-2-2. Therefore, no further resolutions recognizing any religion or any religious holiday can ever be considered by the General Assembly again.
| House Concurrent Resolution 18 – Recognizing National Atheist’s Day | Currrent Status – Defeated in House by a vote of 11-26-2-2. |
| House Sponsors – Morrison, Baumbach | Senate Sponsors – Sturgeon, Hoffner, McBride, Pinkney |
| House Yes Votes – Baumbach Harris Heffernan Johnson Lambert Lynn Moore Morrison Osienski Phillips Romer | Senate Yes Votes – |
| House No Votes – Bolden Bush Carson Chukwuocha Cooke Dorsey-Walker Griffith Matthews Moore Schwartzkopf Williams // Briggs King Collins Dukes Gray Hensley Hilovsky Morris Postles Ramone Short Shupe Smith Spiegelman Vanderwende Yearick | Senate No Votes – |
| House Absents or Not Voting – Longhurst, Minor-Brown, Neal, Parker Selby | Senate Absent or Not Voting – |
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