New Yorkers Against Religion-Based Bigotry

Projects

New Yorkers Against Religion-Based Bigotry is in process of formation. It will consist of a set of overlapping task forces opposing different kinds of religion-based bigotry. The task forces will assist each other in opposing religion-based bigotry on multiple fronts, and will work together on common projects.

NYARBB's first major projects are the following:

• Know Your Enemy Project.

Aims:  To educate New Yorkers about the religious right wing, especially people in those subcultures that are most intensely vilified by the religious right wing (e.g. the GLBT community and the Pagan community).

New Yorkers, including people in the groups scapegoated by the religious right wing, tend to underestimate both the political power and influence of the religious right wing and the political power and significance of the movements that oppose the religious right wing (e.g. the women's rights movement, the GLBT rights movement, and organized atheism/humanism.). Here in New York, where the most visible manifestation of Christian fundamentalism is the storefront churches in poor neighborhoods, it is all too easy to dismiss conservative Christianity as being just for losers, and hence of no political significance whatsoever. But that is far from the truth -- even here in New York, especially the outer boroughs, let alone many other parts of the U.S.A.

Relevant NYARBB task forces:  Committee for Dialogue Amongst the Bugaboos of the Religious Right Wing and Committee Against Satanic Panics.

• Project Against Grand Conspiracy Ideology.

Aims:  To produce well-researched literature and web resources debunking grand conspiracy claims, including anti-Jewish conspiracy claims and "Illuminati" claims - which often vilify other religious minorities too. (See NYARBB position on "conspiracy theories" and NYARBB position against "Illuminati" claims.)

We aim also to encourage journalists and scholars to recognize the growing popularity of grand conspiracy ideology and to engage in serious debunking.

Relevant NYARBB task forces:  The most relevant current task forces are our Committee for Dialogue Amongst the Bugaboos of the Religious Right Wing and our Committee Against Satanic Panics. Also relevant is our Committee for 9/11 Accountability, which has a secondary aim of counteracting "Illuminati" claims in the 9/11 Truth movement.

Other projects that will be activated when relevant events occur, and/or when we have enough people to work on them:

• Project Against Local Bigotry.

Aims:  To counteract local instances of religion-based bigotry here in New York City. (Yes, New York is a wonderfully tolerant cosmopolitan city compared to many other places here in the U.S.A., but even New York is far from perfect in that regard.) A major focus will be on opposing bigotry that is justified or excused in the name of opposing other kinds of religion-based bigotry, e.g. bigotry against Muslims in the name of opposing Islamism. (See NYARBB's position against both Islamism and anti-Muslim bigotry.)

Relevant NYARBB task forces:  Committee for Dialogue Amongst the Bugaboos of the Religious Right Wing and Committee Against Satanic Panics.

• Project on U.S. Foreign Policy.

Aims:  To produce well-researched literature and web resources about U.S. foreign policy insofar as it affects religious freedom, women's rights, and GLBT rights overseas. Our main focus, for now, will be on educating the public about the history of U.S. support for Islamist governments and Islamist terrorism. (See NYARBB position against both Islamism and anti-Muslim bigotry.) Eventually we'll address other U.S. foreign policy issues too.

Relevant NYARBB task forces:  The NYARBB task force most relevant to our Project on U.S. Foreign Policy is our Committee for 9/11 Accountability.

There will be other projects later.

NYARBB's task forces will focus primarily on relevant NYARBB projects. But, as needs and opportunities arise, NYARBB's task forces will also address other, simpler issues within their realms of concern.