Philadelphia, USA - The American Atheists organization didn't mean to offend Christians by holding its annual convention on Easter weekend. It's just that "atheists have nothing else to do on Easter and hotels are cheaper, flights are cheaper," spokesman Dave Silverman said.
American Atheists was founded in 1963 by the late Madalyn Murray O'Hair soon after she helped win a U.S. Supreme Court ruling against prayer and Bible reading in public schools.
Journalist Jack Germond told the meeting that "we non-believers are the most despised group in America."
Germond accused Congress and especially Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist of pandering to religious conservatives who sought to reverse removal of the feeding tube of Terri Schiavo.
Silverman said the organization is also concerned about government support of religious groups that provide social services. Since George W. Bush was elected, he said, "we've gotten a lot of new members."
More than 200 the group's 2,000 supporters attended. Outside the hotel, a dozen members of the Philadelphia-based Repent America held a sidewalk protest vigil with banners and bullhorns.