A national atheist group is expected to bring some 500 people to Des Moines next year for a three-day convention. American Atheists Incorporated president, Ed Buckner, says he chose Iowa’s capital city for the meeting next mostly because he and his wife visited and found the community to be welcoming.
Buckner says he found people at the convention and visitors bureau and the hotel and others to be enthusiastic and intelligent and that contributed to the decision. Buckner says attendees will discuss a range of issues of interest to atheists.
“We are of all different political stripes and different attitudes and interests in life, but we are very interested in separation of church and state and religious liberty issues, so we usually have speakers on that,” Buckner says, “we’re interested in criticism of religion and defending a life free of religion as a positive and good life.”
The group’s three-day convention will begin April 21st in downtown Des Moines.