Republicans v secular America

With blatant disregard for the first amendment, Republicans' intolerance of US secularism means things are turning ugly

Dan Kennedy
guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 23 February 2010 19.00 GMT

If you're part of secular America – that is, if you're an atheist, an agnostic, a religious liberal or even a mainstream believer who thinks religion should be kept out of politics and vice-versa – then you should be very afraid of what the Republican party has in store for you in 2012. [read more]

I listen to Glenn Beck most mornings. I have for years. It is crazy-insane and I'm sick and I'm sorry. I listen to Randi Rhodes in the afternoon... so don't judge me.

This is GB's newest tour: the american revival of faith, hope, and charity.
http://www.glennbeck....

He mentioned a while back that he was going to have Penn Jillette address the non-believers (because they can vote too?) I haven't heard a follow up on this in a while, but keep in mind that Glenn Beck invented the Tea Party and people love to hate.

Everyone is welcome here, including Republicans ... but. As prior military (Air Force), from a Republican and religious family (Catholic on my mom's side and Baptist on my dad's side), from backwoods Louisiana and southern Texas, I am familiar with all of conservative arguments and beliefs - and disagree with every one of them.

Nearly the entire the conservative/tea-party Republican platform is base in fear and loathing of anything different or new. They don't want change, even if it is good. They don't don't want facts, even if they are true. They talk about freedoms, but they usually only mean with respect to guns and god, yet rarely freedom of expression or speech - unless it is giving corporations the same rights as people. They rail against big, over-reaching government, but they want to take away the freedom of gays to marry and serve in the military and women to have safe and legal abortions. They talk about the constitution, yet the ignore the separation of church and state. They claim to be hate government insiders and lobbyists, yet most Republican funding comes from corporations, big-businesses, and lobbyists. I could go on and on, but the theme is the same.

Republicans, especially the tea-baggers and conservatives in my opinion, are hypocrites and bat-shit crazy!

(BTW, how are you able to listen to GB for more than 5 seconds. The man makes my ears bleed and my blood boil.)

Oh, no no no! I am not a republican! *shudders* I am a recovering ignorant.

I listen because I am addicted to talk radio and I like to see how the personalities change over time and manipulate their audience.

I swear that I didn't know that democrats actually existed until I moved to SA though. Talk about having your mind blown (serious)..

Let me be clear, I am not a tea bagger. I am probably left of progressive on most things now. I have come all the way back around to the point where I watch and listen to the right wing crap to figure out why and where everything is moving.

In the beginning the tea baggers seemed genuinely upset about the growth of government, it is obvious this is nothing more than veiled racism now.

The only thing that has changed is the shade of the president. GW Bush was crazy with the spending and federal growth *cough* patriot act *cough* Why weren't these people outraged when their beloved military didn't have the proper equipment to fight this absurd war and families were sending kevlar to their sons and reinforcing vehicles against bombs with pieces of wood?! If social services are so wrong, how is it ok to send your kids to public school? If education is killing americas morals with thought, why send the kids to school at all? And how the hell can a group of people who hate terrorists to their core, call the coward that destroyed the IRS building in Austin a hero when he murdered a Vietnam veteran?

I know that is a bit rambling, but it is sick. This isn't blanket dissatisfaction with government. It is about a black, secular president and bored white americans that don't attend church because they don't want to feel guilty for their anger and hate so they have no "community" and now they have friends and something to rail against that isn't as blatant as sporting a hood everywhere.

I am familiar with all of conservative arguments and beliefs - and disagree with every one of them.

I think that's my new favorite quote

These nut jobs are scaring me. All of their hate speeches and propaganda are nothing short of the crap Hitler would vomit in his early speeches. If we are not careful, we could be the ones rounded up and sent to concentration camps. I honestly believe these people are capable of such a thing. I really wouldn't be surprised if they have already started planning the next holocaust. What is even more frightening is the number of people in our country who are listening to and believing the lies and the hate these supposed "good christian people" are spewing. I must have been living under a rock or something, because I really thought that our country had moved past all of this. I had really hoped that people had grown more tolerant of one another. I am so dissapointed in humanity. I fear that history will be repeated and millions will be persecuted once again in the name of god. I am truly terrified of my "fellow man". I can only hope that our numbers(the non-believers) are great enough to make a difference. If not I will have to move

Just wait until this Friday. Conservatives (and the religious in general) are going to freak out. I'm really curious how much coverage and backlash (if any), this will get in the media and the pseudo-media (Fox News).

Obama to Meet with Atheist Groups on Friday
Article by American Atheists

American Atheists will be among the non-believer groups led by the Secular Coalition for America for an historic briefing with the Obama Administration in Washington, DC, on Friday, 26 February 2010 CE.


Representatives of several leading Atheist, Freethought, and Humanist organizations will gather in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, next door to the White House, at 11:00 AM ET, for the briefing.


Dr. Ed Buckner, President of American Atheists, said "We are delighted that we will get the chance to speak to and to hear from the Obama administration at the briefing with the Secular Coalition for America tomorrow. We will not be seeking support for Atheism from the federal administration, because we know they must be neutral and because we are confident that our conclusions can compete and win in the marketplace of ideas, unaided by government. We seek an end to special rights for religious ideas and beliefs--in all regulations, laws, procedures, and pronouncements. The privileging of religiosity violates the First Amendment and good sense."


The American Atheists delegation will include Dr. Buckner; AA Vice President and National Spokesperson Dave Silverman; Vice President and Military Director Kathleen Johnson; Indra Zuno, AA general member, translator, and writer; Ellen Birch, Chair of the American Atheists Life Membership Committee and systems engineer; and Camille A. Brewer, AA general member, political/freethought activist and art expert.


"We will be represented by a wonderful cross-section of our membership," Said Dr. Buckner. "Atheists come from across the social, ethnic, economic, and political spectra."

I'm sure the secularist aren't the only group worried about this favoritism towards Christians. All religious groups are divisive and ego driven by nature because they think they are the true belief. I'm sure other religious denominations are working towards keeping the Christians from have that kind of political power despite having Fox news in their pocket. And if that's not enough, I'm sure First Amendment lawsuits will be popping up left and right taking this shit to the Supreme Court. Plus it must still go through a Democratic Congress and presidency. Do you really think Obama wants to be the president that took us back to the 15th century in Europe and shit all over the constitution? Not even a conservative Republican would have enough balls to actually make this a reality.

If a conservative wins the Presidency, and Congress does go back to the Republicans, and given the fact that we have a strongly conservative Supreme Court, things aren't looking good for non-Christians and non-believers - but more so for the non-believers, because right now we seemed to be despised above all others if recent polls are accurate.