Observations and inanities by a second-shift assistant supervisor in the Puppy-Grinding division of the Evil Atheist Conspiracy® (our motto: "Sure it's cruel, but think of the jobs!"), your host, Brent Rasmussen.
Just to confirm...
...what we all know, here's the latest from Gallup:
If Your Party Nominated A Generally Well-Qualified Candidate For WH '08 Who Was ___, Would You Vote For That Person?
Yes No Catholic 95% 4% Black 94 5 Jewish 92 7 A woman 88 11 Hispanic 87 12 Mormon 72 24 Married for third time 67 30 72 years old 57 42 A homosexual 55 43 An atheist 45 53
Yup. Bottom of the list.
Now, someone tell me again how we're such a threat to the religious.
Jim Downey
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other left-out minorities
I bet atheists as a whole would still beat out self-described "Communist" or "Socialist" candidates.
What would be interesting is trying to convince someone like Sam Harris to run for office. Not that he'd have a prayer of winning mind you (no pun intended), just that he could raise awareness and get people talking about things like "no religious tests for office" that the Founding Fathers intended, etc, 1st Amendment issues in general, etc. Maybe the Libertarians could nominate him for a senate run or something. I don't always agree with Harris on his whole foreign policy shtick, but he strikes me as forceful and eloquent, at least in print, when going after the "American Taliban" of Far Right Xtians.
He might even stand a chance in a Republican primary if he could poll enough libertarian-minded business conservatives behind him. Democrats would be WAY too gun shy to tap someone like Harris to run, sad as I am to say that. Godless and Democrat is the kiss of death in the popular wisdom of the powers that be.
But just once I'd like to see a public atheist like Harris run and call all these bastards on their bullshit...really pin them down and ask "do you really believe that crazy sh*t you're spoutin'?"
or "you're a Christian, eh, senator? well what do you think about (random but patently offensive biblical quote)? ==does THAT guide your politics?"
That'd be a hoot to watch, even if he only got 3% of the vote. Where's Robert Green Ingersoll for the 21st century...
I reitterate
Where are the wiccans in this pole? Hell where are any of the non-judean religions? Sorry but I refuse to believe that we are the least popular minority when athiests are the only one of the less popular minorities mentioned (say, where'd those muslims go anyway?).
So, only 88% of people would vote for a woman, but 94% of people will vote for a black? Obviously black opression isn't nearly as widespread as certain people believe.
Race
One wonders just who comprises the 5% that wouldn't vote for a black person.
I live in Missouri...
...I don't wonder at all.
Jim Downey
"Sometimes I think we're alone. Sometimes I think we're not. In either case, the thought is staggering."
- R. Buckminster Fuller
It's way more than 5%
People say they'd vote for a black person because they don't want to look like unreconstructed racists, but when push comes to shove, they won't actually vote for blacks. On my own place, SLC gave the example of Douglas Wilder, who, accordingly to Wikipedia,
Atheists are a minority group it's okay to hate, whence the 45% figure. It's likely far higher for blacks, but still lower than 94%.
Multiculturalism
A Black Jewish Catholic woman could kick ass.
On the bright side
We beat out the gays by a full 10%. That must be worth something. Of course if you are a gay atheist you can have the best/worst of both worlds.
OK...
...I couldn't get the numbers to neatly line up, but I think you can still see what it means.
Jim Downey
"Sometimes I think we're alone. Sometimes I think we're not. In either case, the thought is staggering."
- R. Buckminster Fuller
Threatening atheists
You need to have align="right" in the tables rather than align="left". Sorry, that's the geek in me coming out. Anyway, as to why religionists are so threatened by atheists, I can't help thinking that a lot of them are insecure in their faith, but they want to get into heaven so they silence the voice in their heads that tells them a lot of what they believe is garbage. But then they see atheists living happy, successful lives without living in constant fear of some vengeful sky-daddy waiting to throw them into the lake o' fire. Atheists can skip church, have sex before marriage, eat steak on Friday etc. and not have to worry about divine retribution. I think this fosters resentment among religionists which they translate into hatred and mistrust in order to silence their own doubts.
- No More Mr. Nice Guy!
Geeks use CSS
--
"Ponies are atheists, you know, technically."
- Me
Wow, that's neat!
I bow in recognition of your superior geekitude.
- No More Mr. Nice Guy!
Ayup.
Grumblegrumblegumble...damned dirty atheists...
Yeah, I concur that a lot of what we see is insecurity and a bit of backlash due to it, even if that doesn't rise to the level of conscious thought in those who feel that way. Hence also the eagerness with which many religionists (particularly of the more repressed variety) feel they must condemn us or even initiate violence against us. People just do not like to be threatened with the truth.
Jim Downey, who still needs to figure out his good-evil alignment, let alone this whole right-left thing...
"Sometimes I think we're alone. Sometimes I think we're not. In either case, the thought is staggering."
- R. Buckminster Fuller
Damn Dirty Atheists Can't Even line Up Columns...
You're welcome. Hehehe...
Hey, I took a bath last week...
*sigh* My computer illiteracy continues to embarrass. Good thing I have a sense of humor...
Um, thanks, Brent.
Jim Downey
"Sometimes I think we're alone. Sometimes I think we're not. In either case, the thought is staggering."
- R. Buckminster Fuller