"I don't know that atheists should be considered as citizens, nor should they be considered patriots. This is one nation under God"
That was George H.W. Bush in 1987; a sitting U.S. Vice President, as he was campaigning for the office of President. Atheists were not very popular in the White House. Never have been, I don't guess. Secular citizens have been second class citizens all through this country's history.
Lots of doors have opened over this past year, and lots of those barriers have fallen. Yesterday President Obama knocked down yet another. The headline of yesterday's Secular Coalition of America blog tells the story...
Secular Coalition for America to Meet with White House Officials on National Policy
...and Hemant has a blow by blow of the day's events, with photos.
The times, they are a-changing... maybe...
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2 Comments:
As far as I'm concerned, freedom of religion (or not), should NEVER be a factor in one's patriotism...
Certainly NFO, that is the way our Founders intended, but at least since the early part of the 20th century the Christian Nation myth has had a stranglehold on politics, and militant religionists have fought hard to maintain that hold.
Having a secularist in the White House back in the 19th century probably wasn't even worthy of notice.
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