Late Friday Special Feature
Well, I was originally going ignore the fact that Friday had occurred, and not write anything after forgetting the subject I was going to write about Friday, (Attorney General Michael Mukasey’s despicable and (probably dishonest) comments about how FISA stopped the NSA from stopping 9/11. If this story interests you, please read Glenn Greenwald’s coverage of it here) and then being busy for the rest of the weekend. After checking PZ Meyer’s blog Pharyngula I found this story, about how a member of the Illinois General Assembly made the comment, during a hearing on a bill that gave state funds to a Chicago area baptist church, said that atheism was dangerous for children to even know it exists. As an Illinois resident, and an atheist, I am extremely distressed that such attitudes exist in Illinois. The full exchange, between Representative Monique Davis, and activist Rob Sherman is after the jump.
Davis: I don’t know what you have against God, but some of us don’t have much against him. We look forward to him and his blessings. And it’s really a tragedy — it’s tragic — when a person who is engaged in anything related to God, they want to fight. They want to fight prayer in school.
I don’t see you (Sherman) fighting guns in school. You know?
I’m trying to understand the philosophy that you want to spread in the state of Illinois. This is the Land of Lincoln. This is the Land of Lincoln where people believe in God, where people believe in protecting their children.… What you have to spew and spread is extremely dangerous, it’s dangerous–
Sherman: What’s dangerous, ma’am?
Davis: It’s dangerous to the progression of this state. And it’s dangerous for our children to even know that your philosophy exists! Now you will go to court to fight kids to have the opportunity to be quiet for a minute. But damn if you’ll go to [court] to fight for them to keep guns out of their hands. I am fed up! Get out of that seat!
Sherman: Thank you for sharing your perspective with me, and I’m sure that if this matter does go to court—
Davis: You have no right to be here! We believe in something. You believe in destroying! You believe in destroying what this state was built upon. (Text from Chicago tribune blogger Eric Zorn, audio of exchange here(also from Zorn’s blog)
Representative Davis, (Illinois General Assembly 27th District) seems to be making the classic appeal that Atheism leads to violence. (especially school violence) This is a cousin of the claim that Evolution leads to school violence, and both are popular among the religious right. Although there is no evidence that Davis is herself a member of the religious right, she has in the past supported a bill that would have required Illinois students to observe a minute of silence. (a popular way to sneak mandatory prayer into schools) (This bill was opposed by Sherman, and is most likely why Davis brings up the specific example of prayer in school)
PS: Has anyone noticed ads for expelled the movie on any “liberal” sites other than salon.com?
(Update)
Representative Davis has apologized. Although this is good, It still makes me angry that a politician can get away with such a vile tirade against atheists just because they are an out group.
