Atheists unveil monument in Florida and promise to build 50 more

[Playinghardball]

At the unveiling of the first-ever atheist monument erected on government public property Saturday, the organization American Atheists announced that they plan to erect more monuments at locations throughout the country. In a press release, American Atheists President David Silverman said that the organization has plans for 50 more monuments at public sites across the country.

The unveiling took place at noon on Saturday at the courthouse in Starke, Florida, where last year a Christian group erected a monument to the Christian Bible’s Ten Commandments. The new atheist monuments will be placed in similar locations, where Christian groups have erected monuments to their beliefs in public, government-owned places.

“We’re not going to let them do it without a counterpoint,” Silverman told the Miami Herald. “If we do it without a counterpoint it’s going to appear very strongly that the government actually endorses one religion over another, or — I should say — religion in general over non-religion.”

The Starke monument was born out of a lawsuit filed by American Atheists asking that the Bradford County Courthouse remove the Ten Commandments monument, alleging that it violated the separation of church and state. The atheists were unable to have the Christian monument removed, but were told that they could erect their own monument at the site.

American Atheists agreed and Saturday presented the finished monument, a 1,500-pound granite bench and plinth inscribed with quotes by Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin, as well as Madalyn Murray O’Hair, the founder of American Atheists.

More at: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/06/29/atheists-unveil-monument-in-florida-and-promise-to-build-50-more/

[LeftofObama]

1. K & R n/t

[RainDog]

2. this is one answer to allowing religious monuments on govt property

while some are pretending this indicates something becoming "a religion," the context is equal representation of religious expression in public spaces.

I'd rather be represented by Ben Franklin than by any church I know.

[Snotcicles]

22. Lets see which gets vandalized more often. nt

[forestpath]

3. K&R

[cherokeeprogressive]

4. "He wants..." Nice to see sexism isn't a practice limited to religion...

[Apophis]

5. It's from a quote.

[cherokeeprogressive]

6. Made ya look.

[Luminous Animal]

7. One of my first thoughts but it is a quote from Madalyn Murray O'Hair.

[cherokeeprogressive]

11. I had heard it before.

Considering the time the statement was made, it's totally understandable.

Now if someone were to make a comment like that today...

[rug]

8. Why would an atheist want disease conquered, poverty banished, and war eliminated,

as opposed to anyone else?

Is there something about atheism that compels these noble ends? Is it not simply nonbelief in deities?

[YeahSureRight]

13. Well the religious seem more interested in increasing poverty, continuing war and charging

High prices to cure disease. Seems to me the atheist’s and secular humanist are the only ones who give a damn about people any more.

[cbayer]

15. Who are "the religious"? Certainly you meant to this to describe a specific kind of religion

or religious group.

[YeahSureRight]

18. It is ALL the So called Religious in America who use thier religion like a club and that is the

vast majority today.

Religion is a cancer in my book those who want it are free to do so just keep it to yourself.

[cbayer]

19. Lol! Wow, you've got it bad.

See you around the campfire!

[cbayer]

20. I have a question. Do the sentiments you express in the post below also pertain

to this example of this case? And, if not, why not?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=3125995

[rug]

24. Does your book have pictures?

[rug]

23. Yeah, sure, right.

That is the most illogical statement in the entire thread.

[YeahSureRight]

25. Well ALL religion is illogical so it fits right on in.

[rug]

27. Lemmesee . . . . oh yeah, you're the guy who wrote this

the religious seem more interested in increasing poverty, continuing war and charging high prices to cure disease

Kudos on changing "the religious" to "ALL religion" but it 's still bullshit.

Nice to see you again.

[bike man]

9. Many responses at this earlier thread.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=3132965

[cbayer]

10. Ok, I totally get why they did this after losing the lawsuit, but a plan to build 50 more?

That just seems lame.

While this one makes a clear counterpoint, what message do they think just putting them up without cause is going to send? How would they be any different to the groups they are challenging?

[RainDog]

12. They are saying to religious groups

this - if religious groups insist on putting their religious beliefs on display in public places, then nonbelievers will do the same.

personally, it's not something I would be involved in, but I do care about it, in terms of correcting the misplaced notion that religion has the right to exist in the public sphere without anyone else having an opinion.

It's about not being silent.

Considering all the intrusion of religion that we have in political life at this time - this year alone - HUNDREDS of legislative acts across the nation to restrict healthcare access to women because the religious right is trying to shut down Planned Parenthood clinics across the nation.

Frankly, those people are lucky women don't tear out those religious monuments and beat the shit out of those who hold such sexist views that they think they have the right to deny women access to legal health procedures.

But women are taking the non-violent route and protesting to demand the nation not allow religious assholes to deny women their legal rights.

Religious assholes (as opposed to those who hold religious beliefs but aren't assholes toward others by using those beliefs to discriminate) are the ones who put religious monuments on public display, too.

It's all part of the same mindset.

[cbayer]

14. I understand what they are saying and they clearly did this in response to a case that they lost.

That makes sense to me. It's a "If you can't beat them, join them" statement. And while I think the court decision was dead wrong, I don't know that they had much choice but to do this.

But this "tit for tat" without a specific cause (e.g. a similar lost lawsuit), I think it's counterproductive. it's a "Look! We can be just as obnoxious and law violating as you!!".

I am in no way defending the religious right. I would hope you would realize that. Some atheist/secular groups have had great success in the courts and I hope they continue to spend their time and money pursuing those cases. Not building monuments.

[RainDog]

16. but it's not in violation of the law

as per the judge.

I don't think you're defending the rr. never have thought that about you or just about anyone else here (with a few exceptions, and afaik, those people are chomping pizza...they were gone quickly.)

I'm just saying it makes no sense to criticize their action since it is a form of protest...that harms no one.

[cbayer]

17. Exactly and that is the cause for building it.

I disagree with the judge's overall ruling, but agree with his saying that if they were going to allow the existing one, they were going to have to allow others.

I wish to be clear. I am not objecting to this action. I support it and think they did the right thing under the circumstances. I am questioning the wisdom of building 50 more without a specific motivation like they have here.

There are much better ways to spend their money, imo. Like pursuing legal action when there are clear state/church separation issues. Building monuments without a specific provocation just doesn't seem to make much sense.

But, that's just me. Clearly others, including the person who is donating all the money to do this, disagree.

[TBA]

21. Stark FL is very very Conservative/country/redneck

The main employer is a maximum security prison.

I give it 1 week before it is defaced.

Most people look at me like I have three heads when I share I am atheist (I live about 100 miles from Stark)

However, I'm still glad to see the monument and I hope there are more.

[pgr]

26. Most religious nuts

Have a difficult time accepting the fact that Atheists have morals, usually they have a lot more more than religious folks as a matter of fact !