Get out of here, atheists!
Pharyngula: Get out of here, atheists!
The governor of Illinois has been playing some games with state money, shuffling a million dollars to benefit a Baptist church, and an atheist dared to testify to the legislature against this. The response from one legislator was unsurprising: she shrieked at the atheist to get out.”
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The audio is also worth listening to (about 2 mins. long).
Here's what you miss from the transcript: there are cheers while she's telling him that "atheists" believe only in "destruction". (The bit about guns in schools is particularly retarded, being an utter non-sequitur). what you miss from the transcript--when Sherman calmly and politely begins to respond, he's told he's bringing up irrelevant issues and should focus his testimony.
This is just bat-shit crazy. I find this frankly frightening: it is one thing for Robertson and Falwell to talk this way--they're fringe figures. But an elected representative, and a Democrat at that! I agree with PZ: atheists in IL need to organize to make sure this lunatic doesn't get re-elected.
AMERICANS in IL need to organize to make sure this lunatic doesn't get re-elected. She told an American citizen he didn't have the right to speak. He could be a Nazi for all I care and he still has the right to speak.
What a nut bag. She is so misinformed and ignorant.
It is hard to decide what a suitable response would have been.
My emotions are strongly voting for option 1.
Norm,
I hope if opposition to this rep. arises you or someone will update us so we can support them.
Here's her office number in case you wish to tell her how much you appreciate her giving away state funds, while still asking for federal funds during declared distasters.
Springfield Office: 241-E Stratton Office Building Springfield, IL 62706
(217) 782-0010 (217) 782-1795 FAX
District Office: 1234 West 95th Street Chicago, IL 60643
(773) 445-9700 (773) 445-5755 FAX Cook County
Is there a state remaining wherein the rest of America can opt-out on paying for churches and cults alike? I'm getting pretty tired of the "sky-man" tax.
Wait a minute... Athiests are responsible for guns in school? This whole time, I thought it was because of a lack of parenting.
I'd better go to church and see what they tell me to think... I'll just set my kid in front of the TV while I'm away...
How is it possible to respond to such a person? How did she managed to get elected int he first place? Some last minute scandal on the part of here opponent? Her time has long passed.
Donate to their opposition.
Indeed it is.
Maybe someone ought to remind Rep. Monique Davis that Lincoln was a secular deist who supported the separation of state and church and didn't much care for Black people. Nah, she probably wouldn't understand.
Unfortunately, she's almost certainly not going to lose her seat.
I'd advise you all to read even more about the context surrounding all this: Blagojevich, probably the least popular governor in America, has the state's finances tied up in several religious causes that came to support him. Among the more infamous is the Baptist church he pledged money to, only to "accidentally" wire the money to a corrupt principal of a non-existent school, whom he pardoned before sending said money. But I digress...
Rob Sherman is running for a rep. seat under the Green Party ticket. It would be a hoot to have him there every day with Rep. Davis.
There's an "unspeakable truth" to this whole Monique Davis thing: while the overall American populace includes a certain percentage of ignorant, xenophobic, and generally retarded shitheads, the black community still manages to stand out, by electing the most outlandish cretins into public office.
Content of my character, my arse.
yeah, we don't really talk about it because its that poor uneducated people are more likely to elect poor uneducated politicians, and its not so much about the fact that they are black.
the prospect of immigrant voters that are more religious and less educated is the new conundrum of the democratic party. They might vote their economics but eventually they will make the party more socially conservative.
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