I was listening to Rant in E Minor, one of Bill Hicks’ classic CDs, the other day. At one point he says, “That’s what fundamentalism breeds, no irony.” Or at least no sense of irony, no awareness of when one is psychologically projecting, as Bill Donohue does in this quote about the American Atheists billboard in Times Square:
“This year Silverman wanted to make a big splash, so he decided to draw blood. It shows what he is made of. He and his supporters do not want to be left alone – they want to inflame the passions of those with whom they disagree. Unlike Christians who do not provoke, harass or otherwise mock atheists, Silverman and his ilk want nothing more than to stick it to Christians at Christmastime. It’s who they are.”
Christians don’t provoke or harass atheists? Let me introduce you to Jessica Ahlquist, who had to be escorted to school by armed police officers because of the torrent of death threats she received after winning her lawsuit. And to Joann Bell, who received her own obituary in the mail, was assaulted on school property, got constant death threats and had her house burned down. Or to any of the other people whose stories will be in my book.
