Comments on: One Atheist’s Brief Political Career http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2008/03/03/one-atheists-brief-political-career/ by Hemant Mehta Tue, 14 Feb 2012 15:14:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 By: K http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2008/03/03/one-atheists-brief-political-career/#comment-137231 K Thu, 06 Mar 2008 15:18:18 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2008/03/03/one-atheists-brief-political-career/#comment-137231 That was stupid. To the rest of the world, no Atheist has even bothered to run for anything. It would have been useful to ALL Atheists if he had just freakin' run for office and let the chips fall where they may and let the media run with it. Exposure to that nonsense (being dropped due to a lack of mythos) for all Americans would be a good thing. Maybe he could have encouraged someone else to carry the torch. Maybe he could have made others see that Atheists can't be all that bad if they supported him. If he's open about it, there's no need to introduce yourself to everyone that you're an Atheist. Do we respect christians who walk around telling anyone who will sit still what good christians they are? No, we think they are buffoons. Your personal beliefs should be a non-issue, not an opening sentence in every conversation. Sounds more like he wanted the small victory for himself rather than a large victory for others. Selfish and stupid. That was stupid.
To the rest of the world, no Atheist has even bothered to run for anything. It would have been useful to ALL Atheists if he had just freakin’ run for office and let the chips fall where they may and let the media run with it. Exposure to that nonsense (being dropped due to a lack of mythos) for all Americans would be a good thing. Maybe he could have encouraged someone else to carry the torch. Maybe he could have made others see that Atheists can’t be all that bad if they supported him. If he’s open about it, there’s no need to introduce yourself to everyone that you’re an Atheist. Do we respect christians who walk around telling anyone who will sit still what good christians they are? No, we think they are buffoons. Your personal beliefs should be a non-issue, not an opening sentence in every conversation. Sounds more like he wanted the small victory for himself rather than a large victory for others.
Selfish and stupid.

]]> By: Mike Haubrich, FCD http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2008/03/03/one-atheists-brief-political-career/#comment-136874 Mike Haubrich, FCD Wed, 05 Mar 2008 20:27:42 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2008/03/03/one-atheists-brief-political-career/#comment-136874 Hey, Danny, sorry about getting the name wrong. Don't get too discouraged. If you volunteer a bunch for the local party unit, and show that you are somebody who could win the seat, eventually the party boss will lose her fear. But don't rely on her. Build your own network. I will be running for school board in Minnesota next year. It's too late to hide my atheism, but the school board is "non-partisan" and the local party structure doesn't endorse. I'll get support of local people because they have known me for a while. Hey, Danny, sorry about getting the name wrong. Don’t get too discouraged. If you volunteer a bunch for the local party unit, and show that you are somebody who could win the seat, eventually the party boss will lose her fear. But don’t rely on her. Build your own network.

I will be running for school board in Minnesota next year. It’s too late to hide my atheism, but the school board is “non-partisan” and the local party structure doesn’t endorse. I’ll get support of local people because they have known me for a while.

]]> By: Danny http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2008/03/03/one-atheists-brief-political-career/#comment-136614 Danny Wed, 05 Mar 2008 03:10:56 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2008/03/03/one-atheists-brief-political-career/#comment-136614 Vincent, you're right that it would have been interesting to see how they reacted in public. But I am telling the story now. Vincent, you’re right that it would have been interesting to see how they reacted in public. But I am telling the story now.

]]> By: Vincent http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2008/03/03/one-atheists-brief-political-career/#comment-136495 Vincent Tue, 04 Mar 2008 20:31:02 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2008/03/03/one-atheists-brief-political-career/#comment-136495 I appologize for getting the name wrong. I clearly mimicked the reply above instead of confirming with the original post. *slaps wrist* I would have been more appreciative if you told them you didn't want to do it because you lacked confidence in your ability to win. Pointing out why you lacked confidence merely allows them to continue to discriminate against you based on your religious position. You lost their support when you used evidence to convince them that you didn't have a chance of winning. Weak evidence I think, but they were convinced. If they had backed you publicly first, they would have been in the position of either pulling out and publicly discriminating against you based on religion, or supporting you and claiming the moral high ground of being the party that supports tolerance and religious freedom. You simply allowed them to discriminate in private and save face. I appologize for getting the name wrong. I clearly mimicked the reply above instead of confirming with the original post. *slaps wrist*
I would have been more appreciative if you told them you didn’t want to do it because you lacked confidence in your ability to win.
Pointing out why you lacked confidence merely allows them to continue to discriminate against you based on your religious position.
You lost their support when you used evidence to convince them that you didn’t have a chance of winning. Weak evidence I think, but they were convinced.
If they had backed you publicly first, they would have been in the position of either pulling out and publicly discriminating against you based on religion, or supporting you and claiming the moral high ground of being the party that supports tolerance and religious freedom.
You simply allowed them to discriminate in private and save face.

]]> By: Danny http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2008/03/03/one-atheists-brief-political-career/#comment-136467 Danny Tue, 04 Mar 2008 19:11:15 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2008/03/03/one-atheists-brief-political-career/#comment-136467 My name is Danny, not Dennis. I'm not sure what I would have done if they hadn't shied away from me. I assumed that I would lose the party's support as soon as I disclosed my atheist views and I was right. Vincent, what do you propose that I should have done differently? My name is Danny, not Dennis. I’m not sure what I would have done if they hadn’t shied away from me. I assumed that I would lose the party’s support as soon as I disclosed my atheist views and I was right. Vincent, what do you propose that I should have done differently?

]]> By: Vincent http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2008/03/03/one-atheists-brief-political-career/#comment-136434 Vincent Tue, 04 Mar 2008 18:15:41 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2008/03/03/one-atheists-brief-political-career/#comment-136434 This really pisses me off! Clearly Dennis wanted a way out because nobody asked him. He just should have said: I'm really honored, but don't waste your time. I don't want it. All this whining about how atheists can't get elected. Really? How the hell do you know if all the atheist self-exclude? Dennis gave up a big opportunity to promote atheism by showing the bigotry of the political process (if it even exists) but he gave that up out of his own sense if inadequacy. This really pisses me off!
Clearly Dennis wanted a way out because nobody asked him. He just should have said: I’m really honored, but don’t waste your time. I don’t want it.

All this whining about how atheists can’t get elected. Really? How the hell do you know if all the atheist self-exclude?
Dennis gave up a big opportunity to promote atheism by showing the bigotry of the political process (if it even exists) but he gave that up out of his own sense if inadequacy.

]]> By: Arlen http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2008/03/03/one-atheists-brief-political-career/#comment-136307 Arlen Tue, 04 Mar 2008 12:06:11 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2008/03/03/one-atheists-brief-political-career/#comment-136307 Bad deal for Dennis, and (probably) the people of Missouri. I'm sure it makes a great dinner-party story, though! Bad deal for Dennis, and (probably) the people of Missouri. I’m sure it makes a great dinner-party story, though!

]]> By: Mike Haubrich, FCD http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2008/03/03/one-atheists-brief-political-career/#comment-136279 Mike Haubrich, FCD Tue, 04 Mar 2008 09:58:31 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2008/03/03/one-atheists-brief-political-career/#comment-136279 We shouldn't forget that for all of his other faults, Jesse Ventura was not quiet about his aversion to religion. He was an openly atheist governor of Minneota in the recent past. Perhaps if Dennis had responded "I don't believe in God, but that's just the beginning." We shouldn’t forget that for all of his other faults, Jesse Ventura was not quiet about his aversion to religion. He was an openly atheist governor of Minneota in the recent past.

Perhaps if Dennis had responded “I don’t believe in God, but that’s just the beginning.”

]]> By: Epistaxis http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2008/03/03/one-atheists-brief-political-career/#comment-136244 Epistaxis Tue, 04 Mar 2008 07:15:06 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2008/03/03/one-atheists-brief-political-career/#comment-136244 I wish we weren't the turd in the punch bowl. But imagine how much farther he might have gotten if he had stayed in the closet. I wish we weren’t the turd in the punch bowl. But imagine how much farther he might have gotten if he had stayed in the closet.

]]> By: hoverFrog http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2008/03/03/one-atheists-brief-political-career/#comment-136243 hoverFrog Tue, 04 Mar 2008 07:12:35 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2008/03/03/one-atheists-brief-political-career/#comment-136243 “Why are you an atheist?” “Because I don’t believe in god.” Well duh! Absolutely brilliant. Neat, polite, and succinct. Clearly not suitable for politics. I'm still waiting for an American politician to tell the electorate that his (or her) religion is a private matter and not part of the job that he's running for. It's been a while since anyone did that. Why are you a vegetarian? Because I don't eat meat. “Why are you an atheist?”

“Because I don’t believe in god.”

Well duh! Absolutely brilliant. Neat, polite, and succinct. Clearly not suitable for politics.

I’m still waiting for an American politician to tell the electorate that his (or her) religion is a private matter and not part of the job that he’s running for. It’s been a while since anyone did that.

Why are you a vegetarian?
Because I don’t eat meat.

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