Lauren Smith is the outgoing Communications Assistant for Americans United for Separation of Church and State.
She’s on her way to law school (congratulations to her!) after three years at AU, but before leaves, she shares a few valuable lessons she has learned in her position:
Here’s just one example:
4) The Religious Right will never truly die.
The Religious Right isn’t just a political movement, it’s a mentality. Books abound about the movement’s demise, but I’m not buying it. The movement’s political power has waxed and waned over the past three decades and it will continue to do so. In the meantime, I’m more concerned about the mentality.
Here’s an e-mail I received a few weeks ago:
“Go away. Real Americans don’t want or need you.”
And one from 2005:
“Congratulations on being the most satanic organization on earth. I’m sorry there is no reward for that….Americans United for the Separation of Church and State is the most unpatriotic group I have ever seen….Your picture is also beside ‘terrorism’ and ‘unpatriotic.’”
As long as that mentality survives, the Religious Right will never truly die. Enough said.
The sample emails she shares are incredible. It’s amazing how many people are ignorant of our nation’s history and are willing to send hate mail at any perceived threat at their faith’s dominance in our society.
“I hate your souls with a white-hot, fire-breathing passion…..May all of you burn in a Living, Eternal Hellfire….Eat the flames of Hell, you rotten [bleep].”
That came to Lauren during her first week on the job.
Check out the rest of her list. You learn a lot about what groups like AU have to deal with on an ongoing basis.
[tags]atheist, atheism[/tags]
