The Price Vocal Secular Students Have To Pay…

September 22, 2011 By 12 Comments

This is the price some students have to pay for standing up to religious forces in their public high school:

Jessica Ahlquist is strong and confident — I know she can handle it. But she shouldn’t have to deal with anything like this just because she’s a vocal minority fighting against an illegal religious banner hanging in her school.

Her courage is inspiring to me and (I know) a lot of you.

Please support groups like the Secular Student Alliance and Center For Inquiry – On Campus. They give these students the resources they need to deal with shit like this.

Filed Under: Center for Inquiry, General, Secular Student Alliance 12 Comments
About Hemant Mehta

Hemant Mehta is the chair of Foundation Beyond Belief and a high school math teacher in the suburbs of Chicago. He began writing the Friendly Atheist blog in 2006. His latest book is called The Young Atheist's Survival Guide.

  • Kevin_Of_Bangor

    I asked if I could join her facebook page to support her. Hope I get approved.

  • Hazor

    I thought Christianity was big on the whole empathy and loving other people idea.

    Maybe the people in that car are just not True Christians.

    • Anonymous

      They only like people who are in the same sect

    • Anonymous

      Hazor and to other Christians lurking Friendly Atheist. Please read John Loftus’s book The Christian Delusion. It would help greatly with some of the comments you want to leave if you already know what our answers are. But I would be careful reading his book, since you might become one of us!

      • Anonymous

        I’m reasonably sure that was sarcasm

  • Karen

    That’s the thing, the TOTAL unloving nature of the behavior of Christians when a person dares to not follow the sheep.

    • Anonymous

      You’d think that they’d welcome the opportunity to explain their point of view.

  • Drew M.

    People like Jessica make me seriously question my stance as a cynical old man. Not only is she a genuine inspiration, she gives me much-needed hope for the future.

    Keep fighting the good fight!

    ETA: Hrm. I used to be in that group, but I think I accidentally dropped it during my Great Facebook Culling™ last week.

  • http://www.facebook.com/joe.zamecki Joe Zamecki

    What did they shout? Maybe it was positive? “Kudos on a job well done!” Or was it something else?

  • Anonymous

    I’m impressed by the courage of young atheists.  I’m pushing 37 and would never have had the guts to speak out, let alone take action this way while in high school.  When I graduated I had only told two people (one of whom was in the same camp) that I was an atheist.  I don’t know if times are changing or the youth are getting braver and more bold.  I hope its both.

  • Nicole S

    Good for her, and others like her. I hope she finds a good community for herself once she gets into college. 

  • Anonymous

    Almost makes me want to join FB to lend my symbolic support to her, but since I won’t be joining FB anytime soon…

    You and the other out atheists have earned a great deal of respect from me, Jessica. Keep it up, and hopefully future generations will be more accepting.