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 A voice vote to change the DNC party platform turned to chaos Wednesday night.
September 6th, 2012
03:24 PM ET
Conventions leave atheists asking: What political party represents me?By Dan Merica, CNN Washington (CNN) – This convention season has not been good for atheists. The word "God" was reinserted in the Democratic platform after it had been removed. A plan to raise atheist billboards in the convention cities was stymied by opponents. And though there were preachers and rabbis and other religious leaders opening and closing each day of each convention, there wasn’t an avowed atheist talking up unbelief on either convention’s speaking list. The political lockout has left many nonbelievers asking, “What political party represents me?” “We are deeply saddened by the exclusion of a large number of Americans by both parties,” said Teresa MacBain, a spokeswoman for the group American Atheists, in an interview on Thursday. “It amazes me that in modern-day America, so much prejudice still exists.” After word spread Wednesday that Democrats left God out of their platform, atheists rejoiced. “Truly amazing news,” wrote Loren Miller on Atheist Nexus, a popular atheist blog. “The Republicans remain in the firm grasp of right-wing Christian religiosity, and I really don't know what it's going to take to free them from it.” But the convention committee immediately received huge pressure get God back in the platform. Even President Obama, according to CNN reporting, said, “Why on earth would that have been taken out?” when he first heard of the omission. In an awkward session that required three voice votes on the convention floor, the Democrats opted to add “God” back to the platform. For atheists, the Democrats were seen to be taking away a hard-fought victory. “We had 24 hours of joy as we felt (that) finally our government values all people,” said MacBain. “But that was short-lived. The vote last night angered many atheists and left them feeling excluded once again.” Online, atheist websites and Facebook pages went from upbeat to downcast as news spread of the platform revision. “Obama was the first president to acknowledge non believers,” Mark Musante wrote on the American Atheists’ Facebook page. “I wish he would stick to his guns.” Musante was referring to Obama’s 2009 inauguration speech, when the president said, “We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus, and nonbelievers.” Beverly Sitherwood, on the Friendly Atheist blog Facebook page, accused the Democrats of “Pandering for power.” Some atheist leaders used the platform defeat as a rallying call. “I guess a tiny step was too much to ask for,” David Silverman, president of the American Atheists, told CNN. “This was a clear message to the 16% of the voting population - we don’t count. Well, guess what, Dems - we do. And we vote.” Silverman says that 16% of the voting public identify as nonbelievers. According to the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life, 12% of the electorate in 2008 was made up of people with no religious affiliation, though experts say the number of avowed atheists is much smaller. While acknowledging atheists, Obama has given platforms to high-profile religious leaders, including Rick Warren, a megachurch pastor who prayed at his inauguration, and Catholic Cardinal Timothy Dolan, who is giving the final prayer of the convention on Thursday night. American Atheists’ plans to raise billboards ridiculing the presidential candidates’ faith ended in failure. After the group put up billboards in Charlotte, North Carolina, the site of the Democratic National Convention, last month, it quickly removed them due to “physical threats to not only our staff, but the billboard company as well.” American Atheists had also planned on a billboard in Tampa, Florida, to coincide with the Republican National Convention there. But American Atheists said that all the billboard companies in Tampa rejected a sign taking aim at GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney’s Mormon faith. Perhaps because of the Republican Party’s ties to conservative Christianity, atheists tend to be Democrats. According to a 2012 Pew study, 71% of Americans who identified as atheist were Democrats. “The Republicans who spoke at the RNC seemed more like televangelists than politicians,” MacBain said. “The message was clear from the RNC: Get God, or get out.” The Republican’s 2012 platform mentions God 12 times, many of which describe the “God-given” rights that the Republican Party says are inherent to the American idea. Though most atheist groups claim that there are closeted atheists serving as representatives and senators, only one has come out as such. In September 2007, Rep. Pete Stark, Democrat of California, affirmed his atheism in a speech at the Humanist Chaplaincy at Harvard University. soundoff (3,922 Responses)« Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 Next »
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Reblogged this on peace2alldotme.
FROM THE ARTICLE:
" I guess a tiny step was too much to ask for,” David Silverman, president of the American Atheists, told CNN. “This was a clear message to the 16% of the voting population – we don’t count. Well, guess what, Dems – we do. And we vote.”
--------------------------------------------–
I certainly understand where the atheists are coming from here, but what's the alternative...? Vote for Mitt Romney to show the DNC and President Obama how wrong they were ? Of course not. Would be crazy to do so.
I strongly believe that the majority of atheists will still vote for President Obama.
As time goes on, the message for non-believers, and agnostics will evolve and as sert itself into more of the mainstream society. It's time is here... and... it will continue to grow.
Peace...
I am an atheist and I completely agree with you.
@melissa
Thanks for your input.
Peace...
my god is a oxy / aceyelyne torch . steel faints with fear at its sight..
I prefer the Democratic party because although they may not understand/endorse Atheists, they respect the freedom to not believe either and that open mindedness is more important to me.
@Bethy_AZ
I agree with you Bethy. The reason I always vote republican is to let the Democrats see that we are liberal too and have the exact same values. We just believe in different things.
Both parties suck, and it has nothing to do with religion. Though the religion nonsense doesn't help.
"Both parties suck," but only one attempts it by tapping your foot in an airport bathroom...
"This convention season has not been good for atheists.
The word "God" was reinserted in the Democratic platform after it had been removed. A plan to raise atheist billboards in the convention cities was stymied by opponents. And though there were preachers and rabbis and other religious leaders opening and closing each day of each convention, there wasn’t an avowed atheist talking up unbelief on either convention’s speaking list
AWESOME!!!!
the US is a Christian nation
No, it isn't.
You look even dumber when you post things like that, Chard.
The U.S is a nation with a majority of christians (of course all the denominations are glad to consider each other christian when it comes to numbers, all other times it's the no true scotsman free for all), but we have no state religion.
Chad, it is good for atheists and christians. When christians understand that atheists only want science and healthcare because they are good relative to having those things, we can get along and share the same belief system.
@Chad,
Exclusion of any religion, or non-religion, is bad for this country, and you too.
If one group is excluded today, how do you know your group won't be excluded tomorrow?
AWESOME!!!!
the US is a Christian nation
Hooray for social injustice! Hooray for ignorance! It is bliss after all!! Hooray for bigots and prejudice!! Hooray for Chad!!
I think we should exclude all religions equally, that way no one feels prejudiced against.
"If one group is excluded today, how do you know your group won't be excluded tomorrow?"
Because that's impossible, my religion is the right one so theres no way we could get excluded just because we deny others their right to practice their own religion or non-religions the way they want to. Plus, we have Chuck Norris on our side who would karate kick the excluders to mars! And I know all this because I am the center of the universe! All your base are belong to us!!
"This convention season has not been good for atheists."
Joel McAtheist "Yeah, because the past one's have been sooooo inclusive of atheists feelings..."
And my Magic Invisible Superfriend tells me it's true.
And Magic Invisible Superfriend is going to jack you up really bad for the rest of eternity and beyong, because it is my loving fantasy that you get tortured realloy bad forever. That makes me feel good, in a loving Christian way.
Chad (Poe)... fail!
@ME II "Exclusion of any religion, or non-religion, is bad for this country, and you too. If one group is excluded today, how do you know your group won't be excluded tomorrow?"
@Chad "what do you mean by "exclude"? Atheism and Christianity are by definition mutually exclusive world views.
hmm.. lot of fake "chad"s..
if you are unable to discern the real one, I'll be signing off this particular thread..
"Atheism and Christianity are by definition mutually exclusive world views."
An atheist can live his whole life never once attempting to convince his neighbor to become an atheist.
A Christian who lives his whole life never once attempting to convince his neighbor to become a Christian, isn't really a Christian.
For some reason Christians see no problem pushing their world view on others, and in fact require it of their followers regardless of the veracity of their beliefs. They constantly lobby anyone within ear shot to abandon whatever truth they may have found and join them, mainly because they can't stand being a minority and must make everyone think the way they do to validate their proofless theories.
Thanks Truth.
All the Chads are making the same kind of (non)sense today.
"Karate Chop!!' ... Chad falls to the floor and shatters into a thousand confused ideologies just from the virtual impact of one air chop.
@Chad
"what do you mean by "exclude"? Atheism and Christianity are by definition mutually exclusive world views."
Hmmm, you'd be correct, if atheism were a worldview. Unfortunately for you, it's not.
worldview
1. a particular philosophy of life or conception of the world2
2. a collection of beliefs about life and the universe held by an individual or a group3
@Chad
And how exactly is the non-belief in god a worldview? It's a stance on a question. Just like you do not know which god or doctrines a person subscribes to from just the word theist.
@reason, one thing non-believers do not understand is that Christians do not force their beliefs on anyone. Everyone, Christians and non-believers alike, has freewill. Christians believe that accepting Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior and by living by the word of God, we will have everlasting life in heaven freed from the punishment of our sins. This is where the misconception begins. We do not preach hate or discrimination, we merely care enough to want to save those who risk an eternity of hell. This is done because we CARE. Not because we hate. Atheist try to erase God from everything out of hate. If you don't believe...fine. Don't like my cross don't look at it or just look at it as you would a generic pendant, don't want to hear our prayer then don't listen to it. Why is it that our religious symbols must be removed because you don't like them? If I don't like the color purple, I don't cry about it and try to force everyone from being able to wear purple clothes. I ignore it and move on with my life. If you think I'm a fool for my beliefs that's fine. Christians, like myself, do not hate atheists for their non-belief, but feel pain in our hearts that they will not be free from their sin. If I believe in God and live my life according to His word, what will I lose when my life is over, but if I deny His existence and He truly exists I will lose everything. This is known as Pasquale's Wager, but is it a gamble your willing to take? I don't live by Pasquale's Wager, I live by faith. I see God acting in my life, because I believe and have faith. A true Christian with true faith has all the evidence of God's existence that non-believers say doesn't exist. But their non-belief blinds them from the truth. This is not hate speech. Any person claiming to be a Christian and advocates hate is not a Christian. Just to clear things up for you and those who need it.
@pugh
Really? Pascal's Wager? Did you forget about the False Dichotomy that Pascal's Wager uses?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bZkp7q19f0
This is the best thing you've posted. You should quit while you're ahead.
Done! LOL
Now, THAT was entertaining...
The party of SATAN!
jaleel shakir, your a q.u.e.e.r, satan's gonna poke you in the rear!
Satan is the devil, aka Lucifor the serpent.
Satan doesn't exist so that won't work.
Socially
Above
Trite
Asinine
Neocons
The question has an easy answer, Obama. Why is that so?
Obama "mouths" that he is Christian i.e. believes in gay Gabriel and war-mongering Michael the Archangel and Satan. BO's support of abortion/choice however vitiates has Christianity as he is the leader of the Immoral Majority who are now the largest voting bloc in the country. Immoral Majority you ask??
The 78 million voting "mothers and fathers" of aborted womb babies !!! (2012 -1973 Rowe vs. Wade = 39.
39 x 2 million = 78 million. Abortion rate in the USA as per the CDC is on average, one million/yr.
And the presidential popular vote in 2008? 69,456,897 for pro-abortion/choice BO, 59,934,814 for "pro-life" JM. The population of the Immoral Majority in 2008? ~ 70 million !!!!!!
You can be a Christian without forcing your beliefs on others. Read the First Amendment...you know where you aren't allowed to make laws influenced by religion. Your religion has no business in my business.
I am an agnostic as noted below:
The Apostles' Creed 2012: (updated by yours truly and based on the studies of historians and theologians of the past 200 years)
Should I believe in a god whose existence cannot be proven
and said god if he/she/it exists resides in an unproven,
human-created, spirit state of bliss called heaven??
I believe there was a 1st century CE, Jewish, simple,
preacher-man who was conceived by a Jewish carpenter
named Joseph living in Nazareth and born of a young Jewish
girl named Mary. (Some say he was a mamzer.)
Jesus was summarily crucified for being a temple rabble-rouser by
the Roman troops in Jerusalem serving under Pontius Pilate,
He was buried in an unmarked grave and still lies
a-mouldering in the ground somewhere outside of
Jerusalem.
Said Jesus' story was embellished and "mythicized" by
many semi-fiction writers. A descent into Hell, a bodily resurrection
and ascension stories were promulgated to compete with the
Caesar myths. Said stories were so popular that they
grew into a religion known today as Catholicism/Christianity
and featuring dark-age, daily wine to blood and bread to body rituals
called the eucharistic sacrifice of the non-atoning Jesus.
Amen
(references used are available upon request)
The reality of se-x, contraception and STD/HIV control: –
from a guy who enjoys intelligent se-x-
Note: Some words hyphenated to defeat an obvious word filter. ...
The Brutal Effects of Stupidity:
: The failures of the widely used birth "control" methods i.e. the Pill (8.7% actual failure rate) and male con-dom (17.4% actual failure rate) have led to the large rate of abortions and S-TDs in the USA. Men and women must either recognize their responsibilities by using the Pill or co-ndoms properly and/or use safer methods in order to reduce the epidemics of abortion and S-TDs.- Failure rate statistics provided by the Gut-tmacher Inst-itute. Unfortunately they do not give the statistics for doubling up i.e. using a combination of the Pill and a condom.
Added information before making your next move:
from the CDC-2006
"Se-xually transmitted diseases (STDs) remain a major public health challenge in the United States. While substantial progress has been made in preventing, diagnosing, and treating certain S-TDs in recent years, CDC estimates that approximately 19 million new infections occur each year, almost half of them among young people ages 15 to 24.1 In addition to the physical and psy-ch-ological consequences of S-TDs, these diseases also exact a tremendous economic toll. Direct medical costs as-sociated with STDs in the United States are estimated at up to $14.7 billion annually in 2006 dollars."
And from:
Consumer Reports, January, 2012
"Yes, or-al se-x is se-x, and it can boost cancer risk-
Here's a crucial message for teens (and all se-xually active "post-teeners": Or-al se-x carries many of the same risks as va-ginal se-x, including human papilloma virus, or HPV. And HPV may now be overtaking tobacco as the leading cause of or-al cancers in America in people under age 50.
"Adolescents don’t think or-al se-x is something to worry about," said Bonnie Halpern-Felsher professor of pediatrics at the University of California, San Francisco. "They view it as a way to have intimacy without having 's-ex.'" (It should be called the Bill Clinton Syndrome !!)
Obviously, political leaders in both parties, Planned Parenthood, parents, the "stupid part of the USA" and the educational system have failed miserably on many fronts.
The most effective forms of contraception, ranked by "Perfect use":
– (Abstinence, 0% failure rate)
– (Masturbation, mono or mutual, 0% failure rate)
Followed by:
One-month injectable and Implant (both at 0.05 percent)
Vasectomy and IUD (Mirena) (both at 0.1 percent)
The Pill, Three-month injectable, and the Patch (all at 0.3 percent)
Tubal sterilization (at 0.5 percent)
IUD (Copper-T) (0.6 percent)
Periodic abstinence (Post-ovulation) (1.0 percent)
Periodic abstinence (Symptothermal) and Male condom (both at 2.0 percent)
Periodic abstinence (Ovulation method) (3.0 percent)
Every other method ranks below these, including Withdrawal (4.0), Female condom (5.0), Diaphragm (6.0), Periodic abstinence (calendar) (9.0), the Sponge (9.0-20.0, depending on whether the woman using it has had a child in the past), Cervical cap (9.0-26.0, with the same caveat as the Sponge), and Spermicides (18.0).
.I am personally a Christian Atheist, but I don't believe in God very much. That being said, I think God should be in the Dem's platform because we all believe it, no matter your personal beliefs are.
Lol @ "Christian atheist". Not even remotely a possibility. At the very most you are agnostic. Personally, I think you are just confused.
@Amniculi
I am trying to offer up fairness and the spirit of cooperation. If atheists and christians can't see eye to eye, then why not just believe the same stuff? It makes no sense.
What does that even mean? See eye to eye? On what? Religion? Never going to happen. Political issues?
Are you doing the invisible horse dance while you're writing this?
I've never heard that term, but I think it can be used for the atheist that continues to go to church for family reasons. I used to be a Christian atheist.
Tom tom you s.e.x.y lady!
CS
That's a new one to me, and I've been at this a long time. I've heard of closet atheists...Christian atheist is an oxymoron.
@Anmiculi
We Christian atheists believe in Jesus like the yogi that he was, but not in God. Also we love his father the Lord.
Wow. I'm done.
Well-trolled, Gangham.
LOL
This was a sad moment for atheist. Even the founding fathers foreseen this as an issue to separate religion from political issues because of the wide argument in God. So bad America does not have a valid third party to vote for because both choices in this election are awful. I guess God will have to choose who wins this election! If the 16% of nonbelievers jump ship, Obama just lost the election.
@Jefferson's Ghost
I don't think it is so bad. Even if atheists had a third party to vote for, they might still vote Dem because the candidate might be better and the platform is close to home. If the Dems would quit harping on stem cell research, women's right to choose, healthcare and evololution, they would appeal to a lot of those republicans too. It is worth a shot.
"If the Dems would quit harping on stem cell research, women's right to choose, healthcare and evololution, they would appeal to a lot of those republicans too."
No kidding! Let's just pull the whole platform out from underneath the Democratic party! Hell, we won't even NEED a Democratic then! Of all the ridiculous comments...
*Democratic party – CNN needs an edit option.
@Anmiculi
Don't get mad.
Not mad. I just have very little tolerance for idiocy and ignorance.
@Anmiculi
You need to check that temper at the door. I don't believe in god. But god will not hear your prayers if you behave badly.
We all have an alternative this coming election...THE GREEN PARTY is on the ballet in most of the United States.
The green Party takes NO corporate donations and so is not controlled as the two main parties are.
If you are sick and tired of going into a voting booth , holding your nose, and voting for the worse of two evils, this November cast a vote for your Green Party candidates...JILL STEIN FOR PRESIDENT!
Obama knows he won't loose the non believer vote If they vote which they will it will be mostly for the dems.
I think the bottom line is that we as Jews and Yogis need that extra time to prepare.
The Atheists already have a party. It is called the COMMUNIST party!
I'm an atheist, but that doesn't mean that I'm not a capitalist.
I know anti, I have a community where we get along and help one another. It really sucks. It would be better if I could just wash cars and look at the bag.
Communist? Really? Troll much or are you really that stupid?
Ok as an atheist I'm somewhat offended by the statment "Who represents us?" The last think I want to be treated as is a religion. Athiesm is NOT a religion. I am represented by the Consti.tution, where there is no God / Allah/ Visnue or any other super natural being. Where we have separation of church and state. I'll take that.
Brother, I don't think you should be offended. Think when the Jesus comes back he can explain to everyone that their is no god but our fate is on the TOP of that box of cookies.
Well said, Maynard
Hey you know I think that Huebert is correct. We should be able to provide some kind of evidence or whatever for atheism because proving there is no god reminds me of how I pretended to play drums in sixth grade bug almost killed some third graders on accident.
You can't prove the nonexistence of something, and if you insist that a thing exists until proven it doesn't then that means you believe in Flying Spaghetti Monsters, The tooth fairy, unicorns on Neptune, that stars are powered by leprechaun farts, and so on.
The whole premise of removing God from a political platform in order to claim that you represent Atheists is silly. Atheists, like Christian, Muslim, Mormon and Jewish Americans should be represented by both parties or either parties. Removing God from our culture does not serve any American.
Removing God from our culture is akin to moist napkins in that it is difficult not to tear if you are scrubbing vigorously. I see why atheists are concerned at the convention with the pointiness of everything.
Actually, I think removing god and religion from our culture would serve EVERY american. A reduction in magical thinking, an increase in scientific literacy, and an increase in a reality based world view could only benefit this country.
Huebert – That has already been tried by other countries resulting in disatrous failure so why import that worldview into the best country on earth where all are free to think for themselves and believe or not believe. Repeating what has already been done expecting a different result is a sign of insanity correct?
@SPA
You misunderstand me. I know that trying to force atheism, or any belief, would have disastrous consequences. What I'm saying is that if atheism were the predominate position in this country, the country would be in a better moral and intellectual position.
@Huebert – 100% agreed.
Huebert – In your world view, who gets to define morality? As far as intellectualism is concerned, we have many in Washington and on college campuses and we are not better off.
I'm an atheist. HOWEVER, like S.E. Cupp and a few other conservative atheists, we "appreciate" the idea that this country was founded by men who were inspired by God. Human beings, as a species that has reasoning skills, must have a belief of the supernatural. I don't believe for one minute that there is a spiritual being in existence. However, I also do believe that because humans can reason, they can also be dangerous to themselves if they ever figure out that there is no spiritual being monitoring them. Although I personally don't have a higher being to look up to, I don't go around killing people or making others' lives horrible. But, I think I'm a very minority because I'm convinced that once these other atheists are let loose, then civilization will turn into utter crap. Imagine movies like Mad Max or Escape from New York – that's the kind of world we would be living if atheists were to take over the world. We live in America, and we're stuck with the fact that the country was inspired by God-believing people. If you other atheists cannot accept that as fact, then you're a part of that "fundamentally changing" this country Obama has in mind.
I like the way you think. I was in a mad max once. Changing the fundamentals will very important as God is laid to rest.
Civilization already is utter crap for 30 percent of the world.
What you REALLY fear is that we will take from the haves and give to the have nots. By force if needed
You are wise to fear us, the status quo is your only shelter.
Why should I accept your wild speculation as fact? Now if you could provide some evidence for what you say you would have my attention.
You are clearly a right-wing Christian posing as an Atheist so that you can criticize "your own kind."
A big myth about Atheists is that just because they don't have to answer to a higher being, they will therefore have no morals or ethics. My experience has been that their morals and ethics exceed that of conservative Christians.
@David – and you sir are a jack*ss to put words into our mouths, telling the world we don't want any sign of religion on anything. Not all of us atheists are like you. Most of us live our lives, and choose to live in America, and among the more than 80-percent of those who believe in a God. You do not represent the rest of us.
"I also do believe that because humans can reason, they can also be dangerous to themselves if they ever figure out that there is no spiritual being monitoring them. Although I personally don't have a higher being to look up to, I don't go around killing people or making others' lives horrible. But, I think I'm a very minority because I'm convinced that once these other atheists are let loose, then civilization will turn into utter crap."
I hate to point out that the current world we live in, with the majority of the world population clinging to religious beliefs, has not created a peaceful world by a long shot.
Yea...except the founding fathers weren't Christians. At best they were Deists. Today, they *would* probably be atheists. This statement is nothing but propaganda generated by the religious right in an attempt to justify their continued existence in a country that was "born christian" – which it was NOT.
JP They were heavily influenced by the Christian faith, Christian's were very much in the majority, just because you hear that they weren't don't make it so, and doesn't change history.
Takawalk we have their words to tell us they were not christians. The fact that being accused of Atheism could be punishable by death back then may also have something to do with it.
"""Human beings, as a species that has reasoning skills, must have a belief of the supernatural. """
I'm with David on this one. The language of your post (like the quoted sentence above) pretty much identifies you as NOT being an atheist.
Need a couple generations to pass on still before unaffiliated (won't say atheist, because I think the actual number of people that outright call themselves atheist is still quite small) have enough numbers for the parties to cater to them. It'll happen, just not yet. Right now, if either side was to show love for people not for organized religion, they would definitely lose. Maybe if all unaffiliated people all got together and concentrated their population in battleground states, they could speed up the process, but that's not going to happen 🙂
I think the s.e.x trade around the convention is most likely healthy for the older gentlemen. I have read that Obama enjoys it and wants the delegates to be happy. Also in the interests of the Mormon Jews, they will need the younger girls in their rooms for afterwards. I don't know why the party platform doesn't hold that God is great.
No one gets everything that they want in the real world.I have aligned myself with Democrats because I am in agreement with the majority of their agenda.However, there are parts of the platform that I don't agree with, but the party's agenda best represents what I stand for.It's unrealistic for atheists to expect the majority of the people in the party to disavow tenets of what they believe to accommodate a few people who don't believe.That doesn't happen in any organization.
There's nothing here, really. The atheists "threaten" the Democrats with "We Vote", but they're all still going to vote Democrat, so what's the difference? The Democrats know they can disresprect, ignore, whatever, the atheists because the atheists aren't going to vote Republican no matter what. And, at 16% of the population, staying home on Election Day isn't a big enough threat. Their only chance to affect an election is to take their votes from the Democrats and give them to the Republicans – thus, doubling the effect. But we all know they're not going to do that. Personally, I'm just *thrilled* that while this country drowns in debt, with no end in sight, everyone wants to focus on religion. Yippee!
The Russian revolution started with 3 percent, and the French with 8 percent or so.
We don't want to "adjust" the paradigm, we want to burn it to the ground.
16 Percent is MORE than enough to destabilize a society
How thin-skinned can a group of people get? Get over your non-believing selves. Obama is a Christian. It's his faith, in spite of the idiots who try to claim he's Muslim. He's the candidate; it's his election; he's a Christian; and if he wants the party platform to reflect a recognition of his beliefs, then give it to him and shut up. He doesn't have to personally endorse every flavor of faith and non-faith that exists.