To be an atheist in America

Today I read a story about the University of Connecticut.  Some people were upset that the pledge of allegiance is being said before each game.  Why?  Because the pledge includes the words "under god" and since UCONN is a public institution, reciting such a thing as part of a school-run event, violates the separation of church and state.  I first saw this posted on Facebook by a local radio station's page.  The station is rather conservative, playing Limbaugh, Beck and Savage and they always try to inflame their listeners.  The article was a blast at atheists.  Under the article there were 4 posts, all siding with the radio station except one, mine, which simply stated "The pledge itself is unconstitutional, well at least the current one is. The original was just fine."  This is 100% true, you ask any atheist around, they would have no objection to returning the pledge to how it was, without the "under god" that was added as an attempt to differentiate us from Russia way back in the day.  But theres something larger here, and it goes hand in hand with Fox News's non-existant war on christmas.  That is the oppressive subtext that is all around us in nearly everything we do and everywhere we go.  You go to the courthouse and you might see the 10 commandments posted, or in congress, where sessions are started with prayer and people are sworn in, for the most part, on bibles.  These are the people that are elected to represent us in the institution whose very existence is to protect the people from unjust behaviors of other people.  


Now step back and think about it a bit, put yourself in our place.  How would you feel if everywhere you went you saw such symbols displayed unabashedly.  You go into court and the judge has the 10 commandments posted, or maybe he is wearing a cross that is clearly visible over his robes.  Or maybe you send your children to a public school, and each day is started by the students reciting a pledge that is the antithesis of everything you believe and are raising your children to believe.  Do you really think that you can get a fair shake in such a world?  Will this Judge, so proud in his beliefs, give you the same treatment he would give a Christian if he knew you were an Atheist?  That is what it is like to be an atheist in today's world.  To LIVE everyday knowing that your core being, everything you are, makes you less of a person to those who are in power.  

Atheists are currently the most hated demographic in the country.  

We just count ourselves lucky that we can hide who we are, unlike many other demographics.


How horrible is it that THAT is the upside.  We can hide.