Sunday, January 25, 2015

Civil rights by anecdote

Apparently, according to Steve Neumann, there is no longer any such thing as sexism, racism, ageism, or any other similar forms of discrimination. That's right it's all just a delusion. Even though he never makes such a statement in his ridiculous Salon piece, "Atheism’s civil-rights delusion: Why non-believers don’t need their own Selma moment", that is where his grossly flawed logic leads. There seems to be only two main points in this idiotic piece of shit.

The first is easily summarized by his own statement in paragraph three, "But I’ve never suffered any prejudice in the 15 years since I came out as an atheist." Since he hasn't personally experienced any prejudice it seems it can't be real. Are you fucking kidding! Does this asshole really think that every woman all over the world has directly experienced discrimination or harassment? Since there would have to be at least a small fraction that have not that must mean that sexism no longer exists, right? Wrong! And what about those atheists who have been harassed and persecuted? If this moron paid any attention to the news he should have noticed that there is still plenty of prejudice aimed at atheists. There was just a case in Canada where a judge ordered a father to bring his children to church. There are constantly examples of atheists speaking up for their rights and then having their lives threatened for it.

His other point is just as fucked up.
"But there’s another, more fundamental reason why comparing the atheist movement to civil rights movements is a case of comparing apples and oranges. Being black or gay isn’t something someone chooses." Huh? Choosing to be a particular way or not, assuming it is a choice, is how you determine whether someone deserves civil rights? I actually, at various times, tried to believe in God. It never worked for me. It was in college that I came to understand that there is nothing wrong in not believing what others do. Seems that Mr. Neumann still hasn't figured that one out. There is also the implication that if you can hide who you are you should do precisely that. This seems to prove the exact opposite of what this dick head is claiming. If anyone is coerced in any way to hide who they are those are precisely the people who need a "Selma moment". Atheists shouldn't even have to consider any negative consequences for making it publicly known that they are atheists. Yet, we do.

Sounds to me like the "Jim Crow" he refers to in the subtitle of his piece is a matter of projection. Neumann is the worst type of self-deluded atheist.  He seems more interested in ingratiating himself to the majority than he is with thinking about anything for himself.

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