Rusting Car Bumper

Hi,

There seems to be almost unanimous agreement that this march on Washington is a good idea.

I am, however, suspicious of this march.

Its put on by AA which generally is general known for being closed. Although they are inviting everyone that is a nonbeliever of any stripe, it doesn't appear as if they are inviting them to participate in the demonstration except to pad the crowd.

I have always seen that we nonbelievers are trying to solve our problem backwards. We need to worry more about our neighbors than our congressmen. Fighting church-state separation cases are not unimportant. However, it seems that also not fighting to make the public understand that atheists are socially redeeming equals is like fighting the symptoms instead of the disease.

If the march is nothing but "religion sucks" and "lets file a court case" then you can bet the worst vitriol of those spoken moments are what will make the nightly news.

Any PR is not good PR as the pledge case has well shown us. Take this example from a voice that actually wants to be sympathetic.<a href="http://www.bostonphoenix.com/boston/news_features/other_stories/multipage/documents/02219639.htm" target="_blank">From the Boston Phoenix</a>

If the author is quoting the AA representatives accurately I can tell you that I don't want or need to be represented by them.

DC

DougI

How surprising, another one of your pointless American Atheist attacks. Thanks for insulting everyone who is going to be at the march, I don't care to be represented by someone like you.

Rusting Car Bumper

(1) I didn't say I wanted to represent anybody.

(2) I never said I wasn't going to be or not going to be at the march. (not that it matters what I personally do)

(3) I never insulted anyone who is going to be at the march.

(4) and further, I was asking for some contructive commentary... not insults.

DC

DougI

I'm quite familiar with your history of attacks on American Atheists so don't bother belying me with the "who me?" attitude.

d'naturalist

Suspicious? No. I doubt AA has any ulterior motives or conspiritorial schemes. At least, I hope not.

It does, however, make me very nervous, coming as it does three days before the mid-term elections.

If those in attendance take the high road and use the march as an opportunity to demonstrate through their words and actions that secular people are honorable, decent people...

If they use the march to make a plea for American unity, equal human & civil rights for all people (theist & nontheist), and an end to violence & intolerance from both sides of the fence...

And if they use the march to address our concerns about religious oppression and warn about religious extremism in a reasonable manner (please, no freaky Chicken Little "The sky is falling!" paranoia), while at the same time paying respect and giving our thanks to those in the theist community who are open-minded and respect our rights and freedoms...

...then we can call it a positive event.

If, on the other hand, the march turns out to be Theist Bash-fest 2002, with speakers taking turns attacking the religious community, calling all believers nutcases, demanding a repeal of McCarthy era legislation (Pledge, Nat'l Motto, etc), and otherwise acting like Mr. Fundie's evil twin (I know, redundant)...

...then election day could be a very uncomfortable experience, albeit not as bad as the living hell the next two years will be with a Republican run everything.

The march can be an opportunity to build bridges or burn them down. Personally, I like bridges. Everything from big, ole steel-suspension bridges to good, ole, wooden covered bridges. Marvelous demonstration of human ingenuity and practicality. Yes, building bridges is good.

[ July 30, 2002: Message edited by: d'naturalist ]</p>

GaryP

I too hope it is not a "theist-bash". But I also hope that it is the beginning of a movement which will begin to raise non-believers concerns in the public mind.

I keep thinking of that 99-0 resolution the Senate passed. If the person bringing that lawsuit were Jewish or Muslim, the outcry would not have been so overwhelming.

Atheists are truly the last group in America (other than criminals) that can be so maligned by politicians and the media.

Buffman

d'naturalist

HEAR! HEAR!

Starspun

Who was the genious that picked November? Or, was it given as the only time that we could march?

Buffman, I agree with your posts here:

<a href="http://iidb.org/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=59&t=000527" target="_blank">http://iidb.org/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=59&t=000527</a>

It makes one wonder if we have been set up from the beginning. The march will, in the least, be used as conservative propaganda.

[ July 30, 2002: Message edited by: Starspun ]</p>

Writer@Large

Using the national mall for events is a popular idea, and IIRC, it has been stated in the past that scheduling the mall impacted the date of the March (along with the fact that marching in November in DC is much better, weather and humidity-wise, than marching in July in DC).

--W@L

Starspun

I guess the ideal weather for a march is relative. Living in south central Texas, my preference would have been a summer march. I hear summer in DC is mild comparatively speaking, whereas the late fall season is, in my view, quite cold and dreary.
But the question remains: why November? By design or by choice?

[ July 30, 2002: Message edited by: Starspun ]</p>