# Athiests are not citizens, WTF? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [December 20, 2002, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/athiests-are-not-citizens-wtf/144134 "2002-12-20T23:23:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MindWanderer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@MindWanderer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MindWanderer)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2002, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/athiests-are-not-citizens-wtf/144134/1 "2002-12-20T23:23:29Z")
* * * Sherman: What will you do to win the votes of the Americans who are atheists? President Bush: I guess I’m pretty weak in the atheist community. Faith in god is important to me. Sherman: Surely you recognize the equal citizenship and patriotism of Americans who are atheists? President Bush: No, I don’t know that atheists should be considered as citizens, nor should they be considered patriots. This is one nation under God. Sherman (somewhat taken aback): Do you support as a sound constitutional principle the separation of state and church? Bush: Yes, I support the separation of church and state. I’m just not very high on atheists. * * * Resident athiests feel free to burn this to a crisp, but be aware, criticizing Bush just might send FBI agents to your door. I found this in a thread on the damn “God” clause of the pledge on the [Randi.org](http://Randi.org) message board. I’m too angry at this to say anything. ---
**Author:** ![beagledave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6de8d8/32.png) [@beagledave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beagledave)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2002, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/athiests-are-not-citizens-wtf/144134/2 "2002-12-20T23:29:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by MindWanderer \* > \*\*I found this in a thread on the damn “God” clause of the pledge on the [Randi.org](http://Randi.org) message board. > > I’m too angry at this to say anything. \*\* Oh well…as long as you have a reliable, verified source and all… :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![apotheosis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ba8739/32.png) [@apotheosis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/apotheosis)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2002, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/athiests-are-not-citizens-wtf/144134/3 "2002-12-20T23:29:23Z")
Who’s Sherman? ---
**Author:** ![loinburger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/db5fbb/32.png) [@loinburger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/loinburger)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2002, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/athiests-are-not-citizens-wtf/144134/4 "2002-12-20T23:30:12Z")
Wasn’t it the elder Bush who wasn’t high on atheists? AFAIK, Bush the younger hasn’t said anything about them. ---
**Author:** ![apotheosis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ba8739/32.png) [@apotheosis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/apotheosis)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2002, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/athiests-are-not-citizens-wtf/144134/5 "2002-12-20T23:32:26Z")
BTW…if you’re not high on atheists, it’s because you didn’t dry and treat us correctly before you rolled us and smoked us. ---
**Author:** ![beagledave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6de8d8/32.png) [@beagledave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beagledave)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2002, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/athiests-are-not-citizens-wtf/144134/6 "2002-12-20T23:34:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by apotheosis \* > \*\*Who’s Sherman? \*\* probably Robert Sherman…atheist… Ahh… and [here](http://www.atheistcoalition.org/articles/Activism.htm) is the interview…supposedly with George Sr. (1987) Slims pickings on mainstream press coverage though… ---
**Author:** ![edwino](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@edwino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/edwino)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2002, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/athiests-are-not-citizens-wtf/144134/7 "2002-12-20T23:36:20Z")
That quote was indeed George HW Bush. So roll back your clock 15 years and then feel outraged. [http://www.infidels.org/news/atheism/arguments.html#bush](http://www.infidels.org/news/atheism/arguments.html#bush) ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2002, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/athiests-are-not-citizens-wtf/144134/8 "2002-12-20T23:36:48Z")
Good, since I’m no longer a citizen, I can stop paying taxes, right? ---
**Author:** ![beagledave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6de8d8/32.png) [@beagledave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beagledave)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2002, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/athiests-are-not-citizens-wtf/144134/9 "2002-12-20T23:49:28Z")
Please. If some “reporter” from Pat Robertson’s CBN had “interviewed” Bill Clinton at an airport in the 80s and “reported” some shocking statements…I have a feeling that many folks here would want just a wee bit more verification and background before “being too angry to say anything”. Robert Sherman ain’t exactly the [brightest](http://www.beloitdailynews.com/698/1ill5.htm) bulb on the tree… ---
**Author:** ![Anaximenes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e99b99/32.png) [@Anaximenes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaximenes)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2002, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/athiests-are-not-citizens-wtf/144134/10 "2002-12-20T23:55:54Z")
Doing a quick Google for the phrase "No, I don’t know that atheists should be considered as citizens, nor should they be considered patriots. " brings it back as Bush the Elder, when he was just a Presidential Nominee – in '87. Still, it’s a pretty low thing to say. But I’m not going to lose any sleep over it. ---
**Author:** ![Neidhart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Neidhart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neidhart)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2002, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/athiests-are-not-citizens-wtf/144134/11 "2002-12-21T00:08:41Z")
Come back when you’ve got NEW news to report. Sheesh. ---
**Author:** ![Hamlet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hamlet/32/2818_2.png) [@Hamlet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamlet)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2002, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/athiests-are-not-citizens-wtf/144134/12 "2002-12-21T00:14:38Z")
C’mon cut the OPer some slack. His mind was wandering, back about 15 years… ---
**Author:** ![MindWanderer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@MindWanderer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MindWanderer)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2002, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/athiests-are-not-citizens-wtf/144134/13 "2002-12-21T00:20:08Z")
I just caught the snippet on the Randi site. Didn’t say which Bush there. My mind wasn’t wandering 15 years back, I was only 9 then. Still seems pretty insane, but old news, I guess. I was too POd to check the facts. Funny thing is, I liked Bush sr, (I was a Republican up until last year), now, eh. ---
**Author:** ![CRorex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CRorex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CRorex)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2002, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/athiests-are-not-citizens-wtf/144134/14 "2002-12-21T00:28:51Z")
Jesus christ… Not only did you take it out of context to imply the current Bush said it, the quote is also older than shit. Someone needs a cockpunch… ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2002, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/athiests-are-not-citizens-wtf/144134/15 "2002-12-21T00:29:01Z")
Oh for the love of Google. Ath **ei** ist. Atheist. E, then I! Eeeeeeeeeeee-ist. Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2002, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/athiests-are-not-citizens-wtf/144134/16 "2002-12-21T00:30:02Z")
Of course, I managed to fuck it up as well. ---
**Author:** ![CRorex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CRorex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CRorex)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2002, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/athiests-are-not-citizens-wtf/144134/17 "2002-12-21T00:34:08Z")
Hrrm didn’t read the the OPer correcting him/herself. I’m not recinding the cockpunch however. Old news you guess? … If you’re going to get pissed off about something, get pissed off about something that happens AFTER Alf was taken off the air. Cause lets face it, nothing in the 80’s was more offensive than Alf. Except Mr. Belvidear ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2002, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/athiests-are-not-citizens-wtf/144134/18 "2002-12-21T00:39:56Z")
Belvedere. And now that ol’ Gordon Shumway’s back in commercials, all bets are off. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2002, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/athiests-are-not-citizens-wtf/144134/19 "2002-12-21T00:40:55Z")
Is God an atheist? ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2002, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/athiests-are-not-citizens-wtf/144134/20 "2002-12-21T01:11:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Lobsang \* > \*\*Is God an atheist? \*\* He dosen’t believe in God… He believes in himself… wait…or does he… or Ah Fuck it! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/athiests-are-not-citizens-wtf/144134.md?page=2)