This news should come as a pleasant surprise to some, less so to others.
A new PAC (Political Action Committee) has been formed, Godless Americans, or GAMPAC. CSPAN has carried some of their news conferences recently (there was one this AM that I missed, but it might repeat, so watch for it).
I’m glad that the loose coalition of “Atheists, Freethinkers, and Secular Humanists” is becoming a political force. Too long have religious groups hogged the spotlight when rational thought sans religious baggage is sorely needed. The subject of gay marriage, for instance.
But the name seems a little too “flag waving” in-your-face taunting. “Godless”? That is a good opprobrium to me, but not to all.
Maybe the time has come to stand up and be counted. Atheists unite! You have nothing to lose but your gods!
There is a 36-minute video available on cspan.org. Since it is a javascript video, I cannot see a way to link to it directly, but it is currently shown on the “most watched video” list on the main cspan.org page.
I haven’t, and I confess I am not overly familiar with the advisors. But each one spoke briefly at the press conference (see the video), and although I wasn’t knocked out by the oratorical skills of any, IMHO, they all gave a credible appearance. None droned on, and none had an Ann Coulter-type of attitude which I think would be counter-productive. Overall, they looked good, and Ellen Johnson is quite a looker for her age, if I may say so myself.
Doesn’t hurt. Think how much the cause would be harmed if one of the advisors was dressed as a Nazi storm trooper or had a wardrobe malfunction. Middle-roading here is a good thing.
One of the advisors recently ran for Michigan governor, and came in third. Not great, but not bad, either.
I can’t think of one offhand. (“Religion-Free Americans”? “Non-Worshipers”?) But I think it rubs many people the wrong way; a knee-jerk reaction. Not that “atheist” is a bed of roses.
It may not be a big deal, but it reminds me of a similar objection many of us have to the term “brights” as applied to an objective thinker. It implies a snob appeal that doesn’t advance the cause much. Just IMHO.
Just think – if they had created the acronym a little differently, it would have been GODAMPAC.
That’s why I’m fine with Godless, I can’t think of another term either. Neither of those works. I trust you’ve head of Buddhism? People who don’t believe in god aren’t necessarily religion-free, and ‘non-worshipper’ doesn’t even say what you’re not worshipping, so it’s vague.
It’s more than good enough for me.
That’s common among PACs, though. Anti-gay groups are “pro-family,” anti-abortion groups are “pro-child,” that kind of thing.
Campbell spoke of protecting Michigan’s natural resources, extending health care benefits to more Americans by calling overseas military troops home and curtailing the nation’s use of nuclear power.
This is politics, m’friend, and reasonable behavior is strictly off-limits. You think anyone would remember The Informal Gathering Of People Who Are All Quite Nice But Just Don’t Happen To Believe In A God But Are Otherwise Really OK?
I actually like throwing “Americans” in there as a reminder that not all of us are in favor of whatever the Religious Movement Of The Week is from the “oppressed” Christians.
I can get behind some of those. I’m not suggesting we support Campbell, but that Campbell support us freethinkers/atheists/whatevers.
As Ellen says (may I call you “Ellen,” dahling?) getting a bunch of atheists to agree is like herding cats or butterflies. Let’s hope we have some common ground to our mutual benefit.
Intense distaste for movements designed to further the idea that this is a theocracy? Freedom of and from religion? The elimination (or NL implementation, if absolutely necessary) of the designated hitter?
So maybe I went a bit overboard; but at least we know that one of the advisory board must be clean, or the press would have found something during his run for governor.
I’m not even particularly godless; I just hate intolerance and ignorance using religion as a banner, sword, and shield.
Particularly a shield; I bet we could all agree on that.
