There’s a wonderful feature-length article by Ann Grauvogl in The Daily Page about Dan Barker and Annie Laurie Gaylor, the co-presidents of the Freedom From Religion Foundation:
For Gaylor, being at the helm of an advocacy group for nonbelievers is hard work, and she often feels marginalized and demoralized.
She cites a Minnesota poll showing that every minority group in the nation is more widely accepted now than in the 1960s — except atheists. Barker, a former true believer, is not surprised: “When you’re talking about somebody’s religion, you’re talking about who they are. It’s like attacking them and their grandma. There’s nothing we could possibly say, no matter how gentle, that challenges their beliefs that’s going to make them feel good.”
The Freedom From Religion Foundation says that its goal is to educate, not just provoke, and that it targets only governments, not people. But, adds Barker, “What’s wrong with stirring things up? Isn’t that the point of dialogue and free speech? We want to be part of the quilt that makes America America.”
If nothing else, check out the bottom of the article for examples of hate mail from Christians.
