***Update***: Lucy Gubbins, the president of the Alliance of Happy Atheists, had a response to Richards’ article published in the same newspaper today:
Wading through such journalistic gems as “idiots” and “dipshits” (in reference to atheists), I was unimpressed and bored by this “flamebait” of an article, which served no purpose but to present the author’s obvious and unabashed hate for the non-religious community. It gave the reader no argument, no information, no nothing; it was simply an uninteresting, uneducated diatribe that read more like a mildly offensive YouTube comment than the legitimate article that should have been in its place.
While I wasn’t bothered by the article itself, I am bothered — and bewildered — by the fact that the ODE decided to run this article (three months after its original publication) in this issue, with no opposing view or added commentary included. Here’s to hoping that the ODE staff re-evaluates the process by which they choose off-campus commentaries. And here’s to hoping, too, that Mr. Richards finds some happiness in his life. Maybe he should come to one of our meetings.
…
A couple months ago, an article by Dick Richards appeared in the Daily Vanguard at Portland State University, trashing atheists in a way not commonly seen, even in student newspapers.
Get this straight all you condescending, egotistical atheists: You dipshits most certainly do have a religion. It’s ironically called atheism! You witness its creed whenever you try to convert everyone around you to your way of thinking.
That’s from a clearly well-reasoned op-ed piece…
The entire article is ridiculous, and not worth the time rebutting, but it’s important to point out that this never would have been published in any newspaper if Richards were talking about Jews or Muslims instead of atheists.
That was a couple months ago, though. So the editors and columnist apologized about it allA, right?
Of course not.
Not only that, the Daily Emerald, the student newspaper at the University of Oregon, reprinted the piece in today’s edition!
Has no one learned a lesson…?
It’s even more ironic when you consider that the campus atheist group at the University of Oregon is called the Alliance of Happy Atheists.
Greg Gant is an officer of the organization and he writes this in an email:
… The Alliance of Happy Atheists is strictly non-aggressive and we champion ourselves for our religious tolerance and hence we’ve become one of the largest student organizations on our campus.
We’re not terribly interested in the actual article, as the author, Dick Richards, seems to specialize in poorly written rants meant as flame-bait as he spends his time ridiculing popular local coffee franchises without much reason as to why. Its best to not even respond to attention-seekers.
We can take criticism but being called “dipshits” isn’t exactly constructive. Many of us are offended and also feel antagonized into a response.
How would you suggest the organization’s members respond to this article and the editors who published it?
