Sean Faircloth, the executive director of Secular Coalition for America, has now announced publicly what his vision is for the future of our movement at least as it pertains to the SCA.
The last bit (emphasis mine) is the part I’m most interested about:
First, national reporters will instinctively seek quotes and analysis from SCA about public policies that privilege religion — just as now they seek quotes from the ACLU on civil liberties. Soon after, our stands on issues such as the protection of children from religiously-based abuse, military discrimination and emergency contraception will be automatically understood by the general media to be a call for civil rights and justice based on a compassionate adherence to a rational worldview. We’ll see thousands more people become active, dues-paying members of our ten coalition organizations, spurred by the enthusiasm and pride that comes from joining a great movement for justice. By 2019, we will help see to it that ten or more members of Congress will state publicly they are nontheist — just as Representative Pete Stark did in 2007 as the first-ever member of Congress to “come out” as not believing in higher power.
I don’t know how possible that is, but I think if it happened, it would be the most important step up for secular Americans in the foreseeable future — seeing people who think like we do, in elected office, openly admitting that they don’t believe in a god.
It would also be nice to see those people admitting as much before they get elected to public office — getting elected in spite of their non-theism. Hell, getting elected partially because of their non-theism. How incredible would it be to not have that taboo of atheists being unelectable?
Sean mentions some tactics he is pursuing to help achieve his goals. One of them includes instituting an internship program on Capitol Hill. The Secular Student Alliance is working alongside SCA to make that happen. We want young atheists to get more interested in politics, enough that they’ll run for office in the future. Not all of them will win their races, but some just might.
I’m not saying they should make policies in favor of atheists. I’m also not saying they should side with the Democrats in all instances. But it would be refreshing to have people in government who we know think rationally about at least the “god” issue, perhaps the most important issue of all.
Do you think Sean’s goals are achievable?
Black Pastors Urge Home Depot Boycott After ..."
Black Pastors Urge Home Depot Boycott After ..."
Here’s Madalyn Murray O’Hair Discussing Atheism ..."
YouTube Bans Nigerian Pastor Who Tried ..."