Another atheist lawmaker emerged from under the shadows of the predominate Christian Arizona Senate.
Athena Salman, who describes herself as a ‘half Arab, part Mexican’ atheist, is running for the State House and will be joining fellow secular Arizona politicians Cara Prior, Scott Prior and Jaun Mendez.
Salman “came out” while speaking to the Secular Student Alliance at Arizona State University this week, by going public with her own atheism and telling the group that she is running for the State House in District 26.
“What I do, just telling my story, running for office — still an experience, still it scares me sometimes because I’m atheist, I’m half Arab, I’m also part Mexican… there’s a lot of things in Arizona that just doesn’t resonate with most people. But to me, picturing people like Rosa Parks, and who she really was and what she really did, what her real contribution was… I want to embody my life after that.”
Being an Atheist running for office in Arizona is certainly no walk in the park, but the more people who openly do so the better it will be in the long run.
Especially if they are elected and their are no reports of them eating babies or consorting with Satan.
There was a time not too very long ago that NO politician would have openly admitted to being and Atheist and now there are more all of the time.
Hopefully I live long enough to see the day where a person's faith or lack of faith is no longer a determining factor in their ability to be elected.
Really, thanks for posting articles like this. The hubby and I are atheists, just moved to a quiet mountain road in conservative NC. Old dude down the street comes up to meet and greet and the first thing he says after the introduction is, "Where will you be after death?" and my heart sank. Damn! 3 things you don't discuss when you first meet someone, according to my grandmother's society rules: sex politics and religion.
ReplyDeleteWell, the old dude knows we're non-believers, but we had to make nice cos were new here. Aaaand, I go down to the old dude's neglected flower beds by the road and work in them. His wife died 5 yrs ago and she did those beds. He really misses her, and has no idea what to do with flowers. But I do. I'm bringing those beds back to life, and showing the old christian what doing good for good's sake is all about. I take him my homemade bread, and he gave us veg from his garden.
He CAN'T think we're the devil, cuz we keep shwoing him we're not. We're just average peeps who don't believe in anything really, but the golden rule, I guess.
Any sane person knows that the only real sin is the intentional harming of a non-consenting vulnerable victim.
Anything else is just made up bullshit by some asshole trying to control you.
This is a great way to cause some cognitive dissonance in the old guy which will make it very hard for him to cling to his preconceived notions about you. Keep up the good work!
DeleteGreat comment, thanks!
DeleteGryphen, I also share the hope that some day I will see "the day when a person's faith or lack of faith is no longer a determining factor in their ability to be elected"
ReplyDeleteBeing a seasoned citizen, I am convinced it will take many hundreds of years til the influence of the militant evangelicals has waned to the point where religion doesn't matter any more in the western democracies.
This can only happen IMHO, as the oldsters die off, and new generations become more educated and consquently believe less in mythology.
Unfortunately, I don't see how that can happen for many countries that have large cohorts of Muslims, especially in the mid-east.
Religion is so entrenched around the world in places like Pakistan, Indonesia, and Turkey that it may take thousands of years for Islam to lose its influence.
I'm hoping it happens sooner in the U.S., and that displaying one's religion in public becomes an impediment to obtaining elective office because people finally realize that separation of church and state is the way to go for everyone's best interests.
DeleteI've been saying this for years -- Atheism is the new Gay. It's wonderful to see this woman and others coming out.
ReplyDeleteThe political candidate floodgates have been breached...
It just takes the few to encourage the many and then we soon have a tipping point.
In my lifetime...
A Catholic president: will never happen!
A Black president: will never EVER happen! Two terms.
A woman president: will never happen...
An atheist president: you bet! I intent to live long enough to see it.
"Atheism is the new Gay" I love that!
DeleteFun Fact. The website arkansashouse.org has a bio of each representative and for each person their religion is specified. Every one names a Christian denomination, sometimes a very specific denomination. Any atheists in the group... ? Yeah, it really is "coming out" in some states.
ReplyDeleteI don't know -- the warm smile, lively eyes. She looks very comfortable in her Arab/Mexican skin. Atheist? There must be something wrong with this picture! Some very clever Instagram filter to hide the evil lurking beneath. She's probably a baby body parts salesman.
ReplyDelete(Irony alert)
Good for her, and great to see, but "I want to embody my life after that"? Aaaarrrghh....
ReplyDeleteThe Legislature in Arizona is not Christian. It is Mormon / rock solid. They are referred to as The 90 Dwarfs and they have a stranglehold on our State.
ReplyDeleteI have the same dream. Someday one's religion or lack of one won't cause people to prejudge them out of fear. We raised our kids without religion, left it up to them at the age of consent. All three are married and so far, no problems.
ReplyDelete