Atheists the most discriminated group in the U.S.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=3024275&mesg_id=3024275

What the fuck is up with this? Firstly, I think gays probably face the worst discrimination in the U.S. A far second is race. My family hasn't stopped driving through Naperville because we're atheists. It's because almost every time we get stopped or followed. People don't follow my cousin around stores because he's atheist, it's because he's a dark male. Crosses aren't burned on the lawns of atheists. There aren't groups formed completely for the sake of hating atheists. And as far as GLBT rights? They are being completely trampled BY LAW.

I really hate the "Im discriminated worse than you are" game, but it saddens me that apparently a good chunk of people on DU think gays and minorities have it so good.

the perspective people have.

Seriously, who'd know just by passing someone that they're an atheist? It's not the same as wearing colored skin or walking hand in hand with a same sex lover. So, unless they join a very vocal group of like-minded people or go out of their way to spread their ideology (a printed t-shirt, perhaps?) I just don't see them having the everyday life experiences of minorities like people of color and gays.

OTOH, the powerful morals police, faith based inititiatives and tax exemptions for religious institutions mean - no matter how they vote - they have no say over how their tax dollars are spent. In fact, in this climate, it'd be suicide for a pol to even mention atheists. So, they're ON the list, just not at the very top, imo.

Anyone remember this TV show from the 1950s? Every day the show featured three economically-challenged (they called them poor back then) women who competed for the title of "Queen for a Day". Each of the three would stand in front of the audience and tell how poor and miserable their life was. The audience then voted to determine which of the three was the poorest and most miserable. The winner usually got a free washing machine or something like that. Oh, and the winner also got a sable queen's cape draped over her and a crown of big rhinestones placed on her head.

Only in retrospect do I see how demeaning and pointless this program was. All three were very poor, but there could only be one winner. But the terrible thing was the fact that the winner's prize was of such little value that I doubt if any of the winners were better off a year later.

For some reason this topic reminded me of that show. It doesn't matter which group is the most discriminated against, because the winning prize is too insignificant to make a difference.

Still, it got me to thinking. One thing stands out. Over the years a lot of African-Americans and gays have been lynched because of what they are. And the threat of such lynchings still exist.

As an atheist myself, I've never heard of a case of an atheist being lynched in the U.S. (though it wouldn't surprise me if it has occurred). Also, I've never felt threatened with bodily harm for being an atheist.

So in that sense, I think it's clear atheists have not, and do not, provoke the kind of violent discrimination that African-Americans and gays endure.

On the other hand, if we measure discrimination by how likely the average American would vote for an African-American, openly gay, or an openly atheist candidate - who was otherwise politically in tune with that voter's philosophy - I think the atheist would have less chance of getting the vote.

The thing that gets lost in arguments like these is: white gays and atheists can avoid discrimination by keeping their mouths shut. That to me, seems to be the key. The people who suffer the most everyday discrimination are those who cannot hide whatever triggers the discrimination. For that matter, people who are very obese or disfigured also suffer more everyday discrimination than the average gay or atheist.

GOPFighter