Wright, Shut the Fuck up!

You haven’t heard, which wouldn’t be surprising due to the amazing silence of the majority of media outlets, Obama’s pastor, Rev. Jeremiah Wright, recently said, “God damn America.” Now I am not going to chastise the guy (amazing, I know!) for that comment as I believe each and every person in this nation has a right to say whatever they wish. Freedom of speech is a glorious thing which has allowed us as a nation to advance as far as we have in science, civil rights, and the arts (though we’re regressing on that last point). But, as I believe in freedom of speech, thus I am going to exercise it to dispute the rather short-sighted, ridiculous claims made by a demagogue in Christ’s raiment.

There are those saying that Wright's words were taken out of context. That he was not blatantly damning the whole of America but racist views which have held his people back (the man is black), made them into criminals, and attempts to extinguish them as a culture. The pastor related various incidents leading up to his condemnation of our country. He spoke of his days as a Marine, returning from war, and being told he couldn’t eat at certain restaurants or go to certain areas because of the color of his skin despite the fact that he fought for this country. He railed against blacks being relegated to the lowest rung of the economic order, being forced into criminal acts to survive, being locked up because of a system which prevents them from rising up to middle class status. I call bullshit on his entire argument and I am going to tell you why.

The pastor complained about public segregation. That complaint is near forty years too late as all forms of segregation, whether in schools, water fountains, bathrooms, restaurants, etc. ended a long time ago. The last time I checked, no restaurant turned away a customer based on the color of their skin.

On the economic order of things, blacks were not the first people to suffer through economic misery. There were Irish immigrants, German immigrants, Italian immigrants, Jewish immigrants, and even the new wave of Hispanic immigrants who all came to this nation without money or education, had no political power, and had to suffer through privations until they rose up and took their place alongside the citizenry of this nation. Political theory has shown that any group can, and will, eventually attain equality unless there is true discrimination going on. Through hard work, a group attains money. Through money, a group attains stature. Through stature and economic value, the group attains political voice. Through this political voice, the group attains power and thus becomes a part of the system. The average amount of time this system takes is usually forty years. Not counting from the point of slavery’s abolition, but instead from the end of the civil rights movement in the 60s, blacks have had the prerequisite amount of time to have completed the system and to have the equality they seek. The problem is they do not want it.

Listen to the average black politician. They will consistently play up black urban plight, the repressive system that holds blacks back, the difficult economic situation of African-American culture which forces a disproportionate number of their young in the criminal system. Yet black culture glorifies urban culture. The majority consistently complain about how they are “owed” something. The problem with black culture, and you may call me racist for being so blunt, is that blacks want things given to them rather than to earn them. Where this view originated I can’t really tell you. The Civil Rights movement was made up of men and women who fought against the system that kept them and their children back from a host of possibilities. They faced brutal repression to give future generations a chance. Once they had the door opened, perhaps it was the way they were invited into the political system which warped their style of politics. The nation bent over backwards to give blacks a chance. There was desegregation of schools, the creation of public housing, the establishment of quotas, and more which not only leveled the playing field but outright gave blacks advantages over other groups. In other words, government “gave” blacks what they wanted rather than made them “earn” it. By that, I mean we did more than strip away racist laws; we created laws which discriminated others and forced people to step aside that blacks may become a favored class. Whenever someone steps forward and complains about preferential treatment, and to state a quota of any sort is based on merit rather than on skin color, then they are labeled racist and politicians back off for fear of the backlash. Why not call it what it is? Blacks are racists who believe they are entitled, partially due to government’s pandering to them reinforcing such behavior, and they do not want to give up that status. The blacks have virtually become like the whites of the early twentieth century: too stubborn to allow merit, over skin color or flawed thinking, to determine what is best.

Government policies have ruined black communities. These policies are entitlement programs. What incentive is there to work if welfare exists? From the cradle to the grave, that program alone destroys any drive a person may have. And it has become generational. Then there is desegregation of schools. Through busing, kids are taken out of their neighborhoods and put in other communities’ schools in order to “force” diversity. Yet there has been no real improvement in black economic or educational growth. This program has helped to ruin inner city schools. Whenever a school fails, the parents blame educators and want their kids shipped to more affluent areas for better education. Education is not simply teachers in the classroom. Education also happens at home. How can teachers teach if parents are setting bad examples, failing to discipline their children, and refusing to help their kids through their studies? It is the family unit, not the schools, that has failed blacks in America.

Over 70% of black children are born illegitimate. 70%! Children grow up without a father and that leads to all sorts of problems. Daughters seek out that missing male in their life, taken advantage of by sons who have never been taught what it means to be a man. Single mothers have to take two or more jobs to support their children (if they work) and thus are not available to supervise their children who get into things they shouldn’t. Children feel lost and alone and thus attach themselves to peer groups in the shape of gangs who give them that first true feeling of belonging they never had. Black children grow up angry and upset because their community had failed them. Rather than own up to their failure, the black community plays the race card (like Nazis with Jews) and take all their problems and embody them in white repression. They focus all their anger and frustration at whites to direct it away from the real problem because they simply don’t want to deal with it.

Black culture glorifies gangstas and athletes, sexuality and bling, violence and drugs. There is no talk of education, activism, or sacrifice. Blacks want the easy way because it is the simpler way. Whites helped to pave that path. Blacks refuse to deviate from it.

I’m sorry if this rant has insulted some. To me, this is the truth. Someone had to say it. Might as well be the quiet guy who can’t shut up anymore.

Godless in Society: How Can a Godless Person Make a Difference?

Being Godless in Society:
Godless people are atheists, skeptics, agnostics, freethinkers, and irreligious nonbelievers. In a society as soaked in religion and pop spirituality as America, godless people feel like outsiders in a variety of ways. They aren’t included in public calls to prayer and devotion, in the ever increasing presence of religion in the public square, or in the constant god-talk which believers may engage in. Is there anything the godless can do to demonstrate that they exist and matter?

Be Public about your Atheism:
Atheists will never make a difference in anything if people are unaware of anyone being an atheist. This seems obvious, but it has to be pointed out because so many are in the closet about being godless. There may be good reasons for this, but being open, public, and unapologetic about one’s godlessness is important because it helps one feel more comfortable with one’s self, and it enables people to see that godlessness doesn’t make one an immoral monster. Atheists must set a good example.

Don’t Let Prejudice and Discrimination Slide By:
Whether people are aware of your atheism or not, you may encounter expressions of prejudice against the godless. Sometimes this is deliberate; often it may simply be unthinking, unreflective, and habitual prejudice against those who are different. Such attitudes are no longer accepted when directed at minorities like Jews and blacks, so don’t let them continue to be socially acceptable against you. Being nasty won’t help, but be firm and direct about how you feel and how wrong such prejudice is.

Write Letters to the Editor:
One of the few remaining forums for public opinion, accessible to nearly anyone and read by so many, is the “letters to the editor” page in newspapers. Most papers have one and you should take advantage of them. Write short letters that make one or two points quickly and clearly. Don’t waste words, but make it clear that your perspective is godless and respectable. Write often; your name may be remembered and your letters may rise to the top when controversial issues are discussed.

Join Local Atheist, Humanist, or Freethought Groups:
If there is a local group that is designed for atheists, humanists, skeptics, or freethinkers, make an effort not only to join, but to become active. The biggest problem for these groups is that few people are interested in taking the time and making the effort to cause things to happen. Be one of those people; if no group exists, start one under the auspices of a national organization. Make your presence known to the community. Participate in local activities like adopt-a-highway programs.

Stay Informed:
Knowledge is invaluable. Do what you can to stay informed about recent news, philosophy, arguments, etc. Don’t just absorb facts and news, though — take some time to think about what it means, how it fits together, and what the implications down the road may be. The world isn’t simply a collection of unrelated events; understanding how events relate can be the key to understanding what’s wrong and what must be changed. Help others to stay informed too, when possible.

Become Politically Active in Local Groups:
Joining a freethought group establishes connections and support with other godless people, but it may not impact the rest of the community. For that, you must become active in other local groups which are designed for other purposes — political, social, environmental, charitable, etc. Don’t be pushy, but don’t hide the fact that you are godless. This establishes a godless perspective in these groups and helps religious believers get used to the fact that we exist and that we matter.

Consider More Extensive Writing:
Sometimes, the few chances of getting letters from yourself and friends printed in the newspaper isn’t enough to reach the audience you want, so you may need to consider a more ambitious task. Most newspapers accept guest columns, and if the people at your newspaper are familiar with you, then you may stand a chance of being published. You may even be able to write a regular column. Getting to this point will require patience, practice, lots of writing, and lots of reading.

Adopt Leadership Roles in Your Community:
Joining local organizations can help establish the existence of a valid godless perspective, but you may be able to make a greater impact by assuming leadership responsibilities within those organizations. Consider running for any position that becomes available, especially those where you will be able to help influence decision making and goal creation. The purpose is not to make the group promote atheism or freethought, but to ensure that it doesn’t become an extension of religion.

Be Patient, but Firm:
Change rarely comes quickly; when it does, it’s often in the wake of events we’d rather not happen and in directions that are for the worse. Genuine, positive, and fundamental changes take time because they occur from the bottom up: attitudes, assumptions, premises, and basic beliefs must shift before there can be significant alterations in behavior, policies, and laws. This is why so many changes are generational, with previous generations dying off before things are completely different.

You probably don’t have to wait quite that long to see some progress, but patience will be required nonetheless. It will take time for you to come out of the closet about being godless to all those you know. It will take time for the development of a local freethought group that is recognized and accepted in the community. It will take time for the letters of you and your godless friends to appear regularly in the newspapers. It will take even longer for you all to join, affect, and come to lead various local organizations.

It will take time, but it will be well worth the time and effort you invest. As you make progress, others will come to see that being godless doesn’t make one an immoral monster or an amoral sociopath. They will come to see that godlessness is a credible, reasonable, valid option and that being a religious believer isn’t the only path open to them. This, in turn, will at the very least increase the sympathy you experience and decrease the amount of prejudice and discrimination you must contend with.

Over time, it may even increase the numbers of those who join you by sharing your godlessness — even if they don’t happen to share your political and social beliefs. Remember, godlessness isn’t a political program or a social philosophy. Even people who disagree with you about everything else may share your godlessness. Religious believers have turned their belief into a political football and litmus test — don’t make the same mistake with godlessness.