Lower than the low

In a survey a couple of years ago, asking whether you would support "a ---------" for president?

The lowest number was for "Atheist." The number that sticks in my mind is 26%. Considerably lower than for "Homosexual," which another recent poll found 50% would support for president.

During the civil rights era, feeling ashamed of Georgia's reputation, we used to say, "Thank God for Mississippi." Still true, this time about a new demonstration of where atheists stand. And it's lower than gays.

The Itawamba County, MS school district denied the request of a lesbian student to come to the senior prom wearing a tuxedo and bringing her girlfriend as a date. Fearing further trouble, they canceled the prom. A federal judge ruled that her rights had been violated but did not require that the event be reinstated, because an alternate prom had already been scheduled.

The alternate prom was being arranged by the ACLU of Mississippi. Good for them.

Until . . . the ACLU of MS rejected a $20,000 donation to help fund the event -- because it came from the American Humanist Association.

Oops. Even the ACLU apparently isn't ready to go that far in Mississippi. The fundraiser for the ACLU-MS wrote: "Although we support and understand organizations like yours, the majority of Mississippians tremble in terror at the word 'atheist'."

Woo-ooo. Scary.

As far as I know, no humanist organization has ever started a war, over-thrown a government, or burned a cross on somebody's lawn.

What's to fear? Oh, yeah -- the truth.

Ralph