Most important is that this isn't about ending some entrenched economic system or clear and flagrant inequality before the law. We have none of the same legal and moral authority that civil rights and abolitionist groups had on their side. And it was this very issue that became an argument a while back between D.J. Grothe and PZ when atheists today were contrasted to civil rights crusaders in the 60s. Ditto with gay rights groups, who are still denied marriage and have been targets of violence since time out of mind. We have to go back to the Puritans or Bruno to get that sort of comparison with atheists.Honestly, I feel that I could face a risk to my job security if my boss(es) were pressured regarding the extent of my nonreligion, given ties to groups like Godless Columbia. My workplace is susceptible to outside pressures and politics. But, this sort of prejudice is not akin to the legal discrimination that other groups face based on race, sex and sexual preference.
If people want their privacy, they should have it, while not walking around worrying about being the victim of a hate crime like that at the UU of Knoxville. Now, on to the latest post by Charlie:
I think everyone is making more of this than what it is. I don't think anyone is more out there than myself, and the negative backlash I have received has been minimal.I think you should separate out two very different things:
1) fear of violence
2) fear of reprisals -- attempts to smear you, get you fired, &c
As for (1), you are a physically-large male with an agressive attitude, so it doesn't surprise me in the slightest that you neither worry about, nor have reason to, acts of violence directed against you for your lack of religious beliefs.
As for (2), you are lucky. Many of us work in places that we can easily be fired for minor offenses, and although saying, "I'll sue!" sounds good and all, at best, this will lead to months of no pay followed by (hopefully) reinstatement and some coverage of our legal fees. Given the conservative composition of the high courts and recent relevant rulings in areas of labor protection, especially Enquist v. Oregon Dept. of Ag. (ruling), I wouldn't hold my breath.
I keep a blog that my boss reads on a regular basis where I publish my unvarnished opinions on anything and everything. No backlash. In fact, it is often the topic of conversation at work.Then you are obviously lucky to work under someone who isn't a bigot. Many are not so lucky. I don't think that the people here are worried about "people not liking me at work," but rather, some Evangelical-type supervisor who would find a way to start putting undue pressure on you or finding ways to discredit your job performance once they learned.
People disagree with me, but they respect me. That is because I don't hide in fear or shame.When I was at the University of Florida, I started the only non-theistic student group on campus and have even been on national TV to defend my views. (I argued against the placement of a Decalogue monument in Dixie County, Florida. While we were there, people cussed at me from the crowd gathered around and said crap to my wife while I was on-camera. Unfortunately, the satellite feed was cut off right as it was getting ready to be my turn to talk to Alan Colmes, who would've let me speak uninterrupted for a few minutes. I still wonder if Hannity had me cut off because I sounded half-competent and cognizant of the facts surrounding the other cases he referenced...)
Does that sound like I "hide" from being an atheist?
However, now that I'm working, with a baby on the way, the security and stability of my job is far more important than having my meetup.com profile public. In the question of risk versus reward, what is the reward? The real risk I face is in having a someone related to work find something online about me they don't agree with, then rally others to have me fired. There's something to be said about people's poor grasp on the concept of complete liberty in the freedom of expression.
The real threat here is not getting assaulted or fired. It is being embarrassed. It is sticking out from the herd. It is being an individual.If you say so. Sounds to me like you don't really care about the evidence of discrimination based on atheism in the workplace and school for others. You just choose to pretend all that doesn't exist or doesn't matter. If you feel strongly that it's about "being embarrassed" then that's all that matters to you, right?
I am with Seneca when he said that it is better to die on your feet than live on your knees.Yeah because having a public membership directory of a meetup group is to "die on your feet", while having a private one to non-members is to "live on your knees"...
Believe me when I say that everyone of you is more likely to die or be injured in a car wreck than to be assaulted or lose your job as a consequence of being a freethinker.So do you wear a seat belt, or is that also fear? Do you show courage and "die on your feet" by not wearing a seat belt?
It's about risk and reward Charlie, nothing more. Having a private membership directory to non-members is not "hiding in fear" any more than your wearing a seat belt in the car is "driving in fear".
