Let's never forget the words of Poppy Bush...

[trotsky]

When George Bush was campaigning for the presidency, as incumbent vice-president, one of his stops was in Chicago, Illinois, on August 27, 1987. At O'Hare Airport he held a formal outdoor news conference. There Robert I. Sherman, a reporter for the American Atheist news journal, fully accredited by the state of Illinois and by invitation a participating member of the press corps covering the national candidates, had the following exchange with then-Vice-President Bush.

Sherman: What will you do to win the votes of the Americans who are atheists?

Bush: I guess I'm pretty weak in the atheist community. Faith in God is important to me.

Sherman: Surely you recognize the equal citizenship and patriotism of Americans who are atheists?

Bush: No, I don't know that atheists should be considered as citizens, nor should they be considered patriots. This is one nation under God.

Sherman (somewhat taken aback): Do you support as a sound constitutional principle the separation of state and church?

Bush: Yes, I support the separation of church and state. I'm just not very high on atheists.

Source:Positive Atheism

Imagine, if you will, if former President Bush referred to any other group of people in that manner. Blacks? Jews? Muslims? Yes I would guess even if he had said that homosexuals aren't citizens, there would have been a scandal.

Next time you encounter a Christian whining about being persecuted because a store puts up a "Happy Holidays" sign, remind them of this. A former president doesn't believe that you should be considered a citizen of this great country.

[Marnieworld]

1. Non-believers also make up 15% of the US population

Imagine! ok at least 10% of 300 million is 30 million people to give a big fuck you to. That's about as many people of african -american descent. We are the last safe group to oppress. I've seen this quote before and it always really really pisses me off. grrrrrrrrrrrr.

[disillusioned1]

2. Well, I don't think traitors should be citizens

and that goes for Prescott Bush too. If the BFEE aren't traitors, then I don't know who is.

And I still can't believe Ollie North has his own news program on Fox.

And Dubya is Time's Man of the Year? He should be DOING time.

/end of rant

[Biased Liberal Media]

3. I've seen this before and it disgusted me

He'll say something to the effect of how that quote was "taken out of context" but I honestly don't see it being too far from the truth. The quote does NOT surprise me.

[fshrink]

4. He is an idiot. This is not an insult, it is

an unfortunate fact. He did not understand the question, the several layers of the question. This amazing weakness becomes a strength on an emotional level for numerous people, who do not see the mean and antisocial streak behind the idiocy. I think it is completely useless to ask him anything: he is covered by such a sort of blanket, wired, plausible deniability.

[Beetwasher]

5. They Don't TRUST HONEST Atheists

Because we are far less susceptible to brainwashing, influence etc. I can almost guarantee that Poppy doesn't believe in god too, he just feigns it so he can wield his religion like a weapon, but he's smart enough to know that the atheists (or rather, the atheists HONEST enough to profess their atheism, as opposed to lying about being religious so it can be wielded powerfully) would be the segment of the population he'd have the toughest time controlling. They fear the "honest" atheists.

[Rhiannon12866]

6. That's exactly it

Two of the basic tenets of the neocon philosophy are the use of religion to control the masses and to rule by fear, by keeping the nation in a constant state of war.
:scared::nuke:

[robbedvoter]

7. They are already passed into law - Patriot Act II (part of the Inteligence

thingy voted recently by all senate except Byrd)