San Diego: Meet Your Local Atheist

[MindPilot]

I posted this over in Articles & Editorials too but I wanted to make sure you guys saw it.

Isn’t it odd that the ones who scream “war memorial” loudest have never even been in, let alone drawn combat pay?
--MP


Meet Your Local Atheist

By KEITH TAYLOR
Voice Guest Columnist
Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2005

{snip}
Paulson the atheist would easily top any local poll of "most hated person," especially when that cross thing comes up. And much more especially when the talk-show jingoists get going. Such animus when those "patriots" spit out "atheist."

{snip}
Paulson the atheist took part in dozens of major battles, including what may have been the bloodiest of the war, Dak To. During that battle, his company started out with 200 men and a mere 40 walked off the hill. More than half were killed. He carried many in his arms to the rescue helicopters. Despite all that he isn't eligible to join the American Legion or the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Both require a belief in god. Phil the atheist isn't religious but he's honest. Although often urged to do so, atheist Phil refuses to cop out with the old "I believe in a higher power."

Just for reference, his major detractors, talk show hosts Roger Hedgecock and Rick Roberts never served a day in the service let alone nearly 18 months of continuous combat. Another severe critic of atheist Paulson is Mark Larson of station KOGO. I left word at the station asking if Larson had served. I received no reply.

More at: http://www.voiceofsandiego.org/site/apps/nl/content2.as...

[Lars39]

1. broken link?

[MindPilot]

3. Try this one...

http://www.voiceofsandiego.org/site/apps/nl/content2.asp?c=euLTJbMUKvH&b=312465&ct=1256991

[Jokerman]

2. VFW & Legion "require a belief in God"?

Interesting. My dad was a Methodist when he joined the Navy in 1939. By the end of WWII he had become an outspoken atheist. His will specifically forbade ANY religious service for his funeral.

He was an member of both organizations and a past commander for the local Legion post. His memorial service was held at the legion and, as per his wishes, not one single prayer or mention of god was offered.

Maybe the local organizations were a little more flexible with the rules.

[progressoid]

9. Hmm, maybe that is a sign of how far to the right we have gone in the last

60 years.

[dwckabal]

4. I'm sure Keith Taylor

will get lots of "loving" hate mail for that article...

[trotsky]

5. It's the responsibility of good Christians everywhere...

to shower hatred and death threats upon those who DARE question doctrine or live their lives happily without gods.

[shrike]

6. Well, to paraphrase Barry Goldwater

re gays in the military: no one should have a problem with atheists in the military as long as said atheists can shoot straight.

[onager]

7. One of my favorite Goldwater quotes!

"You don't have to be straight to fight for your country. You just have to shoot straight."

Another one: "A woman's decision to have an abortion should be strictly between her and her doctor. A bunch of do-gooders don't have anything to say about it."

Never hesitant to smear one of their own who deviates, the Repubs claimed Goldwater had fallen under the evil influence of a younger liberal women he was hanging around with.

Goldwater got a good laugh out of that, and reminded them a zinger from 1980, before he even met the woman in question:

"Somebody (in the GOP) should show Jerry Falwell to the door and kick him right in the ass."

[shrike]

8. Goldwater seemed like my kind of guy

One of my sisters-in-law (who is about a decade older than me) was into ham radio when she was young. One of her regular "correspondents" was Barry Goldwater. Guess he was quite a ham radio nut, and would show up on the airwaves frequently. They chatted about all kinds of things, but never politics. She always had fun talking to him.

[immoderate]

10. I supported Goldwater in '64

Many have wondered at my supposed "turn-around."

It's not that simple, I tell them. Goldwater was not a racist or a theocrat, or a liar, and those are prerequisites for Republicans today. I still am libertarian in its pure form of nobody should be able to tell you what to do or not do.

Where I would break with Goldwater today is the belief in the free market and the natural altruism of people and the benevolence of local control. While these things do exist, powerful forces are arrayed against them that have no conscience.

Goldwater is shunned by people who call themselves conservatives today. They are more rightly termed racist bigots.

--IMM