Pat Has Got It All Wrong

Typically, I love Pat Condell's YouTube videos; his snarky, godless attitude is usually brilliant, but now he's decided that American atheists have gone too far on the 'war on Christmas'.  He apparently thinks that it is wrong to push for a christian nativity scene to be removed from the secular, public grounds of city government.

I like the holiday season as much as the next person.  We put up a Yule tree and recognize the Winter Solstice (which the Christians ripped off of the pagans, btw).  I have no problem with Christmas songs (in moderation, because too much will make your head explode) or private citizens decorating their private property with the nativity or other types of religious paraphernalia.  To see these things does not make me feel "excluded" or "intimidated", but when a government body advocates the displays of one religion over all others on taxpayer funded property, then, yes, I have a problem with that. 

Pat claims that those who are in opposition to these types of governmental preference are trying to "stamp out harmless aspects" of Christianity.  That is not the goal at all.  The goal is: if government bodies decide to allow the public display of the nativity on taxpayer funded property, then representations of all religions (and lack of religion) should also be displayed - or none should be displayed.

I am glad for Pat that he lives in a country (UK) where he can be free and open about his lack of religious belief.  It would be nice if that were the case in America.

Has he seen how the theocrats have been trying to take over completely?  Has he seen the political candidates that we have to choose from (slim pickings, indeed)? 

In my country, it is political suicide to admit that you have no faith in the supernatural.  Additionally, if you come out of the closet, as godless, in some areas of the country you might have your property vandalized, be fired, be beaten up, etc. 

The theocrats are trying to inject their creationist bologna into the science classroom, are trying to make it legal to bully a kid into suicide so long as it is done in the name of religious morals, are trying to pass underhanded laws that make it difficult or impossible for a woman to have complete control over her reproduction, etc.

By preventing the pious from having  their government sponsored religious display, we who do not feel as they do are fighting against the autonomy that Christianity has enjoyed for so long.  We are not a Christian nation, we are a secular nation, and we will not allow the theocrats to continue to hijack taxpayer funded property for their proselytizing, at the expense of all others.  It violates MY constitutional rights, and it violates YOURS. 

Sorry, Pat, but this time, you've gotten  it all wrong.