Last Wednesday, "atheist activist" Rob Sherman from Buffalo Grove, IL and Illionis Rep. Monique Davis (D-Chicago) went at it before the House State Government Administration Committee over a $1million grant that Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich gave to a local Baptist church. Rep. Davis attacked Sherman for his atheist beliefs and declared that she thinks it's dangerous for children to even know that atheism exists. She then attempted to throw Sherman out of the committee room for being an atheist. The transcript from the juicy part is below and there's audio of the exchange too.I would ask Ms. Davis to consider how her words would sound directed at a Jew or Muslim.
Davis: I don’t know what you have against God, but some of us don’t have much against him. We look forward to him and his blessings. And it’s really a tragedy -- it’s tragic -- when a person who is engaged in anything related to God, they want to fight. They want to fight prayer in school.
I don’t see you (Sherman) fighting guns in school. You know?
I’m trying to understand the philosophy that you want to spread in the state of Illinois. This is the Land of Lincoln. This is the Land of Lincoln where people believe in God, where people believe in protecting their children.… What you have to spew and spread is extremely dangerous, it’s dangerous--
Sherman: What’s dangerous, ma’am?
Davis: It’s dangerous to the progression of this state. And it’s dangerous for our children to even know that your philosophy exists! Now you will go to court to fight kids to have the opportunity to be quiet for a minute. But damn if you’ll go to [court] to fight for them to keep guns out of their hands. I am fed up! Get out of that seat!
Sherman: Thank you for sharing your perspective with me, and I’m sure that if this matter does go to court---
Davis: You have no right to be here! We believe in something. You believe in destroying! You believe in destroying what this state was built upon.
The Council for Secular Humanism in Amherst, NY is calling for Davis' resignation, as they should.via Boing Boing