From: ai.amck@mcc.com (Alan McKendree)
Newsgroups: alt.atheism
Subject: Bush no friend of atheists (but Clinton no better)
Date: 27 Aug 92 15:20:53 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: MCC, Austin, TX

There recently was a request for someone to post what they know about
George Bush's attitude toward atheists.  As you might suspect, he has a
pretty low opinion of them (us).

The following is from a full-page ad taken out by American Atheists in
the Austin (Texas) _American-Statesman_ for May 19, 1990 (p. A21).  This
was the day Bush addressed the graduating class of the University of
Texas:

****Begin quote

When Bush was campaigning for the presidency, one of his stops was in
Chicago, Illinois, on August 27, 1987 [hey--today's the anniversary.
Also, I suspect the year was 1988, but 1987's what's printed in the ad.
Moving on...].  At O'Hare airport, he held a formal outdoor news
conference, and it was there that Robert L. Sherman, a reporter for the
_American Atheist_ magazine and a National Spokesman for American
Atheists, had the following exchange with the Vice President.

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.

S:  Surely you recognize the equal citizenship and patriotism of
Americans who are Atheists?

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

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

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

Later Mr. Sherman had a confrontation with Ed Murnane, Co-Chairman of
the Bush-Quayle '88 Illinois campaign on October 29, 1988, concerned
with a lawsuit Mr. Sherman had filed to enjoin the Community
Consolidated School District 21 (Chicago Illinois suburb) from forcing
his son to pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States -- "one
nation under God" (Bush's phrase).

The following took place

SHERMAN:  American Atheists filed the Pledge of Allegiance lawsuit
yesterday.  Does the Bush campaign have an official response to this
filing?

MURNANE:  It's b-------.

S:  What is b-------?

M:  Everything American Atheists does, Rob, is b-------.

S:  Thank you for telling me what the official position of the Bush
campaign is on this issue.

M:  You're welcome.

****

The ad goes on to detail American Atheists' further correspondence with
the White House, which they (AA) found equally offensive.  I have the
ad, plus a Xerox of the newsletter of the American Atheists of Puget
Sound (dated August 1, 1988) reporting Sherman's encounter with Bush.
If anyone wants the full text of the full-page ad, e-mail me with a
Snail address and I'll send it to you.

[political disclaimer follows]:  BTW, this is _not_ to say I support
Bill Clinton in the upcoming election.  I've never heard either of them
talk for more than 5 minutes on policy or programs before saying
something with which I violently disagree.  I dread the next four years
under the leadership of whichever wrong-headed, philosophically corrupt
power-seeker gets the majority of votes this November.
Newsgroups: alt.atheism