My latest letter to the editor

THE ORIGINAL LETTER TO THE HARTFORD COURANT:
(www.courant.com)

The headline "Atheists' Sign Spurs Talk, Thought" [Page 1, Dec. 8] had it exactly right. The Connecticut Valley Atheists' sign, "Imagine — No Religion," does spur thought.

Imagine if the Ku Klux Klan were allowed to place a sign on the Vernon town green that read, "Imagine — no Catholics, Muslims, Jews or Atheists." Would we find that offensive? Would we find it threatening? Absolutely.

If al-Qaida were allowed to place a sign on the green that read, "Imagine — no Christians, Jews or Atheists." Would we find that offensive? Would we find it threatening? Absolutely.

Imagine if the Connecticut Valley Atheists had placed a sign on the Vernon green that read, "Happy Secular Holidays." Would we find that offensive or threatening? Not at all. But that isn't what their sign says. It reads "Imagine — No Religion." Isn't that really saying, "Imagine — No Christians, Jews or Muslims"?

Extremists exist not only in religious groups; but also in irreligious groups. Extremists need to dominate and show contempt for those who disagree with their dogma.

I find the Connecticut Valley Atheists' sign possibly threatening and, at least, hostile to non-atheists.

We all appreciate the challenges that Vernon's civic leaders have faced in allowing use of the town green for public expression during the holiday season. However, they need to reconsider the atheists' sign, lest they get requests from other intolerant associations.

Robert J. Kulak
West Hartford


AND MY RESPONSE:

I get a kick out of these religious types who accuse us atheists of being "intolerant" and "extremist."

How about that Bible-thumping weirdo who recently went on a shooting spree in Colorado? Or that whack job who murdered Dr. Barnett Slepian for having the nerve to perform safe, legal abortions when his patients requested them?

Remember those good Christians, Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols, who blew up the federal building in Oklahoma City in 1995, killing 140 innocent people? How about David Koresh and the Branch Davidians?

Adolf Hitler (contrary to what religious people would like to think) was a devout Christian who started the Holocaust because he believed it was God's will.

Al-Qaeda is composed of violent Muslim fanatics, 19 of whom murdered 3,000 people with jet planes on September 11, 2001.

And let us not forget the ongoing acts of violent, murderous repression against the Palestinian people as perpetrated by "God's chosen people," the Israelis.

When was the last time you heard about a person (or a large number of people) murdered in the name of atheism? Probably never, because it just doesn't happen.

Atheists, for the most part, oppose enforcing their beliefs through violence and murder. In religion, however, such actions are negotiable.

I can't think of anything in human history that has caused more suffering, misery, violence, murder and war than religion. Along with money, it is one of the two biggest plagues ever to infect the species.

If I believed in god, I'd thank him every day for making me an atheist!

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For more info on what has ignited this controversy in Connecticut, go to the Connecticut Valley Atheists' homepage, http://www.cvatheists.org/