Atheists Need to Support Our Political Allies

In today’s political climate, it is not surprising that politicians only seem to come out of the atheist closet after leaving office. The reason for this is that being an open atheist is toxic to a politician’s political career. Not only that, but associating with atheists is even considered toxic. However there are a few politicians who are willing to risk at least that and they deserve our support.

Over the last few years, religious right politicians have been trying to knock down the Jeffersonian Wall of Separation between church and state in my state of Pennsylvania. We had the Dover case, which some have nicknamed Scopes Money Trial 2, and there has been legislation to designate the Year of the Bible, Prayer Month, and now there is a bill on the table that would put “In God We Trust” in the schools.

This is no doubt just the beginning but fortunately for us, we do have a state legislator who may not be an atheist, but who has been a very strong ally and voice for our community and someone who has stood up against these religious right attacks on secularism.

Last year, we invited PA State Rep. Mark Cohen to our atheism/humanism convention in Philadelphia and he came and gave a great opening speech. State Rep. Cohen continues to be our lone ally in the Pennsylvania State House, but now he is up against a strong primary challenge. His challenger probably will not be as strong of a voice for us if a voice for us at all and if Cohen loses, the media will almost certainly blame it on his close ties with the atheist community in the state.

So I am asking. Please help support PA State Rep. Mark Cohen even if you don’t live in PA. If we can show how strong the atheist community is, then maybe more politicians will support our causes and build greater ties to our community. Hell, maybe a few might just come out of the atheist closet too.

Please go to his website and consider donating a few dollars to his campaign. If enough of us donate $5 or $10 to our political allies even if they aren’t in our state, then we can show that the atheist community is a viable voting bloc and more politicians will start listening what we have to say. Politics is all about the money and if we can all pool our resources we can make a difference.

Here is PA State Rep. Mark Cohen’s welcome speech at our convention last year: