Extremely Lame

Huh, maybe there is some truth to that quip bandied about that atheists are distrusted more in the United States than other oft-maligned groups such as Muslims and homosexuals.

During a testimony to the Illinois House State Government Administration Committee (that’s a mouthful), Rob Sherman was arguing against the giving of a million dollars of public funds to the Pilgrim Baptist Church for renovations on the grounds that it’s a governmental endorsement of religion.

The outburst that came from a result of this is flat-out stunning, but only because one would think that someone in public office could restrain herself from saying something so malodorous in front of the press.

I wasn’t going to just copy/paste the entire offending blurb, but you need to read this, seriously.

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.

You can find this and a link to the audio over at BoingBoing.