Christianist protest in Olympia

Olympia, Washington. The Capitol city.

As I recall, it began about three years ago when Guv. Gregoire allowed a menorah to be installed in the Washington State Capitol building. Sometime after that a "holiday" tree went up. This year, the Freedom from Religion group put up their now infamous sign suggesting that god does not exist and we'd be better off without religion which is nothing but myth and superstition.

Christianists went nuts! In fact, a couple of days ago, some unknown culprits stole the FFR sign. It was found, however, and returned.


Why are christianists pissed? Well, because, they are convinced they have the right to hang their stuff in public buildings and it's OK if "good" Jews do their thing with their menorahs, but anti-religious people have no place in this god-fearing country!

So, on Sunday, December 7, about 500 people, mostly christianist lovers of the god who loves all people, gathered on the capitol steps to denounce those goddamn atheists who think they have a right to express their beliefs, too!

One christianist partisan, the Rev. Kenneth Hutcherson, pastor of a "bible" church, said "...we want the state of Washington and the governor to represent everyone in the state. But just because you must represent everyone in the state doesn't mean that you put up with intolerance from the people that you represent."

Huh? Let's decode that. Everyone should be represented except those that christianists don't agree with and take offense at.

And to suggest that religion is myth and superstition equals "intolerance."

Hmm. There's something awfully "intolerant" about that position.


Then State Rep. Jim Dunn, a Repugnican (naturally) from Vancouver, cried "It's time to chase out of the house of God all the unbelievers and evildoers."

What? Is the state Capitol the "house of God"? Are unbelievers evildoers ... unlike the evildoer George W. Bush?


The situation deteriorated even more. Hutcherson's church, those good bible-believing, god-loving folks, put up a sign mocking the atheists' sign! Someone or some other groups erected a nativity scene and two other religious signs.


To give a sense of the intelligence and education of the very nice christianist trolls who attended this rally, some quotes:

"It's fine if you want to express your religion, but just no hate language."

"We love everyone and let's be kind to one another. ... This was a way our family decided that we had to stand up for Jesus."

"... the sign is an in-your-face hate sign. It's not in keeping with the displays of the season."

"We all have freedom of speech, but for them to put down religion, isn't that more than freedom of speech?"


What have we been teaching in our public schools? Obviously, all of these good people missed that part as to what freedom of speech means. They didn't get the stuff about separation of church and state, either. And they failed to learn that by the time people living on this side of the pond decided they'd rather be independent than pay any more taxes to King George, they fought for and then established a government free of any damned religion!

Makes sense. At the time of the Revolution, only about 4% of our population darkened the doors of the church.

And that's why there are no references to God in the Constitution or the Bill of Rights. Men like Jefferson regularly mocked the Christian faith and insisted on the secular nature of our nation.

That's also why all of this hoopla in Olympia is quite insane! The governor of the state of Washington should throw the whole damn bunch out on the street. No religious signs belong in a state building for any reason! There is no establishment of religion in this country.

And whether the Hutcherson's and the Dunn's of this world like it or not, the anti-religionists and the atheists have just as much right to express their beliefs as they do! But get all the religious crap and the anti-religious crap out of the hallowed halls of government!


[The photo is from Mission Confident, and you can read a christianist take on this "rally" here.]