Michigan GOP Mayor Compares Atheists To Nazis, KKK

[Cooperstown]

The American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan and two other groups on Wednesday filed a lawsuit against the mayor of Warren, Mich., who banned an atheist group from setting up a station alongside one run by a prayer group in the city hall atrium.

Mayor Jim Fouts (R) said that the group's "reason station" would be opposed to prayer and compared atheists to Nazis and members of the Klu Klux Klan.

"The city has certain values that I don't believe are in general agreement with having an atheist station, nor in general agreement with having a Nazi station or Klu Klux Klan station," Fouts told the Associated Press on Wednesday. "I cannot accept or will not allow a group that is disparaging of another group to have a station here."

Fouts has let a prayer group run a station where they hand out fliers and offer prayers to passersby since 2009. Yet the mayor rejected Douglas Marshall's request to run a "reason station" where he would offer to have philosophical discussions with people who walk by in the city hall atrium.

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/mayor-atheists-like-nazis-kkk

Ah, the wonderful Christian elected officials, using taxpayers' monies wisely to defend their ignorance and bigotry, and to endorse their own religious views from their elected office!

[defacto7]

1. I can't even think of a comment

to express how stupid this is. Where do these guys get their education? or their indoctrination?

I guess I did just comment.

[Cooperstown]

2. I'll take-on any 2 to 1 bets that this guy is an Evangelical

Christian.

Or maybe he's just really stupid and only listened to his Sunday School teachers, not the "secular" ones, five other days a week.

[Cooperstown]

3. Evidently, the mayor's decision dates back to April

Warren mayor says atheist can't put up 'reason station' inside city hall

The Detroit Free Press has an article dated back that far.

http://www.freep.com/article/20140416/NEWS04/304160202/Mayor-Fouts-denies-aetheists-request-for-reason-station-to-balance-prayer-station

The rhetoric has be heightened in recent weeks.

Evidently, according to the mayor's own words, "religious freedom " and "freedom of speech" on public property is intended only for people who are religious, no one else.

[Curmudgeoness]

4. After hearing what he said about atheists

and barring them from setting up a "station", I know exactly what I would say if I were to be offered a prayer by the religious "prayer station".

Normally, my comment would be "I'm not interested". But after knowing this, I would tell them to "fuck off". Can you tell that this sort of discrimination pisses me off?

[Cooperstown]

5. This is about the most blatant sort.

Discrimination that compares Nazi's, and KKK members, (who were all mostly Christians, no Jewish folks, and all one race), yeah, I get how pissed off you could be, as I am, too.

I'm pissed and amazed about this only in that someone uses his taxpayer funded elective office to squelch any speech that doesn't agree with his views of what can be allowed free speech.

Personally, the idea of allowing any religious folk in a taxpayer maintained, heated, air-conditioned, lighted public building at no cost kind of shows an endorsement of Abrahamic religions.

That kind of access to publicly financed facilities should not be possible without payment for use of facilities, open to all, and I mean, ALL groups.

[Curmudgeoness]

7. Usually, I am one of the first to jump on the church/state thing,

but this time, I was so disgusted that I didn't even rant about that.

Welcome to DU.

[Cooperstown]

8. Thanks! I have been a "lurker" for a while before I joined.

Not really a "Democrat" but certainly NOT a Republican. Not a Libertarian, either.


Probably have voted mostly Dem for the last 30 years.

More of a person with too much time on my hands in the last few months.

Definitely NOT a religious guy. This sort of blatant prejudice and authority as the mayor here openly displays, disgusts me.

[libodem]

6. Wait. What?

He forgot devil worshipers. Usually it includes some crazy idea about Satan. Séance in the basement of the abandoned Victorian Mansion, at midnight, if you can get through the overgrown yard.

[sinkingfeeling]

9. I guess his words aren't 'disparaging another group'.

[trotsky]

10. He said that about atheists? Not cool!

Now if they were something else, like evil anti-theists, well then feel free to hurl whatever you want! Because we all know they are subhuman.

[onager]

11. Ha! My first thought when I saw his comments...

"I wonder what the Mayor's nick is in The Other Group."

Can't remember if we've been directly compared to Nazis and Klanspersons in there. But we've certainly been accused of "hating the religious because it's no longer fashionable to hate gays and racial minorities."

One of the stupidest statements I've ever read. Which, considering the usual level of discourse in there, is a high achievement indeed.

[trotsky]

12. And let's not forget the folks who were just absolutely sure that the person who said that...

would without a doubt make a fine, fair, neutral host.