Poll: Most Americans would vote atheist for president

[cbayer]

13. Depends what you mean by intentional bigotry, I guess.

Bigotry is often rooted in tribalism and can occur whenever a group circles the wagons or exists in an echo chamber. It can occur in religious group and areligious groups. It may even have served an evolutionary purpose by defining and defending against a perceived enemy.

But, imo, it is more often rooted in ignorance and fear of the *other* who is unknown or poorly understood. It may be based on impressions gathered from a very small sample size of those who don't really represent the group as a whole. If I have a very negative experience with a rotweiler, I may come to fear and loathe all rotweilers.

Atheists have the most to gain, imo, by becoming known and then being seen as a simple variation of normal. That seems to be happening, albeit slowly. Granted, there will still be populations who will maintain their bigotry towards atheists, just as there are those that continue their bigotry towards other marginalized groups.