Just a reminder to the kids in the audience: Just because something is RUN by the Catholic Church

[Act_of_Reparation]

29. I think sexism/racism is a problem, actually.

You have to bear in mind a significant minority within the atheist movement are libertarians and so-called "South Park Republicans". I have to assume they are represented to a greater degree within the skeptical community; Michael Shermer, Brian Dunning, and Penn Gilette command huge audiences. By their politics alone you can tell the safety of others isn't really a big concern to them. Their right to tell rape jokes supercedes any and all other concerns.

Then you've got guys like thunderf00t and The Amazing Atheist, who have completely strolled off the reservation to make videos about how "feminism poisons everything". And, even now, PZ Meyers is dealing with Human Biodiversity nutcases who are calling him a "creationist" for rejecting out of hand racist shit that was conclusively disproved decades ago.

It's a problem, for sure. How big a problem, however, is a matter of debate. Part of me thinks there's quite a bit of trolling going on, mostly by free speech enthusiasts trying hard to be the next Matt Stone or Trey Parker... and failing miserably.

At the very least, we can say the Winston-fanboy's attempts to excuse religion for its bigoted adherents is an invalid comparison. There's nothing in atheism or skepticism that says one must be a racist or a sexist, but racism and sexism are often codified in religion. Now, when you consider that atheists and skeptics are brought up in a society permeated with the attitudes of the majority religion, is it at all surprising that a few of them are racists or sexists?