From: Karalyn
Date: Feb 6, 2007 8:22 PM

I am writing in response to a recent segment, 'Beliefs Under Attack' with Paula Zahn. Although I found the first segment to be fair-minded, offering a very human perspective on the issue of discrimination against atheists, the second segment left much to be desired in terms of representing both sides of the issue.

My expectations for material presented on CNN are extremely high, given your track record for journalistic honesty and integrity. However, I would have preferred to see individuals who are more well versed in either the legal or social ramifications of religion in America speak on this matter. Three journalists repeating the phrase "this is a Christian country," is not making a point. It is simply rhetoric, and to anyone familiar with the principles this country was founded upon, it is thin, insubstantial rhetoric to boot.

Personally, I found the idea that atheists should "shut up" to be highly offensive, and an ignorant statement from a woman who clearly has an ax to grind. This sounds suspiciously like a rephrasing of the "don't ask, don't tell" policy, used in the US military. Many individuals who are atheists are not interested in evangelizing their peers, bringing legal action against schools, or "de-moralizing" society, and are simply going about the business of living their lives. However, when civil rights are infringed upon, when livelihood or safety are in jeopardy due to personal beliefs or differences, we should all, as a society, rise to defend them. That is the definition of patriotism, and to attempt to stifle and suppress divergent viewpoints is as morally reprehensible as it is un-american.

Mr. Smith brings up an excellent point, that we are a society based on heterogeneous culture, ethnicity, and belief, and tolerance is required. Interestingly, he brings up the fact that often, religious people are the most intolerant, a phenomenon which as been confirmed by numerous findings in social science research, first presented by Allport & Ross, 1967. Their research, in fact, did find that higher levels of religiosity strongly correlate with higher degrees of prejudice, and this finding has been replicated and confirmed many times, by different experimental means.

In conclusion, it would far better serve your viewers to present more fact and less quibbling, and to refrain from making this issue yet another case of "us against them."

- A Patriotic American, and an Atheist