Recent posts

Andrew Sullivan called my attention to the American Enterprise Institute’s list of the 21 “greatest conservative rap songs.” Let’s just say that it would not look out of place in The Onion. That they actually appear to be serious makes if it infinitely more amusing. To make the list, says author Stan Veuger, a song must “express support not just for pro-family social values, but also for small government and peace through strength.” So naturally, number 21 is from Justin Bieber: Read more

Ed Buckner, former leader of American Atheists, took his family to a cabin in a Georgia state park and was surprised to find a Gideon Bible in the room. When he complained about this, the state initially removed them from all the cabins at state parks, but Gov. Nathan Deal ordered them to be returned. Read more

On the list of reasons to dismiss The Daily Caller as a collection of hacks, let’s add this one. Christopher Bedford, the associate editor of that online rag, seems to think he’s terribly funny and has a habit of making snide responses to press releases from the Secular Coalition for America. For example, in response to an press release from the SCA about the Obama administration’s Plan B policy earlier this month, he sent this email: Read more

The story of the DOJ seizing phone records of reporters from the Associated Press just gets worse and worse. I had asked in the immediate aftermath whether the DOJ had gotten a judicial subpoena or merely used an administrative one; the answer is the latter, which means no oversight at all from a judge. And Verizon turned those records over immediately: Read more

As many of you know, I work with the Foundation Beyond Belief. Dale McGowan and the other senior staff spent half the night researching relief organizations in Oklahoma to decide which ones to send contributions to help the victims of yesterday’s horrific tornado damage. We have selected Operation USA and the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma, both of which are on the ground providing crucial food, shelter and medical care to the victims. Please go to our donation page and help out if you can and please share this on your own blogs, Facebook pages and other social networks. Every dollar will go directly to those organizations. This is another opportunity for the atheist, secular and humanist community to step up and show the world our compassion and generosity.