"The stubborn persistence of chauvinism in our life and letters is or ought to be the proper subject for critical study, not the occasion for displays of shock." - C. Hitchens
Atheists are an oppressed group. Atheists are not oppressed nearly as much as nearly all other oppressed groups.
A white heterosexual atheist (like me) has it pretty damned easy compared to almost any other minority, he is absolutely correct.
captainmjssays
First of all I disagree with the notion that atheists are an oppressed group. Atheism is more of an expression of thought than an actual group. Secondly, Bell said that atheists need to shut the fuck up. He compared so-called atheist oppression to people with peanut allergies and rich, tall, white men who are too good looking. In the U.S. there are at least 7 states that will not even allow an atheist to hold public office according to their constitution. In theocratic Islamic countries atheists are either imprisoned for life (if they are a woman) or executed (if they are a man). W. Kamau Bell doesn’t have anything correct and shows open disdain for atheists with his insensitive comments.
Yes, because it’s entirely likely that he was talking about atheists that he meets at parties that he attends in Islamic theocratic countries. That seems totally reasonable. Good work.
captainmjssays
No but seeing as he says its fine to be Muslim but atheists need to shut the fuck up why should I think otherwise? BTW I think you already have 10 grand so why don’t you go ahead and smack yourself in the face 2 times because you would be killed in those countries too.
For those of you not following the conversation, captainmjs is, in his oh-so-barely-literate way, making a reference to something that I said on Twitter on Thursday evening.
captainmjssays
Well I do read your blog a lot so if that makes me barely literate…
Winterwind says
He’s great. Thanks for sharing.
thetristantomes says
On the last bit, see r/atheism.
Stevarious, Public Health Problem says
Atheists are an oppressed group. Atheists are not oppressed nearly as much as nearly all other oppressed groups.
A white heterosexual atheist (like me) has it pretty damned easy compared to almost any other minority, he is absolutely correct.
captainmjs says
First of all I disagree with the notion that atheists are an oppressed group. Atheism is more of an expression of thought than an actual group. Secondly, Bell said that atheists need to shut the fuck up. He compared so-called atheist oppression to people with peanut allergies and rich, tall, white men who are too good looking. In the U.S. there are at least 7 states that will not even allow an atheist to hold public office according to their constitution. In theocratic Islamic countries atheists are either imprisoned for life (if they are a woman) or executed (if they are a man). W. Kamau Bell doesn’t have anything correct and shows open disdain for atheists with his insensitive comments.
Crommunist says
Yes, because it’s entirely likely that he was talking about atheists that he meets at parties that he attends in Islamic theocratic countries. That seems totally reasonable. Good work.
captainmjs says
No but seeing as he says its fine to be Muslim but atheists need to shut the fuck up why should I think otherwise? BTW I think you already have 10 grand so why don’t you go ahead and smack yourself in the face 2 times because you would be killed in those countries too.
Crommunist says
For those of you not following the conversation, captainmjs is, in his oh-so-barely-literate way, making a reference to something that I said on Twitter on Thursday evening.
captainmjs says
Well I do read your blog a lot so if that makes me barely literate…