At Last! We're acknowledged as Americans!

At last we non-believers are acknowledged as an important part of the American populace!

President Obama said, in his inaugural address on January 20, 2009:

"For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus — and non-believers."

"...and NON-BELIEVERS"! Think of that!

What a welcome contrast with what some previous presidents and national leaders have said about non-believers!

The elder Bush denied that an atheist even deserved to be considered as a citizen or a patriot!

The following exchange took place at the Chicago airport between Robert I. Sherman of American Atheist American Atheist Press and George H. W. Bush, on August 27 1987. Sherman is a fully accredited reporter, and was present by invitation as a member of the press corps. The Republican presidential nominee was there to announce federal disaster relief for Illinois. The discussion turned to the presidential primary:

RS: "What will you do to win the votes of Americans who are atheists?"

GB: "I guess I'm pretty weak in the atheist community. Faith in God is important to me."

RS: "Surely you recognize the equal citizenship and patriotism of Americans who are atheists?"

GB: "No, I don't know that atheists should be considered as citizens, nor should they be considered patriots. This is one nation under God."

RS: "Do you support as a sound constitutional principle the separation of state and church?"

GB: "Yes, I support the separation of church and state. I'm just not very high on atheists."

At least Bill Clinton acknowledged the American right not to believe: At the 1996 presidential debate in San Diego, Clinton said:

"We have the most religious freedom of any country in the world, including the freedom not to believe."