…and this is a 
Fascinating letter to the editor
Category: Religion
Posted on: March 6, 2007 12:26 PM, by PZ Myers
Comments on this one are a little superfluous, don't you think? Alice says it all.
It’s time to stomp out atheists in America. The majority of Americans would love to see atheists kicked out of America. If you don’t believe in God, then get out of this country.
The United States is based on having freedom of religion, speech, etc., which means you can believe in God any way you want (Baptist, Catholic, Methodist, etc.), but you must believe.
I don’t recall freedom of religion meaning no religion. Our currency even says, “In God We Trust.” So, to all the atheists in America: Get off of our country.
Atheists have caused the ruin of this great nation by taking prayer out of our schools and being able to practice what can only be called evil. I don’t care if they have never committed a crime, atheists are the reason crime is rampant.
Alice Shannon
Soldotna
Comments
This smacks of the kind of apocryphal "Yeah! You tell 'em!" e-mail forward my mother-in-law gets and sends around. There's nothing like a trip to Snopes' "Inboxer Rebellion" section to disabuse yourself of any rosy view you may have of humanity.
Posted by: RedMolly | March 6, 2007 12:21 PM
Why this stubborn unwillingness on the part of atheists to engage in a little harmless hypocrisy? It does you no harm (what, afraid God will know?) and makes it easier to pick their pockets or break their legs, as the case may be.
Sir Francis Drake was a master of religious dissembling, and he did alright.
Posted by: Mooser | March 6, 2007 12:23 PM
Hi,
Wasn't "In God We Trust" introduced on money during the civil war coins, and onto paper money in 1955?
I thought that the motto of the USA was "e pluribus unum"- 'Out of many, one', decided by Congress on July 4th 1776.
Isn't this motto on the Great Seal, on the scroll being carried by the Eagle? That's a great sentiment! You don't hear it often though.
I may be wrong, I'm British, and we weren't taught alot of US history in school.
Posted by: Neil | March 6, 2007 12:25 PM
...
...
This is funny, of course. But let's not laugh too hard. There are people out there, probably plenty of them, who actually believe this stuff. And will act on it, both at the polls and in person, if they get the chance.
I have this loose social theory - call it "Conservation of Hate" - where there's always one or more outgroups at whom stupid people aim their hate.
Can't freely and openly hate the Jews anymore, or the blacks, or the gays. But atheists?
They're still fair game. In fact, you can have actual community and political leaders in the U.S. invoking the evils of atheists. It goes without saying that you can still get a group of talking heads on TV running down atheists, with zero atheist viewpoints included for "balance."
We have a ways to go.
...
...
Posted by: Hank Fox | March 6, 2007 12:28 PM
Excellent summation of the original letter and the reactions to it right about here:
http://atheism.about.com/b/a/258794.htm
Yes, it is a real letter. I've seen the scanned image of it (that someone posted).
Posted by: MikeM | March 6, 2007 12:34 PM
Hold the phone. I had a comment almost EXACTLY like that in my hometown paper (the Delaware News Journal). With a different attribution.
Posted by: Michael | March 6, 2007 12:34 PM
Hooray, fascism!!!!
Posted by: Dan | March 6, 2007 12:36 PM
Delivered with such eloquence! "Yeah, and once we kick out the atheists, we can kick out those vile Muslims, then work on those wayward progressive Catholics, and then..."
More and more I see the genius of Mike Judge's "Idiocracy"
Posted by: Brando | March 6, 2007 12:36 PM
Facist.
Posted by: SteveF | March 6, 2007 12:36 PM
So I can be a Baptist, Catholic, or even a Methodist?
Wow, it's a rainbow of choices. A veritable cornucopia. I wonder if Lutheran would pass, or are they too nice?
Posted by: Evan | March 6, 2007 12:37 PM
Maybe this time we Europeans will benefit from this reverse brain drain. You are always welcome here.
Posted by: sparc | March 6, 2007 12:43 PM
I have an amazingly clear picture in my head of trying to talk sense to Alice as she stands there with her fingers in her ears going, "LA LA LA LA LA!!! I CAN'T HEAR YOU!! LA LA LA LA"
Posted by: Nevyn | March 6, 2007 12:44 PM
But she wouldn't feel like that if all those mean fundamentalist atheists like PZ and Dawkins would just shut up. Isn't that right, "Neville Chamberlain atheists" (Larry Moran's wonderful description)?
Posted by: Steve LaBonne | March 6, 2007 12:44 PM
Posted by: quork | March 6, 2007 12:44 PM
I don't buy this argument made at the atheism blog: "I suspect that the Peninsula Clarion printed this letter, at least in part, because they wanted people to know that such bigotry exists."
People know it exists, because a significant proportion of "people" are anti-atheist bigots themselves. Witness that presidential candidate poll. Bringing bigotry to light only works if there's already a social stigma against that particular form of bigotry. Otherwise you could have called the Klan an anti-racist organisation before the civil rights era. You'll notice they keep a much lower profile these days.
Printing that letter without any context perpetuated, not diminished, bigotry. Now the paper is free to have a policy of publishing its readers' bigotry if it wants, but it shouldn't pretend it's serving a higher purpose in doing so.
Posted by: Ginger Yellow | March 6, 2007 12:45 PM
I thought they come for the Jews, communists and trade unionists first?
Have we been moved to the head of the queue?
Posted by: MartinC | March 6, 2007 12:45 PM
"Mel Gibson Voices Strong Opinion* On Jews"
* That Is Just As Valid As Any Other Opinion, Of Course
Posted by: Rey Fox | March 6, 2007 12:47 PM
"When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross." Sinclair Lewis.
Posted by: Paul | March 6, 2007 12:48 PM
This tone of letter is actually quite common in Alaska. I lived in Fairbanks for a while, and read letters like this every week. Most of them came from North Pole, AK.
Posted by: Ed Kohler | March 6, 2007 12:49 PM
Maybe it's my brain's defense mechanism to keep from melting, but I am convinced this letter is a joke because of the line above.
Of course, I'm probably wrong, but if I think about the fact that people like this actually exist and aren't ashamed of themselves, I get that brain melkhaeffffffffffffffffffffffffff
Posted by: The Disgruntled Chemist | March 6, 2007 12:51 PM
Well, I suppose you americans should be pleased that Alice at least acknowledges atheists, even if you do cause rampant crime without ever breaking the law. I suppose US atheists have some kinda mafia thing going where all the illegal stuff is done by innocent impressionable christians?
I hope you're all extra careful filling out your tax forms :)
Posted by: prsr | March 6, 2007 12:52 PM
You know what? I agree with the sentiments of this letter-writer. Let all of us atheists depart these sad shores. Let us take with us all of our contributions to arts, sciences, and cultures. After all, this type of mass exodus worked so well for Germany of the 1930s-1940s.
Posted by: Keith Sader | March 6, 2007 12:52 PM
What newspaper is this from? Neither you nor the other blog cite a primary source. Sure it's not a hoax?
Posted by: cbutterb | March 6, 2007 12:53 PM
Somewhere I heard a very telling statement... "You won't find any atheists in prison."
Think about why that's true. I doubt it's due to a change of heart on the atheist's part.
Posted by: M. Derosier | March 6, 2007 12:53 PM
I have grown numb to the intolerance of right-wing christians. Perhaps we will meet in heaven to discuss the phrase, "Love one another"; perhaps not.
Posted by: Liberal Dem | March 6, 2007 12:53 PM
It's time to stomp out mutes in America. The majority of Americans would love to see mutes kicked out of America. If you don't speak in words, then get out of this country.
The United States is based on having freedom of speech, religion, etc., which means you can speak in words any way you want (Southern, Eastern, Fargo-ian, etc.), but you must speak.
I don't recall freedom of speech meaning no speaking. Our currency even has words. So, to all the mutes in America: Get off of our country.
Mutes have caused the ruin of this great nation by taking shoutting out of our libraries and taking vows of silence can only be called evil. I don't care if they have never committed a crime, mutes are the reason crime is rampant.
Sorry, I couldn't resist the obvious.
Posted by: Martha | March 6, 2007 12:56 PM
It's time to stomp out mutes in America. The majority of Americans would love to see mutes kicked out of America. If you don't speak in words, then get out of this country.
The United States is based on having freedom of speech, religion, etc., which means you can speak in words any way you want (Southern, Eastern, Fargo-ian, etc.), but you must speak.
I don't recall freedom of speech meaning no speaking. Our currency even has words. So, to all the mutes in America: Get off of our country.
Mutes have caused the ruin of this great nation by taking shoutting out of our libraries and taking vows of silence can only be called evil. I don't care if they have never committed a crime, mutes are the reason crime is rampant.
Sorry, I couldn't resist the obvious.
Posted by: Martha | March 6, 2007 12:57 PM
Sigh. Such hateful ignorance.
Posted by: Kseniya | March 6, 2007 12:58 PM
If you Google "stomp out atheists in America" you'll see references to that letter going back to at least 2001. Looks like it has been floating around for a while...
Posted by: O-dot-O | March 6, 2007 12:58 PM
Posted by: JLem | March 6, 2007 12:58 PM
@cbutterc:
From the pic on the referring blog, I'd hazard a guess at Alaska ("Kenai River").
Posted by: Paul | March 6, 2007 12:59 PM
The majority of Americans would love to see atheists kicked out of America.
Have they done a poll I don't know about?
Posted by: CalGeorge | March 6, 2007 1:00 PM
Does believing Thor is God count to Alice?
Posted by: The Atheist Jew | March 6, 2007 1:02 PM
By the way, "Soldotna" is in Alaska.
Posted by: O-dot-O | March 6, 2007 1:02 PM
"The United States is based on having freedom of religion, speech, etc., which means you can believe in God any way you want (Baptist, Catholic, Methodist, etc.), but you must believe."
"...though I am a committed Christian, I believe that everyone has the right to their own religion, be you Hindu, Jewish or Muslim. I believe there are infinite paths to accepting Jesus Christ as your personal savior." - Steven Colbert
Posted by: Craig | March 6, 2007 1:04 PM
I wouldn't be surprised if it's just a form letter posted on a evangelical site.
Cut and Paste and add your own last sentence.
I wonder who the original author was.
Posted by: Steve_C | March 6, 2007 1:04 PM
Atheists are underrepresented in prisons, yes, but it's not clear how many found Jesus to impress the parole board, or how many declined to self-identify as atheist, out of fear for their safety on the inside, during their intake...
Has anyone ever produced any numbers on that?
Posted by: Kseniya | March 6, 2007 1:04 PM
It is because of this kind of hatred that I believe Atheists may be the most "closeted" group in America. What we have in common with gays/lesbians is that we aren't easily identified by our appearance (such as racial/ethnic groups that are victims of hatred).
We need to follow the example of the gay movement and come out of the closet to our family members, friends and communities. Yes, this will initially lead to a period of greater hatred (some people don't mind having Atheists around as long as they know their place). But inevitably we will become a more accepted minority.
I can imagine the sitcoms now -- circumstances force an Atheist and a Christian to share an apartment in Houston and hilarity ensues.
Posted by: Sonja | March 6, 2007 1:05 PM
http://www.peninsulaclarion.com/letters/
You'll find it there under the section for January 29th.
Whether it's original to its submitter, or a parody sent around like a chain letter, or a form letter recycled by people who actually agree with it, is another question; but it does seem to be a real letter that really did appear in a newspaper.
Posted by: Morgan | March 6, 2007 1:05 PM
Posted by: quork | March 6, 2007 1:06 PM
I have to admit... I read that article, and it made me say out loud, "Jesus H. Christ!" despite (or in spite of) my being an atheist.
Posted by: Evolving Squid | March 6, 2007 1:09 PM
I think Mooser has a point. After all, we're atheists. We have no morals, so dishonesty (not to mention stealing and leg-breaking) doesn't bother us.
/sarcasm
Posted by: qetzal | March 6, 2007 1:12 PM
Yeah! We should send all of those evil atheists to Alask.... oh, wait. Never mind.
Original source seems to be the paper linked below. Registration required, but google it and you can read it in the cache.
http://www.peninsulaclarion.com/stories/012907/letters_20070129001.shtml
Posted by: Rick @ shrimp and grits | March 6, 2007 1:12 PM
If you Google "stomp out atheists in America" you'll see references to that letter going back to at least 2001. Looks like it has been floating around for a while...
Yikes! Plagiarism!
Kick atheists out of U.S.
Web posted Monday, October 22, 2001
It's time to stomp out atheists in America. The majority of Americans would love to see atheists kicked out of America. If you don't believe in God, then get out of this country.
The United States is based on having freedom of religion, speech, etc., which means you can believe in God any way you want (Baptist, Catholic, Methodist, etc.), but you must believe.
I don't recall freedom of religion meaning no religion. Our currency even says, ''In God We Trust." So, to all the atheists in America: Get off of our country.
People like Gail Pepin (The Chronicle, Oct. 11) have caused the ruin of this great nation by taking prayer out of our schools and being able to practice what can only be called evil. I don't care if she has never committed a crime, she is the reason crime is rampant.
To The Chronicle, please do not give atheists a voice. You do more harm than good.
Gloria ''Wendy" Ray, Aiken, S.C.
http://chronicle.augusta.com/stories/102201/opi_046-8549.shtml
Posted by: CalGeorge | March 6, 2007 1:14 PM
Cut, paste, repeat.
Sounds like evangelical tactics.
Customize the last sentence for your own purposes.
Wonder who was the original author?
Posted by: Steve_C | March 6, 2007 1:17 PM
Re Sonja: I have another sitcom concept for you. Atheist and Mormon missionary end up as college roommates. Hilarity ensues (of course, in reality, it's just uncomfortable).
Posted by: madsocialscientist | March 6, 2007 1:21 PM
The weird comment order thing is happening again. There are several at the top of the page that weren't there this morning. Comment #30 responds to Comment #32. And nothing is as it seems...
Posted by: Rey Fox | March 6, 2007 1:30 PM
Oh, come on. This is just a silly chain letter.
I mean, it's not like somebody important such as George Bush (the Smarter) said it.
Oh yeah. That.
Never mind.
.
Posted by: Ick of the East | March 6, 2007 1:55 PM
Ahh now I can't resist. Someone mentioned you don't find atheists in prisons?
(heheh)
Could that be because all the criminals are religious? Maybe the atheists don't hurt others the way the christians and muslims and jews and zoroastrians and scientologists and hare krishna's do?
Nah, it's a stupid thought. But a fun one.
Posted by: matt | March 6, 2007 1:56 PM
I may be off base here, but wasn't it Christians who removed prayer in school? Has there been a single atheist judge?
Also, since "E Pluribus Unum" is on our $1 bill, does that mean that everyone in the US should speak Latin? Should we kick out everyone who doesn't speak and/or understand Latin out of the country?
Ignorance and its many flavors...
Posted by: DouglasG | March 6, 2007 2:00 PM
A viewpoint from Soldotna, Alaska can hardly be considered mainstream United States.
Posted by: Brian Bartel | March 6, 2007 2:08 PM
So the letter is being recycled by people who like the sentiments so much that they try to take credit for it? I suppose plagiarism is okay if you're doing it for God's sake. He'll understand it was necessary to break the commandments in order to save the commandments.
Posted by: Zeno | March 6, 2007 2:24 PM
Posted by: quork | March 6, 2007 2:27 PM
I posted about this letter a couple of weeks ago. I also quote a number of responses (all negative) which the newspaper received in the following days:
http://atheism.about.com/b/a/258794.htm
Posted by: Austin Cline | March 6, 2007 2:30 PM
"I do believe her though I know she lies"-"These
are but wild and whirling words"
What can one say?
Posted by: The Physicist | March 6, 2007 2:33 PM
She sounds just like the GOP to me.
Posted by: Captain Pike | March 6, 2007 2:34 PM
whew, good thing I'm a Pastafarian! I guess no one will want to put ME on a boat out!
anyway...
Guess Alice never saw THIS ARTICLE FROM THE JOURNAL OF RELIGION AND SOCIETY
Posted by: dorid | March 6, 2007 2:42 PM
What is it about right-wing loonies and Alaska? (Honest question; I've never been there.)
Posted by: Madam Pomfrey | March 6, 2007 2:47 PM
I may be wrong, I'm British, and we weren't taught alot of US history in school.
No matter how much you were taught, you probably know more than most Americans in this country.
The United States is based on having freedom of religion, speech, etc., which means you can believe in God any way you want (Baptist, Catholic, Methodist, etc.), but you must believe.
And apparently that also means you can say any damn crap you want, but you must speak.
So Alice was just doing her Constitutional duty, everyone, and couldn't think of anything else to say. Kind of like getting a book report into English class before the deadline. Nothing more to see here.
I like the suggestion beneath her rant ("Let's just keep fishing").
Posted by: Kristine | March 6, 2007 2:50 PM
They're literalists. It doesn't say "Thou Shalt Not Plagiarize", so it's okay. :)
So if the letter reproduced in #44 is the original original, it came out of Aiken. I'm not really surprised - Aiken always seemed like a cesspool of fundamentalism to me.
Posted by: Rick @ shrimp and grits | March 6, 2007 2:52 PM
People really do buy into this trashy crap, though. I used to work with people who bought into the whole thing about Y2K bringing the end of the world, and abiotic oil, and so on.
Someone near my neck of the woods is now peddling "Holy Drinking Water" (and I'll resist the urge to add "Batman!").
http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/news-article.aspx?storyid=77318
Read the consumer warning label. If you're a sinner, you may get burning eyes. oooOOOOOOOooooooooo. Let that be a warning to you non-believers out there.
Yeah, these posts are waaaay out of order. My first post SHOULD have been around #23 or so. How'd it get to #5? If it's rising that fast, can I say "Number 5 with a bullet!"?
Just asking.
Posted by: MikeM | March 6, 2007 3:01 PM
"Things are seldom what they seem. Skim milk masquerades as cream."
"Let be be finale of seem.
The only emperor is the emperor of ice-cream."
Posted by: Dan S. | March 6, 2007 3:03 PM
No, its recycled by Ann Coulter clones that literally think that intellectualism is, "cutting and pasting opinions from other people I like, then claiming their my own, because I am personally too stupid to think them up." Her recent statement about Edwards must have given her an migraine for a week, due to the strain of having to think it up, unless of course she simply copied it from someone else too.
Posted by: Kagehi | March 6, 2007 3:06 PM
Speaking of crime:
The top crime neighborhood in the world isn't in Sao Paulo or Lagos. It's not the Bronx in New York, or even Wedding in Berlin. It's the small city ruled by Pope Benedict XVI, which apparently sees more criminal cases per capita than any other part of the world.
The Vatican's attorney general Nicola Picardi released the astounding statistic at the start of 2007: The tiny nation's justice department in 2006 had to contend with 341 civil and 486 criminal cases. In a population of 492, that measures out to 1.5 cases per person -- twenty times the corresponding rate in Italy.
http://www.spiegel.de/international/0,1518,460967,00.html
Posted by: CalGeorge | March 6, 2007 3:11 PM
I can only conclude that the Pope is the reason crime is rampant.
Posted by: CalGeorge | March 6, 2007 3:13 PM
Uh.... Alice Shannon is your lover? Or are you saying that you accept her words as truth, although you know they are not, because they make you feel better, and in your faults by lies you flattered be?
Posted by: Kseniya | March 6, 2007 3:16 PM
Perhaps not, but how can you tell? Are you saying that an opinion emanating from what seems to you to be a remote location is invalid on the basis of geography? Sure, Ted Kaczynski lived alone in a cabin in the woods -- but so did Thoreau. The paper subsequently received letters from Soldotna residents condemning the Shannon letter. Don't we hope that those letters do represent mainstream American thinking?
What about a viewpoint from Aiken, SC? Are the exact same words more mainstream if they come from the Lower 48, as these apparently have? Where does the Mainstream United States live, anyway? Columbia? Springfield? Hollywood? Chicago? Dallas? Medicine Hat? The Bronx?
Perhaps you mean "A viewpoint like that can hardly be considered mainstream United States," and, like you, I believe very much it is not - but because it's a minority opinion, not because of its point of origin. Wingnuts are everywhere, even here (Massachusetts). You'll find their opposites just about everywhere, too. It's just a matter of proportion. Welcome to Purple America.
Posted by: Kseniya | March 6, 2007 3:21 PM
If crime is "rampant," and athiests aren't committing crimes, how are they responsible? Are they making the religious so deleriously angry they can't help themselves?
Posted by: Crosius | March 6, 2007 3:26 PM
Fairly sure Alice's faulty memory isn't my concern.
Posted by: Gelf | March 6, 2007 3:37 PM
God has explained why atheists are responsible for non-atheist crime in the comments on one of His posts on His blog:
Posted by: Setec | March 6, 2007 3:57 PM
A fun statistic from 1926:
Of 25,726 persons imprisoned in twenty-seven state penitentiaries, 6028 professed Roman Catholicism and 13,854 Protestantism. These constituted 77.3 per cent of the whole number. The remaining 22.7 per cent was made up of Jews, Mormons and others; also of a few foreign cults and many who professed no religion.
The Church and Crime in the United States by C.V. Dunn, in Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, Vol. 125, Modern Crime: Its Prevention and Punishment. (May, 1926), pp. 200-228.
Umm... seems like historically, a majority of the crime has been committed by the religious types.
Posted by: CalGeorge | March 6, 2007 3:57 PM
If crime is "rampant," and athiests aren't committing crimes, how are they responsible? Are they making the religious so deleriously angry they can't help themselves?
Shimmy = sinny.
Got that? Write it down! ;-)
Posted by: Kristine | March 6, 2007 4:02 PM
Hello! Thomas Jefferson wrote exactly that. But I suppose that would be too intellectual a source for someone of Alice's caliber.
Posted by: Leon | March 6, 2007 4:05 PM
Well, of course atheists are hated. And what better way to illustrate it than to bring everyone's attention to prayer in school during your Presidential run ... sigh ...
Edwards: Jesus Would Be 'Appalled'
"Democratic presidential hopeful John Edwards says Jesus would be appalled at how the United States has ignored the plight of the suffering, and that he believes children should have private time to pray at school."
...
"Edwards also said he was against teacher-led prayers in public schools, but he added that "allowing time for children to pray for themselves, to themselves, I think is not only OK, I think it's a good thing."
Posted by: Brandon | March 6, 2007 4:11 PM
He meant personal prayer. Which I have no problem with as long as it's not an organized thing.
At least Coulter got dropped by one paper...
Not sure what took them so long.
Also, LIBBY GUILTY on 4 of 5 counts!
Posted by: Steve_C | March 6, 2007 4:27 PM
*innocent whistling*
LOL! What a place name.
Posted by: David Marjanović | March 6, 2007 4:28 PM
Students do have time to pray at schools. It's called 'right before the test is handed out'.[/snark]
More accurately, it's known as 'whenever the hell they want to, as long as it's not disrupting class.' Which I guess means that those who have to shout their prayers to their hard-of-hearing god might be constrained slightly.
Posted by: stogoe | March 6, 2007 4:31 PM
For a bunch of folk that think they're on the higher moral ground, there's scant evidence to prove it.
Personally, I'd like to hear someone voice that opinion w/in earshot. They'd hear what-for, that's a fact.
Posted by: Krystalline Apostate | March 6, 2007 4:41 PM
"We need to go back to the good old days where we could arrest and torture people who didn't have the God-given decency to look, or think like us! That's what made us special, and that's what those evil secularist atheistic satanists want to take away from us!"
Posted by: Stanton | March 6, 2007 4:56 PM
every time I see this kind of idiotic rant, all the "love it or leave it" slogans, I always challenge the purveyors of this hatred to put their money where their mouth is.
You so desperately want me out of your face?
fine, just pay me enough to completely resettle in the country of my choice, and I'd be happy to leave you to your misery.
It doesn't get rid of their inane hatred and ignorance, of course, but it does the next best thing:
it shuts them up right quick, every time. None of these idiots actually want to take responsibility for their own beliefs.
it would be sad if it weren't so pathetic.
Posted by: Ichthyic | March 6, 2007 5:03 PM
Aha! And speaking of recent crimes by nutty Christians:
By TOM DAVIES
Associated Press Writer
BEDFORD, Ind. | A church trustee who neighbors said was bitter over his recent divorce told his ex-wife he had their daughter "and you're not going to get her" shortly before the small plane he was piloting crashed into his former mother-in-law's house, killing him and his 8-year-old daughter.
Police said Eric Johnson, a student pilot who had soloed before, strapped daughter Emily into the passenger seat of a leased, single-engine Cessna on Monday morning. Less than two hours later, the plane smashed into the home of Vivian Pace, the girl's grandmother.
[...]
Pastor Paul Neuman of the Calvary Lutheran Church in Bedford said Eric and Emily Johnson were regular attendees at the church, where Eric was a member of the board of trustees and helped with remodeling and landscaping.
http://nwitimes.com/articles/2007/03/06/updates/breaking_news/doc45ed90e7409dc419456215.txt
Posted by: CalGeorge | March 6, 2007 5:19 PM
I wonder if regular church attendee Eric thought his 8-year-old daughter was going to heaven after her body was smashed to smithereens in that plane crash.
Was he praying for forgiveness when he killed them both? Probably.
Posted by: CalGeorge | March 6, 2007 5:46 PM
Not a problem. They can just text or IM it from their cell phone or laptop.
Posted by: Ktesibios` | March 6, 2007 5:50 PM
"...with God as my co-pilot..."
Posted by: Kseniya | March 6, 2007 5:53 PM
That's sad, tragic, and to me, unimaginable--completely apart from how angry and outraged it makes me feel on the religious-indignation scale. Two years ago I would have felt different, but as a parent, I just don't see how someone can do that sort of thing to their innocent child, who trusts and depends on you for their well-being.
More on the religious-indignation thing, though: I'm sure Eric felt certain he and his wife would end up in different places in the afterlife and thus not have to see each other again, but did he also think he'd be in a position (i.e., heaven) to see his daughter again, after what he just did?
Posted by: Leon | March 6, 2007 5:59 PM
I wonder what the Mad Hatter and other assorted mythical characters would make of Alice in wonderland?
Posted by: Wobert | March 6, 2007 6:47 PM
Hmm... after reading this, I've come to a solution: hate-filled Christians/Muslims/Sun Worshippers can all chip in the money required for me to go back to college, including day-to-day costs such as rent and food. Thus with that free time, I will study extra hard to maintain as high a GPA as humanly possible. Then, having my masters, you will pay the required legal and transportation fees to allow my wife and I to move to a different country. I'd like Finland, but any of the Scandinavian countrys would be great, but pretty much anywhere in Europe. Nothing against the rest of the World; I have family there. Then we're all happy. It's going to cost a few shiney pennys, but I think we'll all agree, it's worth it.
Who's in for the Great American Brain Drain of 2010?
Posted by: Mick | March 6, 2007 6:53 PM
In their defense, there are 11 letters rebutting Alice's letter. There are ignorant fuckwits like this everywhere, and they're usually the ones with the loudest mouths.
Posted by: MarkR | March 6, 2007 7:23 PM
I've found more religious whack-a-doolery.
The fun just never ends, does it? (he said with a sigh).
Posted by: Krystalline Apostate | March 6, 2007 7:26 PM
Alice must be one of them Islamofascist terrorists; or else she's just a Coulter conservative.
Posted by: Don Rauch | March 6, 2007 8:00 PM
I've lurked around here for a while and don't usually post but there's a couple of comments I can't let go by without saying something.
Don't think Alaska is full of right-wing frothing-at-the-mouth fundie Christian asshats. There's plenty around sure, but I'd say that they aren't even close to a majority. There's plenty of atheists too and just about everything in between. Most people here a fairly tolerant of each other. My experience is that for REAL Christian fanaticism, you've got to go south of the Mason/Dixon line.
Jim Wright/Palmer Alaska.
Posted by: Jim Wright | March 6, 2007 10:00 PM
Just for the record, there's no "Alice Shannon" in the Soldotna phone directory. Not conclusive, of course, but it does make me suspicious.
Posted by: Jim Wright | March 6, 2007 10:20 PM
Mick-
see post 80.
Posted by: Ichthyic | March 6, 2007 10:51 PM