How do you feel about Bush saying atheists should not be considered citizens?

Question

I'll provide sources IF necessary.. I'm just lazy right now.,

The following exchange took place at the Chicago airport between Robert I. Sherman of American Atheist Press and George 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."

UPI reported on May 8, 1989, that various atheist organizations were still angry over the remarks.

The exchange appeared in the Boulder Daily Camera on Monday February 27, 1989. It can also be found in "Free Inquiry" magazine, Fall 1988 issue, Volume 8, Number 4, page 16.

On October 29, 1988, Mr. Sherman had a confrontation with Ed Murnane, co-chairman of the Bush-Quayle '88 Illinois campaign. This concerned a lawsuit Mr. Sherman had filed to stop the Community Consolidated School District 21 (Chicago, Illinois) from forcing his first-grade atheist son to pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States as "one nation under God" (Bush's phrase). The following conversation took place:

RS:
"American Atheists filed the Pledge of Allegiance lawsuit yesterday. Does the Bush campaign have an official response to this filing?"
EM:
"It's bullshit."
RS:
"What is bullshit?"
EM:
"Everything that American Atheists does, Rob, is bullshit."
RS:
"Thank you for telling me what the official position of the Bush campaign is on this issue."
EM:
"You're welcome."

After Bush's election, American Atheists wrote to Bush asking him to retract his statement. On February 21st 1989, C. Boyden Gray, Counsel to the President, replied on White House stationery that Bush substantively stood by his original statement, and wrote:

"As you are aware, the President is a religious man who neither supports atheism nor believes that atheism should be unnecessarily encouraged or supported by the government."

NH Baritone: Um, I didn't say it wasn't and who cares how long ago it was, I doubt much has changed in the family line except dubya was smarter not to repeat dad's mistake. What's your defense of this statement, that sr. was senile?

Answer 1

Even though I'm a Christian, and realize after reading this comment that it was GW Bush (the first Bush President) that stated this comment (see the other posts for more details), I still feel that this comment was inappropriate for anyone in a leadership position to state.

Our constitution was based on freedom of religion and that includes freedom from Religion. As a Christian, I can assure you that most Christians do not want to force anyone to become a Christian, and we definitely do not want our government interfering with a person's right to choose or not to choose a religion.

Answer 2

I'm offended that a future president is allowed to call us that. We are citizens just as much as Christians are citizens. Here is the dialog for those unaware.

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

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

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

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

Sherman (somewhat taken aback): Do you support as a sound constitutional principle the separation of state and church?

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

Answer 3

I don't put much stock in what comes out of either Bush's (George H. W. Bush or George W. Bush) mouth both are well known for saying and doing very stupid things..

Besides it would take a change in the constitution to bring about that change neither Bush has the political power or clout to pull something like that off..

Answer 4

To so much fanatical bull sh.it in America. If they do not suppose they are not have compatibility through their requisites to serve America. If they allow an atheist run the nation it might keep a fortune on wars. People in Australia see each the bush presidents as warfare mongers and self headquartered in the direction of Americas allies.

Answer 5

In my opinion that is a crock of crap. Being an American is not limited to Christians nor based on religion preference or lack of religion. And being a patriot of this country isn't defined by religion either but by the heart. So once again Bush inserted foot basically I think on this one. We stood united on 9/11 not because of religion but out of support and pain.

Answer 6

This has been posted here before. It was the father, not the son. It just proves to me that one's as dumb as the other. I used to work at a bank where George Sr.'s brother was the president for some years. He was a nice, friendly person, but... you could tell he was a member of that family.

Answer 7

Don't mind him, he does not know how to speak.... Did you hear his conference about law suits on doctors and him saying that because of the law suits so many OBYGN were not able to "share" there love with the women... I laughed so hard OMG...

any way it makes me a little mad though because if he does not recognize Atheists rights then he probably does not recognize non- Christians as citizens either...

P.S watch the how lille president next month its a cartoon about Bush that makes fun of him... so funny

Answer 8

Supposedly it was George Herbert Walker Bush (George Bush senior) who said it.

"In the 1988 U.S. presidential campaign, Republican presidential candidate George H. W. Bush reportedly said, 'I don't know that atheists should be regarded as citizens, nor should they be regarded as patriotic. This is one nation under God.'" -- Wikipedia

Answer 9

And Bush shouldn't be a president. That man said " Not all OBGYN's across the nation get to practice their love with women " lol.. ok... This guy doesn't know what he's doing, why he's doing it, or even what he's talking about.

Answer 10

I think the voters showed Senior what they thought of that remark at the next election.

Shame about Junior though. Everybody knows that sequels are always worse :P