Senator Elizabeth Dole has launched an sustained attack against some of her constituents as part of her campaign for re-election. In a press release to her supporters and a mass mailing that’s been going out to voters, Dole attacks her Democratic opponent, Kay Hagan, by pointing out that she attended a fundraiser held by a couple of atheists, whom she describes as “vile.” Here’s what the mailer says:
FRONT PAGE: Image of torn photo of children saying the Pledge of Allegiance. "Godless Americans PAC wants to remove 'Under God' from the Pledge of Allegiance. And now, they want Kay Hagan in the U.S. Senate ..."
INSIDE PAGES: Pictures of Hagan and supporters of the Godless Americans PAC. "Liberal Kay Hagan flew to Boston to pocket campaign cash from leaders of the Godless Americans PAC. What is Godless Americans PAC? Godless Americans Political Action Committee is a left-wing organization based in Washington, D.C., dedicated to 'Mobilizing America's nonbelievers for political activism.' They actively support political candidates who are Atheists and who also support their liberal agenda to remove 'under God' from the Pledge of Allegiance and force the Boy Scouts to accept atheists and homosexuals as troop leaders. Their goal is to remove any reference to God in the public arena, including eliminating the Christmas holiday.
"Kay Hagan & the Godless Americans PAC. Liberal Kay Hagan flew to Boston to pocket campaign cash from leaders of the Godless Americans PAC, Wendy Kaminer and Woody Kaplan. They held a private fundraiser for Kay Hagan at their home in Boston, Massachusetts on September 15th. In North Carolina, Kay Hagan says she shares our values. But, behind our backs she's the guest of honor at a fundraiser hosted by the most vile, radical liberals in America."
"We can't trust Kay Hagan to defend our North Carolina values."
BACK PAGE: Image of a torn photo of a mother and young daughter decorating a Christmas tree. "And, Godless Americans PAC wants to eliminate the Christmas holiday. And, they want Kay Hagan in the U.S. Senate."
Vile? As someone on another blog pointed out, can you imagine her calling some religious group (like Jews or Muslims) “vile?” But those who choose science and reason over superstition are described as vile by a sitting U.S. Senator and no one even blinks.
And in the
press release, she describes atheists as people “most North Carolinians would not be comfortable having over for dinner.” Again, this is one of my U.S. Senators. I’ve got news for you, Senator Dole–you had dinner with a future atheist in the fall of 2000. How about them godless apples?
Now, some would argue that this bigoted and primitive behavior by Senator Dole means that anyone who believes in being a decent human being and not spewing hatred at your neighbors should vote for Kay Hagan. I disagree. Both Republicans and Democrats have an appalling record when it comes to their treatment of those who don’t believe in the supernatural. Both use the religious, and their susceptibility to manipulation, to advance their own ends. The only party that truly stands for eliminating the irrational hatred of atheists is the party that would end the church-state alliance once and for all - the Libertarian Party. And it just so happens there’s an outstanding Libertarian in this race that the media simply chooses not to mention.
Chris Cole is running on the
Libertarian ticket against Dole and Hagan, and is now polling around 5-7% (when he’s actually included on the polls).
Cole and the Libertarian Party seek the dismantlement of the state apparatus, which would leave nothing with which to coercively promote religion or suppress atheists. Hagan, on the other hand, has a platform that is a laundry list of expansions of government scope and power. Also, after perusing her web site, she doesn’t seem to have a single press release hitting back at Dole for her anti-atheist vitriol. No, neither Hagan nor the Democratic Party are allies of atheists and the non-religious. Their schemes for promoting government will do nothing but further threaten everyone’s individual liberty and natural rights, believers and non-believers alike.
