Rep. Paul Broun's un-American "Year of the Bible" Bill

U.S. Congressional Representative Paul Broun's Bible Bill, which would declare 2010 the "year of the Bible," is the most blogged about topic this week, and no wonder. Even his conservative colleagues thing it's a terrible idea, a clear violation of the Constitution. I don't need to add my voice to the thousands condemning this idiotic proposal.

But what I found both amusing and offensive was Broun's response in an interview with POLITICO:

Broun rejects the critiques leveled at this effort.

“This doesn’t have anything to do with Christianity,” he said in an interview with POLITICO. Rather, he says, it seeks to recognize that the Bible played an integral role in the building of the United States, including providing the basis for our freedom of religion that allows Muslims, Hindus and even atheists to vocalize their own beliefs.

Got that? Even atheists!!

Think about that for a moment. What if Broun had said, "even Jews," or "even Blacks," or "even gays"? How would you feel about that? Why is it that Broun can get away with insulting atheists, when an insult to any other religious or ethnic group would have the media howling for blood?

Jeez, I'm so thankful that thankful that the Bible was the responsible for freedom of religion in the United States! But wait, I thought the founding fathers, the guys who wrote the Constitution, were mostly not traditional Christians. Weren't a bunch of them Deists, agnostics, and at least one an outspoken atheist? Maybe it was their diversity, and their direct, personal experience with religious oppression, the exact opposite of Broun's assertions, that made them realize how important the separation of church and state is.

But Broun shows his true colors with the phrase "even atheists." Clearly he views atheists as a separate, less-than-wholesome subcult of some sort, requiring special constitutional protection due to our radical beliefs.

Mr. Broun should be ashamed of himself. But of course, he won't be. Like all intolerant people, whether racist, sexist, or religious, he probably doesn't even realize what a glaring mistake he made.