Because Nobody Rhymes It Like The Digital Cuttlefish

I proudly am an atheist;
I do not share your views.
Imagine how insulting,
When I watch the evening news
And I see you point at folks like me
Indignantly, with rage,
As if we were the lepers
Of a less enlightened age!
No need to watch your language
Or to treat us with respect—
Because demonizing us is still
Politically correct.

You’d never talk like this regarding
Blacks, or Gays, or Jews,
But with atheists, just look at all
The language that you use!
“Obama is a terrorist”—of course
The claim’s obscene;
But “Hagan is an atheist”?
The worst you’ve ever seen?!?
Comparing her to me is now
The lowest of the low?
It’s good I don’t believe in Hell—
I’d tell you where to go.

I proudly am an atheist
I proudly am a Jew
I proudly am a Christian,
And I’m proudly Muslim, too.
I’m proud to be both Gay and Straight
I’m proudly Black and White
I’m proudly Man and Woman
And I’ll proudly join the fight.
I proudly am Humanity,
Whatever that is worth;
There is no group below me,
Or above me, on this Earth.

Out in the Open

Recent events have convinced me that I might as well be forthright about who I am.  After all, it's much easier for me than for many others -- Toronto may not be Oslo or Amsterdam, but it's also not Mississippi or Florida.  Hence the Scarlet A in the sidebar.  

Where The Nonbelievers Are

I'm continually impressed to discover how many atheists are out there, and also where they are.

Christopher Hitchens reported from his God is not great book tour that the American South has a good many nonbelievers; and in a testament to Southern hospitality, they attended his events in large numbers because they didn't want him to be the only atheist there!

Then there are these young Southerners:

http://atheistgirls.blogspot.com/

Another impressive young woman:

http://exchristian.net/testimonies/2008/07/ive-missed-out-on-so-much-and-im-angry.html

It's not just the young folks. This blogger de-converted in middle age:

http://40yearoldatheist.com/

It's not a "great awakening" -- we were already awake. It's more like a "great shout-out" to each other from every walk of life, all over the world. I feel a little shy about stepping up to take my place, but I won't let that hold me back.

Shout out and keep shouting. We need each other.