This story keeps getting bigger and bigger. It is sad that it even makes news. Such is the state or our country at the moment.
The Cecil Bothwell-atheism story just keeps getting bigger all the time.
The latest? American Atheists Inc., a national nonprofit educational group, has named Bothwell its Courageous Elected Official of 2009. Yep, Cecil is now a CEO.
Bothwell will speak and be honored at the organization's national convention April 2-4 in Newark, N.J.
Ed Buckner, president of AA, said the group created the award specifically to honor Bothwell and his “courageous stance.”
Bothwell, 59, became a councilman earlier this month, swearing an affirmation rather than an oath with any reference to God. Conservative activists said he could not be seated because the N.C. Constitution does indeed state: “The following persons shall be disqualified for office: First, any person who shall deny the being of Almighty God.”
The U.S. Constitution and case law that preclude any religious tests to hold office trump the state Constitution, though. So Bothwell is in to stay, for four years.
Regarding the award, Bothwell said he's “enormously honored to be recognized in this way, but also sad that simple honesty about who I am and what I believe seems unusual or worthy of particular note.” He said he's got a couple hundred e-mails and calls and even seen himself hailed as a hero.
“And all I have done is be true to myself,” he said. “It doesn't feel particularly courageous. It just seems normal, and I'd hope that all elected officials would do the same."
I love his take on all of this. He doesn't see the fuss because he is just being honest and true to himself. Hopefully, all of this publicity will encourage those elected officials who share his atheism to come out of the closet and stand up for what they believe, or don't believe!
To me, this is a very positive start. I will be looking for more of the same in the future.
The entire article can be found here.
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