I am resident of North Carolina. I am also an atheist.

Therefore, I was extremely upset when I read your August 26 press release entitled “Godless Americans PAC?”, in which your campaign attacks your opponent, Kay Hagan, for meeting with members of the Secular Coalition for America. The purpose of the SCA is to protect the civil rights of all Americans, regardless of religious belief, by upholding the secular principles outlined in the Constitution. It is not “anti-religion”, and its goals are far from what could be described as the “left-wing fringe of political thought”.

I was particularly distressed by the statement of your Communications Director Dan McLagan that lumps the SCA into “a long list of wacky left-wing outside groups bent on policies that would horrify most North Carolinians if they knew about it.” Such a statement reflects a state of thinking that could be described, at best, as ill-informed. At worst, it’s bigoted fear-mongering.

I will choose to think the best of Mr. McLagan and assume that he is speaking from a postion of ignorance when he paints all nontheists with the same brush. Nontheists share only one similarity – lack of belief in a personal god. Beyond that, we are an extremely diverse group. We are Democrats, Republicans, and independents. We are liberal and conservative, both fiscally and socially. We give our time and money to charitable causes. We are doctors, lawyers, teachers, scientists, small-business owners, truck drivers, restaurant servers – and just about every other occupation you can imagine. We are mothers and fathers who want the best future for our children. We’re people you would feel “comfortable having over for dinner”. In fact, you probably already have.

I feel compelled to remind you that, as Senator, your duty is to represent the interests of all of your constituents, including the 10% of us who are not religious. After reading the divisive rhetoric in the press release, I no longer have any confidence that you can fulfill this duty. Therefore, I will not be voting for you in the fall. I have also decided to give a financial contribution to your opponent. It is the first time I have ever donated to a political campaign, but I feel that I need to take a stand against the gross mischaracterization of nontheists.

Thank you for your time in this matter.

Bleh. Even if it was true (which – what efrique said) it has no real bearing on whether or not she’s the right pick for Senate. Lame.

Do obvious lies* like this actually work?

*Can anyone name a country outside of North America where more than one person in a hundred could say anything substantive about her, aside perhaps from guessing some form of relationship with Bob Dole?

(And I’d be surprised if you could find more than about two in a hundred who would know who he was either.)