Many outraged over athiest display in Washington State Capitol

[Amelia]

Many outraged over athiest display in Washington State Capitol

December 4, 2008

By kgw.com Staff

http://www.kgw.com/video/index.html?nvid=309350&shu=1

OLYMPIA, Wash. -- An atheist display inside the Washington State Capitol is sparking some outrage and getting attention across the nation.

A spokesman at the Capitol said they’ve been getting calls from across the country at a rate of about 200 an hour.

Among other things, the long message on the display says “There is no God” and it’s located close to a nativity display.

That has Jim and Tami Vogeler, of Sammamish, Wash. especially upset.

“To think that our governor would approve something like this, especially at atheist sign next to the nativity scene…” Tami said, her voice trailing off in frustration.

A group called the Freedom from Religious Foundation put up the display.

"It's not a religious display, it is an attack on religion,” the President of the Freedom from Religion Foundation, Dan Barker said.

State officials said Barker went through the proper legal submission process, just like the group who sponsored the nativity scene and the holiday tree.

“We're not in a position where we're endorsing any point of view. We have to be careful not to do that,” said Jim Erskine, with the Washington State General Administration Office.

News of the controversial display was quickly circulating across the U.S. In front of his national audience, conservative talk show host Bill O’Reilly urged his viewers to call Washington Governor Gregoire.

“Washington state is ground zero for just about every nutty secular cause on earth,” O’Reilly said. “She is a weak and confused leader who allows a fanatical group parody in Christmas displays. I mean how crazy is this?”

Governor Gregoire and the state’s attorney general responded to criticism by citing the state’s First Amendment and releasing this joint statement:

“Once government admits one religious display or viewpoint onto public property, it may not discriminate against the content of other displays, including the viewpoints of non-believers."

But that explanation was not enough for the Vogelers, who said they believe this “political correctness” has gone too far.

"It's going to have some lasting and big repercussions across this country and people are going to say, ‘this is enough,’” Jim Vogeler said.

[Dr. Shane]

O'Reilly isn't trying to enforce religious values. His position is that people shouldn't be able to use government to attack religion. He said he would have no problem with atheists putting up a display of Charles Darwin or some thing of the like. He also stated he would oppose the nativity scene if they put up a sign that said those not believing in Jesus will burn in hell.