Blacks gripe about racism, women about sexism, old coots about ageism...yet the three current candidates with a clear chance of becoming President of the United States are a self-identified Black, a woman, and an old coot (not self identified, but the guy's in his 70s).
No one in politics complains about religionism.
Okay, I made that word up. Because political discrimination against people who aren't religious is so pervasive, so much a given, that there's no need for a word to describe it in the public discourse.
Instead, many religious people constantly claim that they're being discriminated against.
I'll answer that simply. Does anyone claim that a professed atheist could become President of the United States, regardless of his or her qualifications? How about a Senator from any state? How about a Congressman from anywhere but a few urban/college town districts?
Our President could be a woman, a Black, an old guy--but not an atheist.
Nonreligious people amount to some 4-10% of America's population. And not one of them could run for president.
I think you could make a plausible argument that that's the largest minority in America which is categorically excluded from the highest office, not by law, but by practice--a practice that a majority of Americans find not just acceptable but mandatory.
So tell me why again that I should concern myself with discrimination against Blacks, women, etc. when they can be President...but I can't?
