US Congressperson Pete Stark (D-Ca) has become the first open atheist in Congressional history. Or should we say ‘nontheist’?

Rep. Pete Stark (D-Calif.), a member of Congress since 1973, acknowledged his nontheism in response to an inquiry by the Secular Coalition for America. Rep. Stark is a senior member of the powerful House Ways and Means Committee and is Chair of the Health Subcommittee.
…
Herb Silverman, president of the Secular Coalition for America, attributes these attitudes to the demonization of people who don’t believe in God. “The truth is,” says Silverman, “the vast majority of us follow the Golden Rule and are as likely to be good citizens, just like Rep. Stark with over 30 years of exemplary public service. The only way to counter the prejudice against nontheists is for more people to publicly identify as nontheists. Rep. Stark shows remarkable courage in being the first member of Congress to do so.”

Indeed. Atheists are the scary monsters of the political scene. Notice how dirty a word ‘atheist’ is. That has to stop. (So does that annoying reference to the Golden Rule. It’s playing into their frame, like saying ‘Look! We can be just as righteous as Christians, the ones who own goodness and light!’ In fact the behavioral differences are minimal.)

Visibility is the key to ending the pariah status of atheists. Pete Stark has opened the door in Congress, and for that, he’s Good Reason’s Hero of the Week.