Right in my Own Backyard

It was recently brought to my attention by Bob that there's an idiot creationist running for Congress in my neck of the woods. His name is Paul Abramson, and he hails from Indiana's 8th congressional district, just a little south and west of us here in the 4th district.

Listen to me, fellow residents of Indiana: do not vote for Paul Abramson. Paul Abramson is a worthless, ignorant shitsack.

For one thing, the article covering his campaign announcement is on the website of the American Family Association, an organization dedicated to Christian dominionism, censorship, and antiscience. For another thing, he's not even a cdesign proponentsist, he's an out-and-out, old-school, 1980's creationist, and the founder of the website Creationism.org. Says the article:

Paul Abramson has been involved in the "creation vs. evolution" debate for more than ten years.

It's got to be a lot more than ten years, because its been at least fifteen since a card-carrying creationist was let in the door by the ID crowd.

Moreover, aren't you sick of this being framed as a "debate?" There's no fucking debate. None. A bunch of ignorant religious assholes are trying to create the appearance of a debate, but really, there is no debate. I hope they all die painfully.

The Republican congressional candidate says that before moving to Evansville, Indiana, he resided in Berkeley, California, where he had the opportunity to speak openly about his beliefs to multiple atheist groups and was also invited to speak about his beliefs at UC-Berkeley.

How is this relevant? He spoke to atheist groups? With or without their consent? And who cares if he spoke at Berkeley? All sorts of people speak at all sorts of universities every day. That he spoke at Berkeley doesn't in any way lend credence to his claims.

But he says unfortunately the "good guys" are losing the culture war in America, in which the creationism debate is just one small part.

There are days where I might say the same thing, except I'd wager that Abramson and I disagree on who the "good guys" are.

For that reason, Abramson has decided to challenge Democratic incumbent Brad Ellsworth for Indiana's 8th Congressional District.

Yeah, there just isn't enough Christian representation in the United States government. They're so god-damned oppressed.

He says that should he win, he would push the Public Expression of Religion Act -- a measure that was first introduced by former Congressman John Hostettler (R-Indiana).

Well, that sounds lovely.

"I would push for that Public Expression of Religion Act that would make it completely legal and above lawsuits for things like crosses, menorahs, nativity scenes, and things like this to be displayed on public properties," he says.

Oh, so he would push for more blatantly unconstitutional legislation! Big surprise from a Bible Belt Republican.

Abramson also says he would push to make displaying the Ten Commandments legal.

But that's not all, folks. From the horse's mouth:

"I will introduce a bill to make it mandatory to display the Ten Commandments in every federal courthouse in the United States and its territories," says the Republican candidate.

So, from "illegal and unconstitutional" on through "neutral," straight to "mandatory." This guy is a card.

The congressional hopeful feels the U.S. is a nation that is supposed to have freedom of religion, not freedom from religion -- something he says the "bad guys have been pushing for too long."

Yeah, we bad guys who just want the ability to maintain our own lack of belief, we spare ten or so percent (counting agnostics and "spiritual but not religious" lameasses), we've been pushing so hard to persecute the majority and utterly destroy their way of life, and we're winning.

Here's something you can take with you, Mr. Abramson: so long as there are non-believers, freedom of religion will always mean the same thing as freedom from religion. There's no way around it.

If 100% of people were religious, but there were lots of different factions, then freedom of religion would really only mean the freedom to possess the belief of your choice.

But see, the world ain't like that. There are people who do not believe in God, people who are un- or irreligious. Their freedom of religion is freedom from religion. As long as folk like us walk the green and fertile Earth, one is the same as the other for all legal and constitutional purposes.

Really, what about that is so hard to understand?

Finally:

He also contends that his ten-year track record as a outspoken creationist and founder of Creationism.org prove to many people that he is not just a conservative for convenience sake, but that he believes in what he stands for.

Great.

Like I said, nobody should vote for this assclown. He's about as fit for office as a bag of moldy oats with a lower-than-average IQ (by bag of moldy oats standards). He's less useful than a blind, three-legged llama with a colostomy bag. If there is any justice in this world, he'll get about as much of the vote as Ron Paul.

Some of the comments on the article are priceless. Let me reproduce a couple of my favorites.

I agree, EVERYONE who works on the Lord's Day should be punished!

Then surely you agree that EVERYONE who creates an image of the prophet Mohammed (blessed be his name) should also be punished, too? No? Well, fuck off then.

If I lived in Indiana, I would vote for him!!

If you lived in Indiana, I would make fun of your double-exclaiming ass.

To the comment"creation isn't scientific" try this experiment. Plant a seed(any vegetable) & watch it grow into a plant that produces after it's own kind"whose seed is in itself" Gen.1:11 & 12. Congradulations! You just proved that by planting a seed (experimentation)linked with the infalible word of God (Gen. 1:11&12) Creation IS scientific! YAY!!HOORAY!!AMEN,& HALELUJAH!!

...Huh?

I wish I could vote for this guy! People came to this country for religious freedom and now we are being asked to forget about that because so many nut jobs can't handle a CHRISTMAS tree. I don't mind seeing a menorrah, it just means that some people are thinking along the same line.

You can swing your religious fist around as much as you want until it hits my tax dollars. It's that simple.

if we keep voting in the people that dont believe then we will lose our freedom of religion"

Keep voting in? Who are these mysterious atheist elected officials? I would like to shake their hands.

Some of these comments are truly sad. Our nation was founded on Christian moral beliefs (God's Law). People have forgotten about that. Even many professing Christians. By the way, Creationism is a fact. It is written in God's Holy Word and has been proven scientifically. It is truly sad how the government school system has brainwashed our society as evidenced by some of these comments.

And that's enough of that.

Now let me take a minute to talk about the AFA's website:

It is fucking laughable. It has a section on Christian persecution. All of the articles in that section are about Christian persecution in countries other than the US, mostly China and a number of Muslim nations. It is first interesting to note that there are no stories about Christian persecution in the United States (go figure). The sheer trivial obviousness of it is also amusing to me: China, violate human rights? Fundamentalist Islamic nations persecuting other religions? You don't say!

The best part, though, is the irony. The AFA has an entire section on their website dedicated to Christian persecution and all of this persecution happens in countries under the iron fist of a fundamentalist ideology. The way to prevent that from happening in America? Christian Dominion!

Way to go, AFA. Way to go.