I’m currently watching the RNC and I’ve spent most of the day watching the DNC bits I missed last week. So far, I’ve seen three black people in the crowds at the RNC today. Can’t say that I’ve seen any other minorities. Ooh! There was a fourth black person just now. I think I saw an Asian American too. I haven’t even seen a lot of young people so far except for the young children of the candidates. Lots of cowboy hats though. LOTS. Someone out there is making beaucoup money making cowboy hats. While it’s interesting to see a general lack of minorities at the RNC, that’s not really the reason I started typing.

The reason I started typing is because of particular themes I keep coming across in both conventions. To put a broad title to encompass the gist of it, I’m going to call it the religious theme. There’s assloads of talk of faith and hope with several speakers even going to scripture for examples and extended metaphors (common for public speakers as is quoting other people as well as other literature). Faith alone doesn’t necessarily mean religious faith, though that actually is the particular type which is frequently invoked. Hope is just something that Existentialists don’t practice regardless of whether it’s religiously based or not, so whatever; talk about hope all you want because it doesn’t do anything but waste energy.

It’s all the “god blesses” going on. God bless America, god bless particular peoples, god bless the candidates, god bless chickens, god bless god bless god bless. Oooooooh, wait, maybe my annoyance at the lack of separation of church and state is too “politically correct.” Maybe I should just fall in line and like and do something that’s mainstream. Maybe I should stop being Atheist and subscribe to the subservience and will of an imaginary friend (though which religion’s imaginary friend is a hard one to decide). Yeah right. I shouldn’t have to apologize for being my own person, for living my life the way I choose, and for practicing the freedom that living in this country grants me. I don’t have to believe in a god to be an American, but it seems that the DNC and RNC seem to think that all Americans do. Blech. While it’s reassuring to see lots of minorities represented at the DNC (can’t say the same for the RNC since I think I’ve counted about ten at this point), it’s still a constant reminder that as minorities go, mine is pretty much the bottom of the barrel, left in a dark corner so no one has to see it or deal with it. I have the feeling most people wish my minority would just go away. Not gonna happen, not here at least.

The hard thing about being Atheist is that it’s a hidden minority. Being a woman is pretty obvious generally, and having a different skin color can be seen at a glance (though I don’t tend to notice, personally). Having a different philosophy than the rest of the world, not so apparent. It’s not like there are easily mass-produced trinkets to wear around my neck or a building to gravitate around for meetings and ceremonies. I also don’t run around shrieking from the rooftops that I’m Atheist and that everyone should convert, pretty much because I don’t feel that this philosophy works for everyone. I also respect that because this philosophy isn’t for everyone, they’ve got other beliefs; just like I’d want them to respect my choice in how I live my life. So Atheism is hidden. It’s quiet. It’s barely even recognized by the majority, and that shows with all the “god blessing” going on. If anything, this minority is despised by the majority, probably why it seems no one gives a shit about showing us any respect, why so many seem to feel we don’t deserve any respect. I’m a human. I’m a citizen of the United States. I deserve respect regardless of what I believe in, but I guess if a minority is small enough, that negates attention or respect.

Do I have a solution? No. If it were possible, I’d have the words “In God We Trust” removed from money and “god bless America” removed from political speeches, but I guess that’s a lack of respect for the majority. I should just follow something mainstream like a good sheep and not think for myself, not follow what I believe, not live my life the way I choose. If the logic of “giving up my differences” is the best, then everyone else should give up their differences for the majority. Wait… Isn’t that called “facism?” Dictatorship? Maybe even a form of tyranny? Is that what this country is based on? I don’t think so. Would it be so hard to take “god bless” out of speeches so that religious and philosophical differences all become hidden, like the promise of “separation of church and state” and “freedom of religion” say they should be, away from the government and subsequent politics? I guess so when no one but a hidden, tiny, distrusted minority is the only one to suffer the indignities of disrespect and being ignored. Thanks. Thanks for all the support. I’ll be sure to support the majority because of all the support it has shown me. It hurts to be a minority, especially such a small and disrespected one. You know why? It sucks feeling alone.