I must start this off by saying that I DO NOT SPEAK FOR ALL ATHEISTS. Many will likely disagree with what I write.
That being said, I do identify as an Atheist, believe it to be one of my core values, to the extent that I started a group for like-minded Atheists here at Dailykos. Not just an Atheist, but I also voted for Bernie in the primaries.
But the Wikileaks release of the story about DNC officials colluding to smear Bernie Sanders as an Atheist looks to me like an attempt to divide the Democratic Party, sabotage the Convention, exploit our status as second-class citizens, and it seems to be working.
Simply based on the timing, it seems like more than a coincidence that this story would break on the eve of the Democratic Convention.
Then, there is the fact that it is an attempt to divide the Sanders and Clinton camp, after it took so damn long to get them in unison to begin with. It certainly looks like they are trying to engineer a humiliating confrontational moment, as an encore of Ted Cruz telling all the Trumpers to vote their conscience.
Apparently Assange has intended to attack Clinton all along. For a leak that is supposed to “guarantee an indictment on Hillary,” emails about intra-party infighting seems like a bit of a bait-and-switch.
Additionally, calling for the resignation of the DNC’s CFO or CEO doesn’t seem like it would serve any purpose. Are we going to demand the replacement be someone who explicitly advocates for Atheists/Humanists and our values? That would certainly be nice, but then it might open up the DNC to yet another line of attack. it also undermines the idea that we can build a coalition of individuals holding their own individual views and positions. We should still be able to feel comfortable allying with those who agree with us on many other important issues. Even when we know for a fact that not all of them necessarily view us positively.
Now, addressing the meat of the issue, does it bother me that the premise of this email correspondence was to attack Bernie Sanders, perhaps someone else, by maligning him as an Atheist, in a way to discredit him with voters? Not really. You see, that kinda already happens to out Atheists. While the Democratic Party is likely far more progressive and inviting to Atheists than the GOP, a secular organization it is not, and there are far more religiously-aligned attitudes and views that are still in the Party, and throughout our so-called secular government, that the Atheist/Secular community have far more issues with. Mind you, Sanders doesn’t even identify as an Atheist, so I find it highly ironic that it is being weighed as a way to discredit him with Democratic Primary voters, than any of his other traits. Furthermore, this line of attack is more of a Rorschach test, if you will. It reflects more on the conspirator to try to smear someone as an Atheist; it would reflect the mindset of the accused if they were to go and object that loudly to such an accusation; more than it would reflect on our community and who we are. For the record, Atheist politicians have trouble getting elected even as Democrats too, you know.
Furthermore, according to the details of the leak, it doesn’t even seem like they went ahead with the Sanders smear to upend the primaries. If it did, I think we would’ve heard about it by now. So forgive me for not being all that outraged by the supposed smearing of a candidate for being Atheist that didn’t actually happen, when others actually have that happen to them.
Let’s not forget that “Godless Liberal” is often used to slander Democrats, as a way to discredit us. But let’s also not ignore that fact that, even with this going on, one’s identity as an Atheist can serve to discredit them even among Democrats. That is the sobering reality that we face.
Perhaps if this controversy became a catalyst to highlight this endemic within the Democratic Party, as a way to spur a direct address of making a more principled effort at including Atheist/Humanist/Secular ideas and values and outreach throughout the party, then I would welcome the initiative. If it is just presented as an indictment on Clinton of the DNC, count me out. How about we just rehash the whole locking Sanders out of his own database thing, while we’re at it. Seems like that remains a much more substantive attack, than any of this.
Perhaps this sounds like I am letting my devotion to the Democratic Party blind me to the misdeeds of one of the Party’s top officials. But I would argue that, if anything, it is but a symptom of a deeper problem, the persistence of religiously-motivated attitudes throughout the Party, which goes all the way to the top, which makes Atheists and those who don’t identify with any religion feel like we are not fully respected. Yes, I would like to think the Democratic Party is above such discriminatory views and behaviors against Atheists, including its officials; but I know that is clearly not the case. Why single out one official for his supposed biases against Atheists, when he is but part of a system that still normalizes such biases?
I also would like to think that I do not let my identity as an Atheist blind me from the fact that the Democratic Party is a much stronger ally to the Non-religious community than any other political party. Although the Democratic Party is home to many proud Atheists, we will also be the first ones to point out where we take second-place to the religious, even in this Party. That doesn’t mean we want to see it divided over this issue. Or divided due to outside manipulators, trying to exploit our struggles.
I appreciate the sentiment. Obviously, I do want the Democratic Party to represent its principles, including not feeling like my status as an Atheist puts me at any sort of disadvantage or discriminatory behavior. But I know that we’re not there yet, so pointing out that it exists, frankly, is not going to phase me much.
Someone like Assange clearly trying to gin up a fervor against Clinton in an attempt to derail our political success for the interests of their own personal agenda, on the other hand, I will certainly take issue with.
Finally...do we really want to bring up shit related to emails, yet again?