Another would-be vandal confuses criticism of religion with hate speech

If you at all follow the goings-on of the atheist community, then chances are you’ve heard about the Freedom From Religion Foundation’s (FFRF) sign that’s posted annually for the Winter Solstice at several state Capitol buildings across the U.S.. Here it is, below:

Personally, I don’t quite like this sign. I agree with its contents, of course, but if the purpose of the message is to encourage debate and discourse rather than to just piss believers off, then it doesn’t do its job very well. One idea would be to just do away with that last line, which is the worst of the message. Or, maybe just phrase it a little more lightheartedly.

However, one thing signs with such “inflammatory” messages are good at doing is exposing the intolerant and the idiotic. Cue conservative activist and candidate for Illinois comptroller William J. Kelly, who follows in line with fellow kooks in failing to distinguish between criticism and “hate speech” – and then tries to take matter into his own hands.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (CBS) ― A conservative activist and Illinois comptroller candidate was escorted from the Illinois State Capitol building Wednesday when he tried to remove a sign put up by an atheist group.

William J. Kelly announced Tuesday that he planned to take down the sign put up by the Freedom from Religion Foundation, and on Wednesday, he tried to make good on his plan.

But Kelly said when he turned the sign around so it was face down, state Capitol police were quick to escort him away.

Illinois Secretary of State's office spokeswoman Henry Haupt said Kelly was escorted from the rotunda by state Capitol police, who briefly detained him, wrote an incident report, and directed him to leave the building.

Good. A bit less vandalism is always a good thing, especially when such actions are perpetrated by twits who obviously have no idea what they’re doing or talking about:

But Kelly called the sign "hate speech," and said he does not believe it is appropriate for a sign that "mocks" religion to be placed next to a Christmas tree and also near a nativity scene.

"I don't think the State of Illinois has any business denigrating or mocking any religion," Kelly said, "and I think that's what the verbiage on the sign was doing."

What a moron. There is a vast gap between the sign’s message, which is mere criticism of religion, and “hate speech”, which is attacking people for their beliefs (amongst other things). There is also a distinction to make between criticism and mocking, two things that religious-conservatives have a suspicious knack for confounding. Also, if Kelly is unable to differentiate between private speech on public property, such as the signs on display at the Capitol buildings, and government speech, then there really is no hope for him.

As if his arguments in defense of his dumbass move weren’t bad enough already:

But Kelly said he believes the problem is not only the verbiage of the sign, but also its proximity to the Christmas tree.

"The fact that sign was immediately in front of the tree, I found that to be disturbing because any family and any child would run up to that tree with a smile on their face, and they would immediately see that sign," Kelly said.

*GASP* OMG! The display might actually be seen by children!!! Oh, the horrorz! Won’t someone please think of the children???

Sorry to burst your bubble, Kelly, but I seriously doubt that “any child with a smile on their face” who saw that sign would instantly break into heartbroken wailing and catch on fire at the mere sight of a sign that talks smack about religion. Seriously. You don’t have to protect kids from any little bit of criticism, unless you honestly plan to keep said kids in their houses for the rest of their lives with windows blocked and no radio, TV or Internet. Or newspapers. Or lives.

Perhaps to counterbalance the amounts of stupidity, the article includes this great quote from Dan Barker, the co-president of the FFRF, who dares to criticize the nativity scene:

"We atheists believe that the nativity scene is mocking humanity," by suggesting that those who do not believe in Jesus will go to hell, Barker said. "But notice that we are not defacing or stealing nativity scenes because we disagree with their speech."

Pretty much exactly right. Criticism is protected under the U.S.’s free speech laws, and any actions aimed at suppressing it, whether it be in shutting someone up or by taking down and/or vandalizing signs on public (or private) property, are simply illegal, in addition to being reckless and dumbass. The thing about life is that people are gonna be disagreeing with you wherever you go, and some of them will even be quite vocal about it. Either you accept this fact and deal with it in turn, or just retreat into your cave and ignore the real world.

(via Dispatches from the Culture Wars)