Under Who?

So in North Carolina there's this billboard, well there's five Billboards but we're only talking about the one along the Graham Parkway in Charlotte. This Billboard displays a backdrop of the American flag, and in large silver letters "One Nation Indivisible". Now on it's own there's really not much to say about it, until you realize that it Graham Parkway was named after an evangelical, and the Billboard has been vandalized.

In blue graffiti the words "Under god" appears under the wording of the billboard, with an arrow pointing up to where the words would be in the Pledge. Now I'm not about to talk about the pledge, as much as you may think I am. We've all heard the debate, we all know the Pledge never started out with 'Under God' in it, despite a Baptist Preacher writing it. We all know those two words that cause some sort of controversy in a school every few months was a result of the Cold War, and our great leaders trying to distance itself from it's Atheistic enemy by buddying up with god, despite it going against the Constitution.

So now that I've lied and have in fact put out my two cents in on the Pledge, lets get back on with my real issue. The fact that someone would even do this just boggles the mind. The Billboard rose very high from the ground, and the ladder leading up to the sign did not come all the way down, the only way this was at all possible was if the vandals brought along a ladder with them, or were circus giants. They climbed high into the air, risked their lives, to what? Deface a sign that will be fixed before the 4th? And here's the thing, this sign was not put up to offend, nor to start any debate or argument over the pledge. The five Billboards were put up for two reasons, to attract fellow Atheists to the various organizations and clubs in North Carolina, and to state proudly that Atheists can be patriots too.

The story is just puzzling, as I can sort of relate. When leaving my town for work there is a small billboard like sign posted in the lot across the street from the church. It's a sign I really hate, as it says "Babies are a gift from God" with a photo of a baby with a bow on it. It's a pro-life sign, and every time I find myself passing it I can't help but spout out 'Yeah, but God doesn't give gift receipts.' The other side of this posting has a sign of a hand painted baby with bold laters proclamating "Mother behold your son!" And while that was doesn't offend me as much, mainly because it's harder to make fun of, it's still pushing a message I very much disagree with.

But I would never vandalize these signs, I would never walk up and deface these signs, even though they portray a message that's much more direct and volatile than the Atheist's, that being that Abortions are bad. And if someone against these signs did vandalize them, you can be assured the fury storm would topple the one of the Atheists, as both articles I read on this topic stated in the title that these billboards were controversial. This confused me because none of the other four billboards were vandalized or put anywhere remotely tied to religion, and the one that was was only placed there because the only other locations open were too expensive or had low viability, as stated by the head of the organization that bought them.

Aside from this one sign the campaign has been a success, pulling in nearly sixty new members to Charlotte Atheists & Agnostics. This one incident of strange efforts of a few going out of their way to battle against a benign enemy. This harmless message opening a window for like minded folks, and telling the world that Atheists are Americans as well. It's sad though, because the only reason this message is needed is because some have seem to forgotten that while God has a place in America, he doesn't have a place as America.

No, I don't know that atheists should be considered as citizens, nor should they be considered as patriots. This is one nation under God.” George H. W. Bush - Used again because it's still relevant.