Thu Nov 8, 2012, 11:24 AM

And now, a standing ovation for Congress' newest atheist, Kyrsten Sinema!

She's a celebrity in LGBT circles, but she's also probably the first open atheist to get elected to Congress.

Ladies and gentlemen, Kyrsten Sinema!!!

16 replies, 942 views

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16 replies	Author	Time	Post
And now, a standing ovation for Congress' newest atheist, Kyrsten Sinema! (Original post)	backscatter712	Nov 2012	OP
I think Pete Stark is also an open atheist.	FiveGoodMen	Nov 2012	#1
Was.	OswegoAtheist	Nov 2012	#2
Bad news!	FiveGoodMen	Nov 2012	#5
And he's gone. So will she be after an opportunist believer makes a big deal of it	dmallind	Nov 2012	#3
Ah shoot. I missed that bit of info.	FiveGoodMen	Nov 2012	#4
Sinema's a firebrand - she won't go down without a fight.	backscatter712	Nov 2012	#8
Christ I hope so. Stark was one of the safest seats tho' and he got undercut. nt	dmallind	Nov 2012	#9
He wasn't open when he was first elected. n/t	backscatter712	Nov 2012	#6
No, but he did manage to stay in office (for a while) after coming out	FiveGoodMen	Nov 2012	#7
That's true and also he's about or perhaps exactly 80 years old.	dimbear	Nov 2012	#10
Who could be back then? I honestly doubt the electorate will accept one for long now	dmallind	Nov 2012	#11
If you want to be accepted, you're going to have to fight for acceptance.	backscatter712	Nov 2012	#13
Brava!	OriginalGeek	Nov 2012	#12
Woot!	cleanhippie	Nov 2012	#14
Very Cool!	progressoid	Nov 2012	#15
That's awesome!!!!	AlGoreRhythms	Nov 2012	#16

Response to backscatter712 (Original post)

Thu Nov 8, 2012, 12:04 PM

FiveGoodMen (13,235 posts)

1. I think Pete Stark is also an open atheist.

Last edited Thu Nov 8, 2012, 12:05 PM USA/ET - Edit history (1)

He was supposedly the only one in Congress till now.

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Response to FiveGoodMen (Reply #1)

Thu Nov 8, 2012, 01:13 PM

OswegoAtheist (609 posts)

2. Was.

Unfortunately, Pete Stark lost his re-election bid to another Democrat, Eric Swawell (California has a system where the top two vote-getting candidates compete, regardless of party). One of the issues Swawell used in his campaign against Stark was his vote against reaffirming IN GOD WE TRUST as the national motto.

Oswego "Proving that Dems can be bible-thumping assholes, too" Atheist

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Response to OswegoAtheist (Reply #2)

Thu Nov 8, 2012, 01:20 PM

FiveGoodMen (13,235 posts)

5. Bad news!

If "IN GOD WE TRUST" we are doomed.

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Response to FiveGoodMen (Reply #1)

Thu Nov 8, 2012, 01:16 PM

dmallind (10,437 posts)

3. And he's gone. So will she be after an opportunist believer makes a big deal of it

Last edited Thu Nov 8, 2012, 01:16 PM USA/ET - Edit history (1)

All it needs is a primary challenger riling up the "liberal" Christians and she's one and done.

Stark had sense. He managed 17 wins before he was forced to admit his atheism. Gone two after that.

Don't make plans for your pension, Kyrsten. You're marked as soon as you question Big-Fella-in-Sky.

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Response to dmallind (Reply #3)

Thu Nov 8, 2012, 01:19 PM

FiveGoodMen (13,235 posts)

4. Ah shoot. I missed that bit of info.

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Response to dmallind (Reply #3)

Thu Nov 8, 2012, 02:59 PM

backscatter712 (19,814 posts)

8. Sinema's a firebrand - she won't go down without a fight.

I know her personally - she's incredibly smart, knows the political game, cut her teeth in the right-wing-dominated shark tank that's the Arizona legislature, and was quite successful at getting things done there.

Watch her. I think she'll be awesome!

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Response to backscatter712 (Reply #8)

Thu Nov 8, 2012, 04:52 PM

dmallind (10,437 posts)

9. Christ I hope so. Stark was one of the safest seats tho' and he got undercut. nt

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Response to FiveGoodMen (Reply #1)

Thu Nov 8, 2012, 02:42 PM

backscatter712 (19,814 posts)

6. He wasn't open when he was first elected. n/t

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Response to backscatter712 (Reply #6)

Thu Nov 8, 2012, 02:47 PM

FiveGoodMen (13,235 posts)

7. No, but he did manage to stay in office (for a while) after coming out

Seemed hopeful at the time...

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Response to backscatter712 (Reply #6)

Thu Nov 8, 2012, 06:56 PM

dimbear (5,112 posts)

10. That's true and also he's about or perhaps exactly 80 years old.

Enjoy your retirement, Pete.

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Response to backscatter712 (Reply #6)

Thu Nov 8, 2012, 09:55 PM

dmallind (10,437 posts)

11. Who could be back then? I honestly doubt the electorate will accept one for long now

I hope Sinema proves me wrong - trust me I do - but this election proved Christianist Dems are far from above playing the faith card, which believe me if played well will trump ANY amount of feistiness or political acumen. When most of the population loathes atheists, it's not difficult to beat one.

Good luck to her, and I hope she'll be treated fairly despite not having an invisible friend. I just doubt it.

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Response to dmallind (Reply #11)

Fri Nov 9, 2012, 12:16 PM

backscatter712 (19,814 posts)

13. If you want to be accepted, you're going to have to fight for acceptance.

Sinema's a fighter! And she won in a right-wing state while being openly bisexual and atheist. If she could pull that off, we damned well can do better, rather than just accepting being shunned.

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Response to backscatter712 (Original post)

Fri Nov 9, 2012, 10:57 AM

OriginalGeek (5,448 posts)