A few weeks ago I stopped by the infamous Atheist "Memorial" in Starke, FL (Pics)

[A HERETIC I AM]

I was on my way down to (Edit) Clearwater Beach to see a friend and the best route from JAX to the Tampa area is via US 301, right through Starke, FL.

The Courthouse where this monument is located is right along 301. The courtyard is rather small, really. Not a great big plaza or anything. If you didn't know exactly where to look as you were driving by, you would miss it. The opening to the sidewalk and the roadway is only about 50' across or so.

Here's what the plaza looks like from the sidewalk, with the bench and the other monstrosity;



You have probably seen various stories and videos of this thing from shortly after it was put up.

Here's a few more shots, all taken with my iPhone, so I apologize for the framing.

Looking at it straight on;

It is really rather small and unobtrusive.

The face directed at the walkway. A quote by Madelyn Murray O'Hair;


The face opposite the street. The consequences of breaking the 10 commandments;


The face opposite the O'Hair quote. Quotes from Jefferson, Adams and one other who I do not recall. Again, sorry about the framing. Perhaps one of you will recognize it;


The face streetside, at the angle to the bench. The pertinent point from the Treaty of Tripoli;


A view toward the street for scale. It is a lovely little bench;


The reason it was put there in the first place. This thing is huge in comparison. The bench is to the left, out of frame;


There are various and sundry videos on YouTube of protests and other silliness that followed the "dedication".

Here's a funny one. Starkes best and brightest on display, particularly at the 1:38 mark;

The Major Douchebag, Son of a tax evading fuckhead criminal Eric Hovind has been there a time or two;

BTW, The guy sitting on the bench when Le Douchenozzle Hovind climbs up is American Atheists President David Silverman, in case you didn't recognize him.

Edit again (The first one at top was because I had my destination wrong!) to add this vid, from the day of the dedication. Nicely done!;

For the last two years I have held a car haul job that has taken me by this plaza at least once a week, if not 2 or 3 times. Since it went up last June, I have never seen any large group there, though I admit, I can't recall ever having gone by it on a weekend day. But the hype has died down. The butthurt has subsided. Now Starke has a nice, innocuous granite bench to sit on in its courthouse plaza.

[PassingFair]

1. Yo!

Thanks for the pictures and the story. So proud of American Atheists in Florida!

I have no doubt that "militant" Christians will deface it soon enough.

[Iggo]

2. Cool!

[Curmudgeoness]

3. I really appreciate the pictures.

To think that a little bench can cause so much fuss.

[muriel_volestrangler]

4. The 'when a religion is good' quote is attributed to Benjamin Franklin

When a religion is good, I conceive it will support itself; and when it does not support itself, and God does not take care to support it so that its professors are obliged to call for help of the civil power, ‘tis a sign, I apprehend, of its being a bad one.
- Benjamin Franklin, in a letter to Richard Price. October 9, 1790.

http://atheism.about.com/od/weeklyquotes/a/franklin01.htm

[A HERETIC I AM]

5. Ah! Thank you kindly! n/t