The North County Times is running a story titled “For local atheist, Southwest County no paradise” about an activist in California. I’m sure this is what many people have in mind when they think of an atheist: a guy with inflammatory bumper-stickers who puts the kibosh on prayers at the city council meeting.
Yet it’s interesting to note how inoffensive his rhetoric actually is. It seems that just expressing the atheistic point of view — and insisting on the separation of church and state — makes one a target for harassment and abuse.