Bush White House Needs to do More Over Inflammatory Remarks

Bush White House Needs to do More Over Inflammatory Remarks, Access by
Robertson Says Atheist Group

http://www.atheists.org/

The Bush administration needs to do much more in speaking out about calls
for the assassination of foreign heads of state by television preacher and
Christian Coalition founder Pat Robertson, an Atheist civil rights groups
urged today.

On the Monday, August 22, 2005 broadcast of his "700 Club" program aired
nationwide by the Christian Broadcasting Network, Robertson called for a
gang-land style hit on Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.

"If he thinks we're trying to assassinate him," declared Robertson, "I think
we really ought to go ahead and do it. It's a whole lot cheaper than
starting a war..."

Robertson's statement has been criticized by the U.S. Department of State.
Even allies on the religious right including the National Clergy Council
have distanced themselves from Robertson's violent remarks.

The White House has been silent, however, and Defense Secretary Donald
Rumsfeld dismissed the call for assassination, saying "Private citizens say
all kinds of things all the time."

"President Bush needs to distance himself and our government from Pat
Robertson's call for violent and illegal activities like state-sanctioned
assassination," said American Atheists President Ellen Johnson. "This
careless remark by a powerful evangelical preacher with close ties and
access to Mr. Bush and the Republican Party is sending a negative image of
the United States to other nations, putting Americans at risk, and
jeopardizing our status in the world."

"If a Muslim leader made such a call, I'm sure that President Bush would
have no trouble condemning it," said Johnson. "And whatever happened to
'Thou shalt not kill'?"

Dave Silverman, Communications Director for American Atheists, said that if
Robertson considers illegal "hits" a good tactic for foreign policy, "we can
only wonder how he wants to deal with 'enemies' at home who disagree with
his opinions about state-church separation, abortion rights for women, gay
marriage, free speech and other issues."

Silverman also praised Rev. Rob Schenck of the conservative National Clergy
Council, Rev. Jackson and other religious leaders who condemned Robertson's
thoughtless remarks.

"The fact that even many religious leaders consider these remarks to be
inappropriate is another reason why Mr. Bush needs to immediately distance
himself from Pat Robertson," declared Silverman.

American Atheists is a nationwide movement which defends the civil rights of
nonbelievers, works for the separation of church and state, and addresses
issues of First Amendment public policy.

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