Earlier this month at a candidate’s forum, San Antonio’s Mayor Ivy Taylor, may or may not have had atheists specifically in mind when she speculated on the roots of systemic poverty. Although she didn’t specifically mention atheists, she definitely linked poverty to a lack of relationship with the Christian god, specifically.
Still from video with full context.
Early voting for municipal elections is now underway in San Antonio and Election Day is May 6, 2017. Mayor Taylor was appointed in 2014 to replace the Obama Administration’s Secretary of Housing and Urban Development: Julian Castro. Curiously, MySanAntonio.com has her as the “Best pick” for mayor citing her ability to “build coalitions”. It depends on what is meant by “coalition” and on whether they are inclusive or exclusive. Mayor Taylor voted against a revised nondiscrimination ordinance that was expanded to include LGBT in 2013 as a councilwoman. So non-Christians and LGBT are out of the coalition apparently. Also, poor people that don’t view themselves as broken.
Leaders of America’s Atheist community reached out to Mayor Taylor inviting her to meet with her secular constituents.
The 40% or more of San Antonians who are nonreligious aren’t “broken.” We care about our community and want to improve it. Please reach out. https://t.co/mrdNrS65uR
— American Atheists (@AmericanAtheist) April 24, 2017
Atheists are people too! There is also a petition circulating that asks Mayor Taylor to meet with the San Antonio secular community.
Aron Ra and I will have some guests representing San Antonio’s Secular community on the Ra-Men Podcast Live at 1 PM CST. You can interact with questions in the Youtube chat section.
Representing the friendly, neighborhood godless San Antonio Community:
Phil Session
Coordinator, Austin Atheists Helping the Homeless
Volunteer, San Antonio Atheists Helping the Homeless.
Katie Gaines
President, Freethinkers Association of Central Texas or FACT.
Nick Lee
Senior Advisor to FACT.
Sean Rivera
President, Secular Student Alliance at UTSA; Board Member, Freethinkers Association of Central Texas.
Nick Fish
National Program Director of American Atheists.
Vicki Gettman
Executive Director South Texas Atheists for Reason; Texas State Director for American Atheists
