MAY 10, 2003
Spike Tyson
Former National Director, American Atheists
Former National Commander of the Atheist Veterans
Twice-decorated, twice-wounded veteran of the Vietnam War
Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to Lansing Michigan and the first, ever, godless march on this capitol city.
My name is Spike Tyson and I am the former National Director of American Atheists, and former National Commander of the Atheist Veterans.
It is true. There are atheists in foxholes, and I am living proof of that statement. I am a twice-wounded Vietnam combat veteran, and do you know what scares the religious right the most about me? I am a LIVING, BREATHING, IN THEIR FACE ATHEIST AND DAMNED PROUD OF IT!!!
Atheists have served this country with distinction and valor in EVERY war. We were there at Lexington and Concord, and in 1812. We were there at the Alamo, and at Gettysburg and Shiloh. We were there with Custer, and on the Main and at San Juan Hill. We were there in the Philippines, and in the trenches and no-mans-land of WWI. We were there on Normandy Beach, and we are members of the chosen few. I was there in Quan Loi, and we are now in Baghdad. We were there in all the small wars and conflicts this country has ever been in, and we have always made up at least 10% of the military population. Ten percent of the wounded are atheists. Ten percent of POW’s are atheists. Ten percent of the killed in action were atheists.
But I am told all of the time by such people as Tom Brokaw, on March 11th on national TV that “THERE ARE NO ATHEISTS IN FOXHOLES, Now I do not know, nor care to know where Mr. Brokow was in 1969, but I can tell you this: HE WAS NOT IN MY FOXHOLE OR ON MY TANK.
We were told by George Bush #1, the father of #2, back in 1988, at O'Hair airport, that “I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT ATHEISTS CAN BE CONSIDERED AS CITIZENS NOR PATRIOTS.”
We are not allowed to be members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American Legion or Am Vets. These and other bigoted groups are allowed to LEGALLY discriminate against us, and yet they receive government money and support. Politicians of all types are seen in and around them, EVEN IF THEY WERE NEVER IN THE MILITARY, and they grant those bigoted groups special favors and tax status.
According to federal court rulings a group cannot discriminate against someone based on religion OR THE LACK THEREOF, and still receive government money or supports. However, there is this one UNSPOKEN exception that is allowed and that is “IF THE PERSON IS AN ATHEIST, THEN YOU CAN!”
I WILL NOT support ANY organization that receives government money or support, which will not allow an atheist in, be it the boy scouts, the VFW, American Legion OR ANY OTHER GROUP.
Let me take a minute to tell you about what happened to me at the National Convention of the Military Order of the Purple Hearts in 1991. This organization’s only requirement is that you be wounded in combat and that you have received a Purple Heart. By the way, it is also chartered by Congress.
I was listening to the National Commander speak to a small group about some aspect of military life, and I heard him say, “There has never been an Atheist in a foxhole, as you well know”, and everyone agreed with him. So I piped up and said, “If that is true, how do you explain me? I am an Atheist and always have been.” To which he replied, “You are either lying or you have never been wounded. Which is it?”
Now I want you to think about this for a minute, using his logic Atheists can be in combat, but we can never be wounded or killed. If that were true, EVERY SOLDIER WOULD WANT TO BE AN ATHEIST, BECAUSE WE ARE THE ULTIMATE WARRIOR AND CANNOT BE HARMED BY AN ENEMY!!
The last time a group believed something like that was the Native Americans using their Prayer Shirts to stop bullets; they were invincible according to their religious leaders, and yet, they were killed by the hundreds.
I know, from personal experience, that a male or a female Atheist can stop a bullet or shrapnel, as well as a Jew, Christian, or a Tibetan Monk. So can a gay, an African American, a Latino, a transsexual, or even a two-minute-old child with AIDS.
Now if I can get every veteran up here on the steps behind me, I would like to do something. [Spike calls on all the veterans in the audience to join him on the stage]
Ladies and gentlemen, I give you examples of Americas Finest, men and women who have served this great country.
All we want is to have a place at the table; we have earned it, with our blood, our sweat, our commitment, and some with their lives.
Veterans, I thank you for your service and I salute you.
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