Reply #15: Let's don't forget what George H.W. Bush said to an Atheist Reporter [View All]

[prostock69]

Interview by Rob Sherman on August 27, 1987:

Mr. Bush questions whether atheists should be regarded as citizens

I asked Mr. Bush, "What are you going to do to win the votes of Americans who are atheists?"

Mr. Bush replied, "I guess I'm pretty weak in the atheist community. Faith in God is important to me."

I followed up: "Do you support the equal citizenship and patriotism of Americans who are atheists?"

Mr. Bush replied, "I don't know that atheists should be regarded as citizens, nor should they be regarded as patriotic. This is one nation under God."

After other reporters asked a few questions about issues that they were concerned about, I was then able to get in one more follow-up question on my subject: "Do you support the constitutionality of state/church separation?"

Vice President Bush responded, "I support separation of church and state. I'm just not very high on atheists."

If the Father Bush felt that way, it's fair to say that Bush, Jr. felt the same way.