What do you guys think of the atheist who complained about the Blue Bags

[Tweed]

First story:
http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=42143

"An atheist activist forced Chicago to change its Christmas tree recycling program, complaining it was unfair to non-Christians.

The city wanted to bolster its Blue Bag recycling program by offering a years worth of blue bags and some mulch to anyone who turned in a used Christmas tree.

But Rob Sherman, known for his campaign to keep crosses off city seals, protested to Chicago, insisting the trees-for-bags exchange unfairly benefits Christians, the Chicago Tribune reported.

"The concern was that the city had constructed a well-intentioned program, but the effect was that only Christians had the opportunity to participate," Sherman told the paper. "Christians had the opportunity to receive the blue bags for free. Atheists and others would have had to pay."

Results:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/northwest/chi-0412280272dec28,1,2078764.story?coll=chi-newslocalnorthwest-hed

"It seemed like a good idea at the time. Bolster Chicago's underused Blue Bag recycling program by tying it to the tradition of feeding Christmas trees into the wood chipper. Get a year's worth of blue bags along with some mulch.

But trust Rob Sherman, a local activist and an atheist, to raise questions. According to him, the city's trees-for-bags swap is unfairly beneficial to Christians.

"The concern was that the city had constructed a well-intentioned program, but the effect was that only Christians had the opportunity to participate," Sherman said. "Christians had the opportunity to receive the blue bags for free. Atheists and others would have had to pay."

The city will now offer blue bags to anyone who visits one of 22 tree-recycling locations on Jan. 8 and brings a large bag of recyclable material, streets and sanitation spokesman Matt Smith said."

I think it's kind of absurd that he went to the media first. This seems like something that could have been taken care of right away. The city of Chicago didn't care and basically said "Sure, bring in a bag of recycled materials and we'll give you a year's supply of blue bags. We are trying to promote this program!" At the same time, it's pretty cool that he went to such lengths and got what he wanted accomplished.

[Prodemsouth]

1. I am an atheist and I think he is being a pain in the ass- Christmas trees

are not overtly religious. There are many more things to get upset about than this. People killing over religion bothers me more than these symbols. When atheist do something like this people are less likely to listen to us when the superstitious are doing something really bad. It just makes people think atheist are trouble makers and a pain in the ass.

[naryaquid]

12. ...I really like your response...But could you please not refer to

those who are NOT atheists as "the superstitious"...?..It's "name-calling" and really quite unfair...Science can neither prove nor disprove the existence of God...

[seventythree]

14. Ever read the Tao of Physics?

In my opinion, the leap of faith is now more like a baby step because of the work in physics, and men like Stephen Hawking (sp?).

[Nite Owl]

2. But the fact is that they are there and should be recycled

Maybe they could use something else for the program instead of a tree. Isn't the tree really more of a pagan symbol than religious? All the people who have artificial trees wouldn't be included either.

[Tweed]

3. It is my understanding that all you need to bring in now is a bag

full of recyclables. It doesn't matter what, just as long as the contents can be recycled.

[NYC]

4. I like the outcome.

...
The city will now offer blue bags to anyone who visits one of 22 tree-recycling locations on Jan. 8 and brings a large bag of recyclable material, streets and sanitation spokesman Matt Smith said."...

I think this is fair.

[SheWhoMustBeObeyed]

5. Sherman is a geek

As an agnostic I find his publicity-seeking antics embarrassing. The cross on the city of Zion seal, the blue bags for xmas trees...really, what do I care? How does this promote separation of church and state? Anyway, lots of non-Christians put up holiday trees, or can pull one out of an alley if they're jonesing for a year's supply of free bags.

What I don't like about the program is that the bags are so flimsy. They're made that way on purpose so they shred more easily at the recycling center. But if I can't carry them down three flights of stairs without them busting open and spraying bottles and newspapers all over, I'm not using them.

[DemBones DemBones]

8. So he's fighting the city of Zion? When I was a kid in Waukegan,

we used to go to the cookie factory in Zion -- a fun memory. :-)

[SheWhoMustBeObeyed]

9. That was awhile back

I don't remember when exactly. It was the first time he really got into the media and it must have gone to his head - you can read all about it on his odd little site, robsherman.com.

[imenja]

6. He undermined recycling and that's wrong

Not only that, the complaint is trivial to the point of absurdity.

[DemBones DemBones]

7. The results are (pardon the pun) a mixed bag.

Good that he got a fair resolution and made the city realize not everyone has a Christmas tree.

Bad that he can be seen as a troublemaker and a pain in the ass, as another atheist said above, since it gives people the idea that all atheists are troublemakers.

I'm guessing the guy likes publicity more than he should.

What he should have done was go to the city first, get the problem resolved, get his publicity afterwards by announcing what he'd accomplished. That's diplomacy.

[renaissanceguy]

10. I really don't see a problem.

The purpose of the program was to promote recycling, using a Christian holiday. From a public administration perspective, by expanding its recycling program, the city made a wise move. Everybody gains here.

http://www.cafepress.com/liberalissues.14741250

[dogman]

11. My problem is that he's wrong and feeding the RW hype.

He furthers their argument that liberals are trying to take Christ out of Christmas. This is especally annoying since the Yule Tree is a pagan tradition that Christians stole to put Christ into the Winter Solstice. Some things are not worth the effort. He should simply have pushed for the equality he ultimately achieved.

[mopinko]

13. trouble is

christmas trees are more pagan than christian, anyway. i am a devout atheist and i am a christmas nut.