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The Candidate Without a Prayer

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The Candidate Without a Prayer The Candidate Without a Prayer Herb Silverman am a Philadelphia-born Jewish atheist who moved south illiteracy and innumeracy, not by requiring pledges and in 1976 to become a professor of mathematics at the prayers. College of Charleston. I had never run for public office. I presented myself as both anti-abortion and pro-choice. This is not the typical background of a South Carolina I said that I favored sex education, birth control, prenatal gubernatorial candidate. What could propel me into a health care, day care, and support systems for women wishing campaign for the highest office in the state? In February 1990, to give birth—actions that would help diminish the need for a colleague pointed out a disturbing restriction in the South abortion. I believe the religious right creates more abortions Carolina constitution that said, "No person shall be eligible than it prevents by denying support for such programs. for the office of governor who denies the existence of the I opposed capital punishment. The biblical quotes Supreme Being." Since the U.S. Constitution prohibits "Vengeance is mine, saith the Lord" and "He who is without religious tests as qualification to any public office, I determined sin among you, cast the first stone" seem not to be considered to see how the offensive barrier could be removed. by fundamentalists who support capital punishment. What I looked to the American Civil Liberties Union for help. better argument for its abolition than that Jesus was executed Edmund Robinson, a local attorney who occasionally handled for a crime he did not commit? I proposed to significantly raise the tax on tobacco and cases for the state chapter of the ACLU, suggested that the to decriminalize all drugs. The additional tax revenue and best challenge to this insulting provision would be for a savings generated by reduced enforcement and prison-building nonbeliever to run for governor. He felt that the state attorney could be used for drug prevention and treatment programs, general might simply agree to bring South Carolina into as well as support for tobacco farmers wishing to convert compliance with federal law. With considerable reluctance and their crops from life-destroying to life-enhancing products. trepidation, I agreed to run. After all, wasn't the body supposed to be the "temple of God"? Robinson and I prepared our plan of attack: I would carry I hoped to institute a voluntary tax, a state lottery, with on a campaign so he could establish in court that I was a the proceeds going for education. This may be the only issue legitimate candidate. Our principal goal would be to change on which the majority of South Carolinians agreed with me, the constitution, but I also hoped to change the hearts and but the religious right had prevented a vote on such a sinful minds of fellow South Carolinians who viewed atheists as proposal. inherently immoral. They needed to recognize that discrim- My first act as governor would be to remove the ination against nonbelievers is as much a violation of civil Confederate flag from the state capitol. It is a symbol of racial rights as discrimination against different types of believers; intolerance and bigotry to most of the world. that the First Amendment guarantees freedom from religion as well as freedom of religion. I also intended to call attention o be placed on the ballot, I needed either 10,000 signatures to religious intrusion into public life. Tor the nomination of a party with ballot status. Beside My platform contrasted poor support for education with the Republican and Democratic parties, which I knew would the very well-supported national defense. It seems we attempt not consider me, the American, Libertarian, and United to preserve our way of life through military rather than Citizens parties qualified. educational endeavors, while we blame educational failures The American Party was formed to support George Wallace on removing God and patriotism from our schools. I would and stood for God, flag, and country. The Libertarian Party argue our country's strength can be maintained by killing was strong on civil liberties, but wanted to eliminate taxes altogether. UCP was an inactive, black-led civil rights group Herb Silverman is professor of mathematics at the College formed in the 1960s. Since my issue was one of civil rights, of Charleston and has published a book and numerous articles I decided to pursue it. on geometric function theory. He is a member of the Secular I spoke with party members in Charleston, who supported Humanists of Greenville. my right to run; however, their deeply held religious convictions made them uncomfortable about nominating an 40 FREE INQUIRY atheist. I then called Lenora Fulani in New York, the 1988 to be going as planned. George Orwell began his essay UCP presidential candidate. She had been on the ballot in "Shooting an Elephant" with, "It was the first time in my all fifty states and was currently running for governor of New life I was important enough to be hated by large groups of York. people." I understood how he felt. Fulani was enthusiastic about the possibility of revitalizing I was excited to receive my first invitation from a church the floundering UCP in South Carolina with a well-deserved (Unitarian) to give a public talk. I began with the observation constitutional victory. When she intervened on my behalf, of a talk-show host who thought that, as an atheist, I must the local members reluctantly agreed to nominate me. After feel free to commit rape, murder, and all kinds of atrocities. signing the forms attesting to my nomination, the five officers This was not an insult to atheists, I replied, but to believers. responsible then resigned from the party! It was not a ringing What kind of person behaves better than an animal only endorsement, but enough to get me on the ballot. Although because of fear of divine retribution? the local UCP gave me no party platform, and in fact no I said that it was offensive to imply that the people of party supporters, I still intended to campaign for civil rights South Carolina were incapable of deciding whether to vote just as the UCP had done in the past. for an otherwise qualified candidate who happened not to On April 11, the Charleston News & Courier printed an believe in a Supreme Being. I pointed out how unjust the article about my campaign. Others followed by the AP wire law was. Elected officials can believe that women are inferior service, USA Today, and a few other papers. I received several and should be subservient to men; that blacks are inferior and should be slaves; that Jews are inferior and should be "I hope for the day when atheists can come exterminated. A person with such abhorrent views would be more qualified to serve as governor of South Carolina than out of their closets without fear of reprisal, someone who believed in the value of dignity of all human when professing atheism is no longer con- beings but happened not to believe in a Supreme Being. sidered foolhardy and dangerous, when peo- My talk was well received. The only mildly combative comments dealt with the merits of agnosticism over atheism. ple are measured more by their treatment of I said I once considered myself an agnostic until I heard others than by their religious affiliations. Per- agnostic defined as a gutless atheist. In any case, as far as haps then we will all have true religious I knew, there had never been a war fought between atheists and agnostics. liberty." On May 15, the Election Commission made two rulings that would prove to be both legally and politically damaging. more requests for interviews and media appearances and began First, it decided not to challenge my eligibility for office unless to realize that atheist was a very sexy word. This had to I won the election. It would not disqualify me immediately be my fifteen minutes of fame. because I might become a believer during the campaign. On April 14 the News & Courier reported that James B. (Knowing I had no chance of winning, this was the best strategy Ellisor, executive director of the South Carolina Election to preserve the offensive constitutional provision.) The Commission, said, "There's no prohibition in the U.S. Election Commission had picked up on a story printed in Constitution against the state's having a qualification like this the Charleston News & Courier alleging irregularities in my for public office." He indicated that the Election Commission obtaining the nomination of the United Citizens Party. By would probably challenge my place on the ballot. This a vote of 3-2, the Commission asked the State Law delighted Robinson, who felt it would assure an easy victory Enforcement Division to investigate. in court. Governor Campbell added that the South Carolina On May 16, the News & Courier ran an uncomplimentary Constitution was just fine as it was because this nation was story about my so-called misdeeds under the banner headline founded on godly principles. "Panel Wants Silverman Inquiry." The Election Commission I told a reporter that I knew of no acknowledged atheists had not afforded me the opportunity to defend myself. I then holding public office anywhere in the country, but that I informed SLED of my willingness to cooperate and provide expected there were "closet atheists" in South Carolina as them with appropriate documentation. well as elsewhere. The South Carolina papers printed responses After hearing nothing for eight weeks, I again called SLED by legislators, along with their religious affiliations.
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