https://www.postandcourier.com/opinion/letters_to_editor/letters-respect-charleston-s-history-culture/article_7f659402-6ffd-11ed-942b-531cf8433add.html
Respect all rights
I thank The Post and Courier for publishing the Dec. 4 Associated Press article by Peter Smith about nonreligious voters wielding clout at the ballot box.
Yes, we do tilt heavily Democratic, especially with the increasing influence of white Christian nationalism in the Republican Party. I am proud to be a member of the Secular Democrats of America. We work to protect the separation of religion and government as the best guarantee of religious freedom for all Americans. We encourage the nonreligious to have an equal voice in our culture and our politics alongside people of faith.
The statistical category called “nones,” consisting of atheists, agnostics and other people with no religious affiliation, is a fast-growing demographic. In 2021 the Pew Research Center measured the “nones” at 29% of the U.S. population, and it is steadily increasing, especially among young people.
We “nones” appreciate the Congressional Freethought Caucus, founded in 2018, that now includes 17 members of Congress. This caucus promotes public policy formed on the basis of reason, science and moral values. It protects the secular character of our government by adhering to the strict constitutional principle of the separation of church and state.
During this holiday season, we need to remember that our diverse country includes people of all faiths and none, and we need to respect the rights of both.
That way we all win, regardless of political party.