Quick Notes on Secular Politics
I was traveling and catching up with work, so I haven’t been able to finish a longer piece about secular diversity that I’m working on. However, some things have happened in the world of secularism and politics, and I have thoughts.
Public television star
Last week I made my public television debut. I appeared in Chicago Tonight Latino Voices, a weekly show aired on Fridays and Saturdays on WTTW PBS Chicago.
I was part of a two-person panel discussing the Pew Research Center’s report released in mid-April about the decline of Catholicism and the increase in nones among Latinx adults. The other panelist, the communications director at a local (Chicagoland) Catholic youth organization, had a tougher line of questioning while I was asked friendly questions. Let’s just say that I was surprised.
I normally prepare for media appearances (mostly print or podcasts), expecting to get pushback for my atheism unless I am talking to secular media or journalists who understand our communities. Thus it was a pleasant surprise being asked about humanism (what I believe) instead of the normal “why you don’t believe” type questions. Video below (segment starts at 15:00).
Why aren’t Democrats winning more elections?
That’s the question that Dr. Ryan Burgue tries to answer at
since the rise of the nones should lead to a permanent Democratic government. Of course, politics don’t work that way. Though Ryan gets into some (mostly) individual explanations about voting behavior, I think he misses the mark when looking at structural issues within the party.His analysis of the “nothing in particulars,” as opposed to those nones who choose the “atheist” and “agnostic” labels fails to consider that this group is more diverse racially and by gender. Though atheists and agnostics have diversified, they are still demographically a very white /male cohort.
But race and nones are my thing. This “nothing in particular” cohort is more likely to identify as independent. They are also more likely to be people of color. My experience with Latinx nones and the data I have accumulated over the years suggest that they lean liberal but distrust the Democrats. While they may see the GOP as a threat, their opinion of Democrats is slightly better, but they don’t think the party has their back.
The Democrats have been for eons trying to bring back white Christians into the fold as if that were possible. The God talk in the Democratic Party may not be fascistic as the Republicans’ but nonetheless grating if you are tired and distrustful of religion. Essentially, there’s a disconnect between what the Democrats think the nones are and who the nones are.
How to talk about secular power
In my last newsletter, I complained about the language used by secular leaders when talking about the low numbers of secular elected officials. Instead of focusing on individual voters’ antipathy toward atheist politicians, we should focus on two things. First, the public now has a more positive opinion of our community. Second, we should start highlighting our victories and gains so far.
A third way is also discussing what secular activists are doing to change that underrepresentation. And that’s what my friend Sarah Levin’s been doing. Listen to her in
podcast talking about all the events happening nationwide at the state and local levels. You’ll leave with a very different point of view about where secular power is headed.If you want to learn how Democrats should engage and understand the nones, Sarah and I will discuss this issue at Netroots Nation 2023 in Chicago on Saturday, July 15. If you’re going to NN23, attend our presentation and say hello.