That's not what bothers me the most. It's this: The Forum, the daily of newspaper of the Fargo-Moorhead community violated my orthographical pet peeve and spelled "atheist" with the 'i' before the 'e' in the headline!!!! (Be advised that The Forum also thinks they're All That and disables links to their articles--unless you pay a fee--after two weeks, so if you're reading this more than two weeks after the original post, you'll just have to take my word for it.)
In my defense, I am not a native North Dakotan.
I initially thought Atheist was spelled Athiest too.
ReplyDeletethe guy will probably still get his license plate - and will probably have his car egged, keyed, etc. as a result. but i applaud his courage to come out.
ReplyDeleteand having deliberately moved to fargo may be worse than being a native. (or so says a friend of mine from moorhead.)
p.s. you spelled it moohead above. which is funny if it was deliberate.
No, "moohead" was not deliberate! Thanks for catching my typo!
ReplyDeleteYou'd think the editor would have caught a spelling error in the headline article. So much for correct journalism. They lose all credibility when they fail to report or provide the correct information. I mean, a simple spell check could have caught that. Just saying.
ReplyDeleteAs for the vanity plate, I think it's definitely a religious backed bias when the powers that be prefer one religious tinged message over another--that is a selection bias right there--and it becomes unconstitutional when a State government, who issues the license plates, sponsors one religious ideological sentiment over another. The Government should be neutral regarding such matters.
Doubly shocking is how censoring a mere seven letters overtly trespasses and infringes upon his freedom of speech rights. But what's in a mere seven letters, right? I for one think a lot.
Ultimately this is all pretty ridiculous. Mainly because there is hardly anything more ridiculous than the fact that people are so terrified of atheists or anyone who thinks differently. They act as if saying God is hitherto non-existent is some sort of inviolable crime.
This is the problem with the sacred. They venerate ideals until they make false idols to worship, and then anyone who speaks out against such a fallacy ridden practice is automatically scapegoated, pigeonholed, or stereotyped as somebody with an alternate agenda which goes against the institution. *God forbid (I say in drenching sarcasm).
Looks like they corrected the article... Way to be a force for change!!!
ReplyDeleteScary. I hate it when people spell things wrong, but in a headline? That's especially disturbing. lol :-)
ReplyDeleteHi Leah... First time to your blog... I like it and will be back. I found you through Sabio's Triangulation blog. I lived in No. Dak. for seven years and made some of my best friends there. The folks are simple and mostly straightforward... unless you hit them in their core, unexamined beliefs. Such as ISNOGOD did. In 1969 my girlfriend and I were prosecuted as well as persecuted for "unlawful co-habitation"... unmarried people living together. We got married and promptly divorced as there was no law on the books about divorced, formerly married people co-habitating.
ReplyDeleteThe misspelling by the "Fargo-Foolem" surprises me. So, I am a bit nervous...If they can misspell a simple word I could too. I just want to get it out of the way: "An atheist who married a theist, who worshiped a large Krishna deity moved into the neighborhood todeigh." :-}
Edwin, awesome orthography! And I'm tickled at your ingenuity in getting around a silly law. :-)
ReplyDeleteIf you don't mind sharing, which part of ND did you live in?
Hi Leah!
ReplyDeleteI recently stumbled upon your blog through Latter Day Main Street, and have been reading. A lot of what you say really resonates with me. But I found this post and couldn't be more excited, because I'm in Grand Forks, and didn't realize you were anywhere near North Dakota.
I'd really like to add you to my blogroll, is that all right (not that anyone reads my blog, but still)?
By Latter Day Main Street, I totally mean Main Street Plaza, PS.
ReplyDeleteHi Cheyanne,
ReplyDeleteYou are more than welcome to add me to your blogroll! I'm flattered and honored!
I recently met another reader from Grand Forks. We ex-Mormons are out there, mostly just flying under the radar. :-)
By Latter Day Main Street, I totally mean Main Street Plaza, PS.
ReplyDeleteHi Leah... First time to your blog... I like it and will be back. I found you through Sabio's Triangulation blog. I lived in No. Dak. for seven years and made some of my best friends there. The folks are simple and mostly straightforward... unless you hit them in their core, unexamined beliefs. Such as ISNOGOD did. In 1969 my girlfriend and I were prosecuted as well as persecuted for "unlawful co-habitation"... unmarried people living together. We got married and promptly divorced as there was no law on the books about divorced, formerly married people co-habitating.
ReplyDeleteThe misspelling by the "Fargo-Foolem" surprises me. So, I am a bit nervous...If they can misspell a simple word I could too. I just want to get it out of the way: "An atheist who married a theist, who worshiped a large Krishna deity moved into the neighborhood todeigh." :-}