The folks at GetReligion put a finger on the Democrats’ problem in reaching out to religious voters, linking to this story from the Huffington Post:
Hearing of the plans for the prayer/unity/values event leading off the [Democratic National] convention on August 24, Ron Millar, Associate Director of the Secular Coalition for America, wrote a letter on July 2 to Leah Daughtry, CEO of the Democratic National Committee and planner of the “big tent” event. He asked Daughtry if nontheistic Americans were welcome and, if so, how this would be manifested.
While not replying directly to the Coalition, Daughtry did discuss the request with the Associated Press. “Atheists speaking at an interfaith service … does that work?” a “befuddled” Daughtry was quoted as asking in a July 19 story by the AP’s Eric Gorski. “I don’t quite know. But they’re part of the party, you treat them with respect.”
The first sign that treating them with respect was not a priority for Daughtry after all was her lumping all nontheists–who include not only agnostics but also humanists, skeptics, and believers in spirit but not a personal god–under “atheists.” And the second came with the announcement of the lineup for what had once been thought of as a “values” and a “unity” event: no one represents the millions of secularists. Daughtry: “Democrats have been, are and will continue to be people of faith - and this interfaith gathering is proof of that.”
But what about those Democrats who are not “people of faith”? Are they not invited? Or invited just to watch others pray? Should their own outlook not even be acknowledged?
I dunno; seems to me the nontheists have been well represented for quite some time now in Democratic ranks. You can argue the chicken-and-egg question: did the party’s secular stand drive people of faith to the GOP, or did the rise of the conservative Christian caucus push Democrats in the opposite direction?
Interfaith services are a challenge to begin with; how do you include people who don’t believe — in any higher power? Let’s just say I wouldn’t want to have to plan THAT order of worship!
Democrats have been fractured by their caucuses since 1972, at least. This latest controversy indicates another fault line in the party.
