Oh my God: ‘Virginia columnist slanders atheists’
Brett Lider | Wikimedia Commons | Text added by Dan
I love that headline above. It’s on a blog post about yours truly, out there on the interwebs somewhere, where a bunch of humorless crank nonbelievers are highly irritated by last Thursday’s column.
Granted, it wasn’t the greatest column in the world. It was aimed at the Roanoke County Board of Supervisors and all the hand-wringing they’re doing over opening their meetings with sectarian prayer.
The goal was to point out that that all the board is doing, by generating publicity over this, is HELPING an outfit of nonbelievers raise more money and grow in influence. Had the Giles County School Board and Pittsylvania County Board of acceded to reasonable requests to halt sectarian influence in government, the whole issue would have gone away. That’s what Roanoke City Council did years ago.
Instead, the RoCo Board of Supes are acting in a manner to help the Freedom From Religion Foundation raise money. A friend of mine in Roanoke County who is an atheist joined the FFRF after the story broke.
But I came at it from a sideways perspective, which is a risky thing. Humor is a risky thing, too, as Ed Brayton (the ex-stand-up comedian who wrote the blog post) might be able to testify. He quit stand-up because he was tired of explaining his jokes to people who were too dumb to appreciate them. Or so he writes.
I won’t be quitting. But I probably won’t be entering this one in any journalism awards competition (such as for the national award I won in column-writing this year). And I’m not going to lose any sleep over it either.
To me, lacking a sense of humor is a worse character flaw than believing in a deity. And if you want to see examples of the former, just look at some of the emails they’ve sent me after the jump. Ha!
From: pj matzig
Sent: Monday, July 30, 2012 3:58:18 PM
To: Dan Casey
Subject: Dumb
Just read your idiotic screed. Have any evidence to back up your fantasies or was that whole imagined conversation just childish wish fulfillment?
—————————————–
From: Susan Fleming
Sent: Monday, July 30, 2012 12:11:24 AM
To: Dan Casey
Subject: Don’t you understand separation of church and state?
Mr. Casey,
I take umberage to your column of Thursday, July 26, 2012. I was reared among strong Judeo-Christian religious teachings. But I was also reared to understand the need for the separation of church and state. To have a state controlled governmental marriage among our religious traditions does nothing but evoke mental images of Nazi Germany leading up to and including the atrocities of World War II.
I doubt you would find many persons of any religious persuasion, or even among those lacking such conviction, who would not agree that the morals as placed down in the Ten Commandments are ideals to aspire to. Of course they are. Without such mores we would encounter lawlessness of a wholesale degree, of that there can be no doubt.
But one can live these tenets in society without having them posted in governmental buildings or in public schools. The key here is that these are public institutions and public buildings.
There are very strong reasons for the separation of church and state. If you do not agree I suggest you read up on The Federalist Papers published in 1787. Our founding fathers understood the opression that can result from so much co-mingling. It s time we remind our selves that government is government and church is church and never the twain shall meet.
Susan K Fleming
Matthews, NC
————————————
From: Ruth Walker
Sent: Thursday, July 26, 2012 7:59:09 PM
To: Letters (The Roanoke Times)
Cc: Carole Tarrant; Michael Stowe; Debbie Meade; Dan Casey
Subject: Letter to the Editor
Auto forwarded by a Rule
Perhaps Dan Casey should stick to writing about what he can observe in Roanoke, as it is obvious from the wild speculation in his July 26th column, Atheists likely thrive off Southwest Virginia, that he cannot see Wisconsin from his office.
Many of us believe that work to uphold the Constitution of the United States is very important. Please consider publishing what their staff attorney wrote while speculating right back on Dan. ffrf.org/news/blog/let-your-imagination-run-wild
From: Ruth Walker
CEDAR FALLS, IOWA
——————————————-
From: Ed Brayton
To: Dan Casey
Subject: The FFRFMr. Casey –
fantasizing about such huge numbers is a reasonable way to discredit the organization?By the way, reimbursement for legal fees is open to anyone who sues a government agency, under federal law. If you sue the government over a constitutional violation and win, you can make a motion to have the government pay your legal fees. The reason is obvious: A citizen should not have to pay large amounts of money to keep the government from
violating the law.
Sent: Thursday, July 26, 2012 11:51:28 AM
To: Dan Casey
Subject: Atheists Likely Thrive off Southwest Virginia
Sent: Thursday, July 26, 2012 7:42:26 AM
To: Dan Casey
Subject: Atheist story
Auto forwarded by a RuleDan, you can get a free FFRF newsletter just by asking. In it, you will see that FFRF does church-and-state separation cases all over the country, and the court cases here are just a couple of relatively forgettable ones of many others. Also, they are a non-profit and publish their balance sheets, so you can get those anytime you want, just by asking.
probably more than their entire annual budget, but please feel free to do three minutes of fact-checking to find out. It would probably only take a phone call or a glance at ffrf.org. They’ll talk to you when you call. They answer their phones.I think a better explanation as to why there are two FFRF issues ongoing in this area is that when the Giles County case hit the news here, someone in Roanoke who had been quietly enduring the prayers at board meetings became aware of an organization that provides relief (and cover) for church-and-state separation issues in communities
such as ours. Oftentimes board members themselves are sick of hearing a dominant board personality’s own personal religious beliefs at the beginning of every meeting, but it takes an outside “threat” (letter) to “force” (provide cover for) the board members to feign reluctance to follow the US Constitution. That way, they get to get rid of the prayer that they don’t want to hear, and also get to keep their seats on the board. They could never do that by resolution.Jim
—————————
From: Jim Peterson
Sent: Monday, July 30, 2012 6:47:12 PM
To: Dan Casey
Cc: Michael Stowe
Subject: Atheist article
Mr. Casey,
I read your article Not a bit of satire against the board as you told Mr. Braylon. If there was, you would have mentioned how much money they had to cough up. Sorry, try another excuse for being an ignorant jerk.
Roanoke editor: I know this article wasn’t in your paper. It does show a definite lack of journalistic integrity which reflects upon your paper. If he is able to make up tripe like this, what is to keep him from doing the same on your paper?
Jim Peterson
——————————
From: Frances
Sent: Tuesday, July 31, 2012 12:21:30 PM
To: Dan Casey
Subject: You are a pig
And probably an evil catholic
——————————-
July 30, 2012 - 5:37 PM
I am sure the FFRF appreciates your fundraising efforts on their behalf Dan.
You mean you weren’t serious with that whole “Lucifer” thing?
Umberage indeed.
Somebody’s ox is getting gored here but I’m just not sure whose.
LOL Dan. Who would have thought that the same sarcastic article could piss off militant christians and militant atheists alike? Answer: Anyone who knows them.
hmmmm… I thought it was satire to begin with. Dang.
VVarlock, welcome back! How’s law school going?
You know, for every insane Proselytizing Christian, there’s an equally as insane proselytizing Atheist. They have to cancel each other out or there would be no Balance in the Universe. Yin and Yang and all that.
If both sides would stop and just keep it a private matter, we’d still be in the same place as we are with the proselytizing masses. Except if it was a private matter, we’d all be less on guard that people we meet might not be like we are. We’d just be busy doing other things, like enjoying each others’ company.
A true life testament on how people from either side view a particular commentary.
I suppose sometimes a “deep breath” or a “count to ten” are often good advice for everyone.
I don’t know about anyone else, but I have NEVER had an atheist come knocking at my door to “convert” me – Never had an atheist sit next to me in a restaurant, hold hands, and “pray” to some unseen being, nor ask me, “What church do you belong dear”?
Scot @7 I think you’re playing the false equivalence game…
your “insane Proselytizing Christian” has no equal.
Yet another group without a sense of humor…who knew?
I find it hard to take seriously anyone’s claim to know the difference between good and bad satire when they can’t even get the difference between slander and libel right.
Dan
Nod.
Law School is the most amazing, frustrating, fascinating, painful time of my life.
For the first time I have to study and isn’t any more fun now that it looked in undergrad. At least the topic is interesting.
3.0+ so far, Dean’s List, etc, but 12-18 hours a day 5/6/7 days a week (sick after finals due to the hours and stress).
So, I love it, but it is long hours and finding time for the wife and kids is more difficult. Did I mention we adopted a girl this year? On top of everything else…
I miss you guys. I still peek in occasionally.
It seems that the radical ignorance qand stupidity of the rigid and exreme
evangelical right is rivaled only by the radical stupidity and lack of a sense of humor of the FFRF.
Warlock,
And what are you going to do with all that work? Waste your life by screwing others through the ACLU.
Why don’t you do something that helps people like starting a business?
I guess we can add Shillary to that group with no sense of humor.
Maybe fanatics of all flavor lack senses of humor.
Dan, I hate to say it, but you gave the audience too much credit this time. Keep at it, though; I like to see these people scurry out of the woodwork and whine on occasion…. it reminds me who they are.
I have to say, this reaction from atheists to YOUR!?!?!! Column……is hilarious.
Scot @7 I think you’re playing the false equivalence game…
your “insane Proselytizing Christian” has no equal.
Shrillary, that’s complete bull. Need we only look toward the nationwide campaign for atheism that took to busses, billboards, and national print media the last two years.
I run in crowds of people who have been bullied by church-goers and have since become atheist, and many of them get overly upset even when colloquialisms said in vain such as “Oh Thank God I didn’t do that” are met with “Thank Who?”
There are plenty of proselytizing evangelical christians, and there are plenty of atheists who are get out there just to denounce religion.
But honestly, the best people are the ones who just shut up and let those who are curious about religion or a lack thereof figure it out on their own and let themselves ask questions.
It’s a laugh, the notion that atheists don’t proselytize. What do you people think Giles was all about? The atheists removing religion, so they could fill the void with their false ideology. Nothing, ladies and gentlemen, exists in a vacuum.
Keep up the good work, Dan. Being banned from the Texas Tavern by a “former owner” is hilarious. Apparently the people who screech at you never had a conversation with anyone who disagreed with them. How old are these “writers” to have been so protected from controversy …10 or 11?
Except your self-made success of course. That was surely conceived in a vacuum.
So atheists hit back. Good for them.
I knew the argument that atheists don’t proselytize would get blown out of proportion.
Some people don’t understand the division between religion and government and why it’s a major part of what’s kept this nation together for over 200 years. The Giles thing was about an establishment of a specific religion as a government sponsorship. No doubt 95% of the students there likely identify with one religion, but the school is not an entity that can dictate that to be the only one recognized.
The Giles issue wasn’t about “replacing religion with false ideology”. This is a complete fabrication. It was about being inclusive of all religions, and not just one. The only way to do that is to stop being EXclusive to one. And the best way to stop being exclusive to one religion is to leave religion where it belongs: IN THE HOME AND CHURCHES.
Christianity insists on it’s adherents proselytizing. It is a tenet of the religion. That many do it offensively instead of the mission to help people want to know and come to God is a whole ‘nother kettle of fish. But they are (though too often badly) doing what they were instructed to do. The militancy of atheism is in direct response to those who abuse their proselytizing mandate and use the Bible as a weapon (as we have seen here, time and time again). I fully understand such push back and the truth is that they have many valid points.
Many atheists are not “rejecting God” so much as rejecting the dogma, ignorant bleating of things the religious do not even understand and obstinate defense of the indefensible that is the Christian, Jewish, or Muslim way. It is hard to accept and uphold a religion that is prejudiced, that discriminates, that holds itself above others. I can see the Creator in the Bible, Torah and Qu’ran. Only a fool refuses to see the hand of man and man’s projection in them all as well IMO. Atheists will suffer no fools.
#20 I’m demanding that they post “Hate God” flyers where the commandments were hanging.
#23 “This is a complete fabrication.”
The post was from suzie. It goes without saying that it was a complete fabrication.
#14 Hey, I know, suzie, VVarlock could also go to work for corporations doing important work like attempting to steal natural gas rights from Virginia land owners (actual example) or maybe trying to minimize the damages paid after a company poisons thousands in a place like India (or in the U.S. for that matter). That’s some honest work.
Or if he worked for the ACLU, he could take on a case like the one where the organization preserved a Christian church’s right to baptize people in a public park or the one where it fought and beat school systems that tried to keep kids from binging their Bibles to school to read during lunch.
most ill-informed @20 posted, “t’s a laugh, the notion that atheists don’t proselytize. What do you people think Giles was all about? The atheists removing religion, so they could fill the void with their false ideology. Nothing, ladies and gentlemen, exists in a vacuum.”
Comment by Suzie — July 31, 2012 @ 8:51 am
[non]Point by [non]Point
1. “What do you people think Giles was all about?”
All about the CONSTITUTION…
2. “The atheists removing religion, so they could fill the void with their false ideology” –
i·de·ol·o·gy – n. (a). The body of ideas reflecting the social needs and aspirations of an individual, group, class, or culture.
(b). A set of doctrines or beliefs that form the basis of a political, economic, or other system.
Please inform all of us of this supposed “idealogy” of atheists…
3. “Nothing, ladies and gentlemen, exists in a vacuum.”
Except of course your ongoing ill-informed opinions…
Atheists certainly do not proselytize or attempt conversion of the faithful. Standing up for their constitutional rights is not remotely the same as proselytizing.
I’ve never had an atheist on my front door looking to hand me literature or invite me to their events the way I’ve had different types of Christians there. Or gays, who apparently spend a lot of time trying to “convert people to their gay agenda” (whatever that is). Christians, only Christians. Or those who self-identify as Christian.
“proselytize”
“is the act of attempting to convert people to another opinion ”
Yep, I’d say that atheists do this, but I’ve never had one knock on my door and do it, or harnague me on a street corner, or attempt to sell me miracle spring water, or promise me eternal rewards or punishments in supernatural theme parks. I haven’t yet seen the atheist equivalent of the Jesus Saves neon up above Grandin Village.
I have been to many church services where the pastor admonished us as a congregation to approach our neighbors and spread the Gospel. Luckily for me, it wasn’t one of admonitions my own parents took too seriously, so they didn’t make me do it.
Basically, the information about atheism is readily available if you want to find it and the Internet has provided a forum for the discourse of ideas that used to be marginalized by mainstream religion.
But hey Suzie, now that you are frolicking about with the “self-actualized” you might start to see more merit in the humanistic perspective.
The Giles issue wasn’t about “replacing religion with false ideology”. This is a complete fabrication. It was about being inclusive of all religions, and not just one. The only way to do that is to stop being EXclusive to one. And the best way to stop being exclusive to one religion is to leave religion where it belongs: IN THE HOME AND CHURCHES.
Really? So as the result of the ACLU intervention, “all” religions are now represented in Giles? What vestige of religion is now present? Answer: NONE Religion has been wiped clean, ergo, atheism, the lack of religious belief rules the day.
Yep, I’d say that atheists do this, but I’ve never had one knock on my door and do it, or harnague me on a street corner, or attempt to sell me miracle spring water, or promise me eternal rewards or punishments in supernatural theme parks. I haven’t yet seen the atheist equivalent of the Jesus Saves neon up above Grandin Village.
Why would atheists go to all that trouble when they can get the courts to do their dirty work for them in one fell swoop? Their goal is to wipe religion clean, and that’s what they did in Giles. Again, the absence of religion is godlessness. There is no such thing as a vacuum
Or gays, who apparently spend a lot of time trying to “convert people to their gay agenda” (whatever that is). Christians, only Christians. Or those who self-identify as Christiam
Yes, Christians do try to encourage people to use their free will to convert. It’s not about free will to the gay groups or atheists. They don’t care about referendum results. They want to FORCE people to accept and finance THEIR perverted agendas.
“Religion has been wiped clean, ergo, atheism, the lack of religious belief rules the day.”
Yay! Atheism wins!
Suzie Q
You wrote: “Their goal is to wipe religion clean, and that’s what they did in Giles. ”
Well, no. They didn’t. No churches closed, none were burned, no one was even inconvenienced in the slightest. Christiantity is alive and well in Giles County. Government agents there simply cannot proselitize for Christianity (or any OTHER religion) when they are speaking for the government. It’s a reasonable boundary.
Also, Suzie, I am straight, but I happen to know some gay folks. Not ONCE has any of them ever tried to “convert” me. But I get missionaries at the house all the time.
“What vestige of religion is now present?”
None? That’s daffy.
Religion exists in the minds of people who believe and in the churches they attend, and there are lots of people who believe and lots of churches.
#31 “Answer: NONE Religion has been wiped clean, ergo, atheism, the lack of religious belief rules the day.”
Wow, that was one of your biggest whoppers ever. Did you forget the part about how the students are still welcome to put the Tern Commandments on their lockers? Or pray silently any time they like? Or meet in prayer groups or Bible study groups before or after school or during lunch? Or how the school system could have posted documents from various religions (God forbid you should let the kids know tat other religions exist)? Or…
Why do you make it so easy, troll?
Now, as for the main crux of the story? Yeah, the FFRF needs to lighten up. And maybe learn to read more carefully. Dan was hardly attacking them. As the Joker might say, “Why. So. Serious, FFRF?
God must want the atheists winning in court, because their record is excellent.
Tern Commandments?!? Thou shalt have no other seagulls before me??
To me, lacking a sense of humor is a worse character flaw than believing in a deity.
These nuts just attacked one of their own. But then again nobody ever accused them of being a bunch of Einsteins.
Well, no. They didn’t. No churches closed, none were burned, no one was even inconvenienced in the slightest. Christiantity is alive and well in Giles County. Government agents there simply cannot proselitize for Christianity (or any OTHER religion) when they are speaking for the government. It’s a reasonable boundary.
As in wiped from the schools as per the court case genius. Jeez. I didn’t think I had to explain obvious details to the high-level-thinking libs.
“As in wiped from the schools as per the court case.”
“As in wiped from the PUBLIC, TAXPAYER SUPPORTER schools as per the court case.”
There. Fixed it for you. Jeesh, you’d cry til the cows came home if there were pages from the Quran posted on a wall in a public school.
(Rightfully so, too).
#43 “As in wiped from the schools as per the court case genius.”
Also wrong, as usual, troll. Refer back to #38 where I patiently explained to you how religion wasn’t eliminated from school. Why do you insist on embarrassing yourself yet again in the same thread?
#41 Wow, so MMM returned from under his rock to spread his homophobia AND to be the typo police. Impressive multitasking.
#27 Oh, and, suzie, if VVarlock went to work for the ACLU instead of helping corporations steal from poor landowners or avoid responsibility when they poison people, he could also wok on cases like this one, where the ACLU makes sure Virginia doesn’t stop people from helping get candidates on the ballot.
http://www.roanoke.com/news/breaking/wb/312216
LOL!
As long as there are test given there will be kids praying in schools.
“. . .if VVarlock went to work for the ACLU instead of helping corporations steal from poor landowners or avoid responsibility when they poison people, he could also wok on cases like this one, where the ACLU makes sure Virginia doesn’t stop people from helping get candidates on the ballot.”
My dream is that VVarlock gets a job as a high powered corporate attorney, and one day he calls me and says, “I’ve got this client from Roanoke who owns a company, and his wife’s name is Suzie, and she calls him hubby, and she worships Rush Limbaugh.
“And the reason I know all the garbage is Hubby was complaining to me what an utter imbecile his wife is, and how she spends all her time on some dumb blog run by this guy named Dan Casey.”
I think it’s gonna happen, too.
I need a minute to make sure I have the rules right.
We have free speech in America, and that’s a good thing . . . unless the speech you choose to freely speak involves religion. Then it is evil proselytizing that infringes on other people’s right not to offended by things they don’t believe in . . . unless the thing you don’t believe in is something liberals believe in. Then it’s okay for the liberals to proselytize (see gun control, abortion, global warming, etc.) but if you are offended you are narrow-minded, uneducated, hate women, abhor science, and are just generally too dense to understand that the government has a duty to step in and make sure the will of the majority does not rule because the government knows best and has a duty to do what’s best for society . . . unless it involves abortion, in which case the government is a bunch of old white men who have no business deciding what’s best.
Geez! I sure hope that ideology comes with some Prozac, ’cause it’s schizophrenic as hell! Not mention weak-willed, childish and whiny. Christians are worse than atheists because no atheist has ever come to your door to convert you? Really? So again, the free speech thing doesn’t apply to religion? Someone coming to your door to “proselytize” infringes on your rights? Which one? Lots of people come to my door hawking all kinds of crap that I don’t want, whether its Mary Kay, Girl Scout Cookies, campaign literature or, yes, religion. Sometimes it’s annoying, but I feel annoyed, not like my rights have been violated. Some of you need put on your big boy/girl pants, grow up and stop being offended by everything. If you don’t want the Latter Day Saints coming to your door, tell them. They’ll go away. If you don’t like what’s on TV, change the freakin’ channel. Don’t want to see a Nativity scene at Christmas, don’ look at it.
But no. That’s not good enough for some. Some have to stomp their feet and whine about how it’s not fair that they only have a 350 degree circle to look in without seeing something religious. So to paraphrase an argument oft used in support of same-sex marriage, is your atheistic lack of faith really so weak that you can’t hear someone else say they believe in a religion without it threatening your non-belief?
You guys do realize that this supposed high-ground you’ve assumed is not a righteous battle against a bigot right? No, instead you are calling for nationwide boycotts and protest to fight back against someone who dared express a belief you disagree with. He didn’t say homosexuals were evil. He didn’t say he wouldn’t serve them or hire them. He just said he believes in a traditional definition of marriage, but the left is so intolerant of any belief beside their own that they must protest this injustice.
So this is really where we are as a society. We aren’t condemning discriminatory behavior. No, instead we are seeking to punish someone for having a belief we disagree with . . . and we do so in the name of tolerance. More Prozac please!
Oh and Kristen, I doubt God has much to do with the court rulings you reference. Pretty clear that God is no more wanted in our courts than in our schools. About 40 years ago our society began to shift away from most people acknowledging a religious affiliation. Thank goodness too! Just look how much better off society is now.
Jeesh, you’d cry til the cows came home if there were pages from the Quran posted on a wall in a public school.
Right, because the Koran advocates jihad. But I wouldn’t object to Mormon writings in public schools in Utah where the students are, say, 98% Mormon. Ditto a school populated by mostly Jews. Ditto a public school attended by mostly Catholics.
Has Dan ever investigated what’s on the walls of public schools populated by mostly black students?
I think it’s gonna happen, too.
Right. My husband is going to abandon his longtime conservative law firm and go with a godless leftwing head case
“Right. My husband is going to abandon his longtime conservative law firm and go with a godless leftwing head case.”
Hubby and his law firm don’t know VVarlock’s name, genius. He’s not going to apply for a job and say my name is VVarlock.
“Has Dan ever investigated what’s on the walls of public schools populated by mostly black students?”
WTF does that have to do with religious dogma being posted in a public school? Do black students have their own religion?
#51 “Has Dan ever investigated what’s on the walls of public schools populated by mostly black students?”
Wow, suzie brings up race again where race isn’t a factor. Wonder why she does that time after time after time after time after….
#51 Oh, that’s right, suize needed a distraction after being destroyed on her contention that religion has been wiped from the schools.
Hubby and his law firm don’t know VVarlock’s name, genius. He’s not going to apply for a job and say my name is VVarlock.
It’s pretty simple. First, my husband’s conservative firm isn’t going to hire some leftwing tart with the kind of nutty views Warlock displays on here. Secondly, no one is ever going to hire this flaming anti-capitalist nut as a ‘corporate lawyer’. Plus, given his ‘specialty’, the guy is almost certainly incompetent.
Just like abortion doctors aren’t real doctors, ‘lawyers’ specializing in civil rights or who work for the ACLU aren’t real lawyers.
Excellent post, as usual, Chuck. You are always spot on. I believe that if you listen to the whole interview with Dan Cathy…..homosexuality was never even mentioned….they were discussing broken homes, and the fact that children need “mental or emotional DNA”. as he put it from both their female and male parents in order to have the best shot at a well adjusted life….not guaranteed, of course, but the best shot. I’ll see if I can find that link to the whole interview.
Here’s the link that gives and exerpt of the interview:
http://godfatherpolitics.com/6385/liberal-media-fabricate-another-scandal/
I had to do a little more searching to find a site where you could listen to the whole interview if you care to….I have to admit, that being 40 minutes long….I DIDN’t take the time to listen to it…but, here it is if anyone wants to.
http://rolandmartinreports.com/blog/2012/07/ken-coleman-redefining-tolerance-the-case-of-chick-fil-a/
#57 I’m sure, suzie, that VVarlock is grateful to you for confirming that you don’t believe he’s the kind of guy corporations would hire to help them steal from people or dodge responsibility when they kill folks.
most ill-informed @51 posted, “Ditto a school populated by mostly Jews. Ditto a public school attended by mostly Catholics.”
What an ignorant comment. And how. I wonder, would the bigoted most ill-informed determine who is Jewish and who is Catholic in “public school”…profiling?
Check for male circumcision? or Check for rosary beads? Ugh.
Unfortunately, being a bigot is most ill-informed’s civil right…
Actually I am in both the ACLU and Federalist groups at my school. I can claim either when I go to look for a job and neither has to know. I was very close with the Federalist group’s President last year.
I have already been recruited by a small but elite law firm in the area and am doing my 2L work with them. My 3.0 in a system based on a 2.1 curve puts me in the top 20+ students in my class. I won’t have any trouble getting on at any firm short of Shook, Hardy & Bacon. They don’t quiz about ideology and my linkedin is professional and without any … personal ideology clues (or link to my FB, which is locked down now).
My personal connection as the research coordinator for my professor, one of the top lawyers in his field in the world, gives me an edge in that field should I choose it and if I decide to pursue the gold ring, Husch Blackwell would take me on his word alone.
So, Suzy dear, don’t make me find out that your hubby uses Wiley Rein (just an example)and slum it to prove you wrong.