Kaela+Zimmer

= NEWS = = Atheists hoping to assert rights in religious era = February 20, 2006 | By Joe Garofoli, Chronicle Staff Writer Gathered around the plastic red-and-white tablecloths in the back room of a San Francisco 'hofbrau', 30 of the Bay Area's "out" atheists were recasting themselves as the protagonists of America's newest civil rights struggle. As they described the strain of being openly atheistic in an increasingly religious culture, many wished their godless crusade would emulate one social movement in particular -- the fight for gay rights. "You can be elected as an openly gay politician in this country, but you can't be elected as an openly atheistic one," said Lori Lipman Brown, who was hired last fall to be the Washington, D.C., lobbyist for an organization devoted to atheist causes, the Secular Coalition for America. She's believed to be the first paid lobbyist for the unbelievers in the nation's capital, the front lines of the culture wars.

//Summary: In this article, the writer compares the atheist struggle for rights to the gay communities struggle for rights in America. The writer is explaining that it is difficult to be a politicain in the United States, if you don't believe in God. The atheists are meeting to think of differrent ways of representing themselves.

These words show bias because the writer seems to be mocking the athiest struggle by making too big a deal out of their concerns. "Hofbrau" is a german word meaning 'beer hall' that may remind some people about an event during Hitler's early struggle for power. Many other words are chosen for their strong 'war-like' tone -- maybe a bit overboard for this issue. "Plastic red-and-white tablecloths" makes things in this article look fake and ridiculous.//