UC SSA Students Letter to Gov. Kasich

The following is a letter sent from Taylor Haynes, President of the University of Cincinnati Secular Student Alliance, to Governor John Kasich, regarding his comments about atheism.

Governor Kasich,

As a group of concerned citizens, we were troubled by your recent comments regarding Daniel Radcliffe and atheism. Seemingly unprovoked, you declared that Mr. Radcliffe being an atheist is “a weird thing.”

For you to say that there is something “wrong” with him being an atheist singles out a considerable portion of your constituency. Based on the 2014 findings of the Pew Research Center, those not identifying with any religion made up 22.8% of the population, which is markedly higher than the 16.1% that identified as such only seven years earlier. Not only are the non-religious a sizable segment of the population, but they are a quickly growing one as well. In Ohio alone, the non-religious make up millions of citizens; they are all around you, and you likely interact with some of them every single day. Making such a comment that alienates such a large portion of your constituency indicates a certain separation between you and the people you are supposed to be serving.

Further, we find it especially troubling that your comments serve to suggest that you are no ally to secularism, a pillar of the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, a document which you are sworn to “support, protect, and defend.” We hope that this is not the case and that you fully support the First Amendment, but your comments are concerning in this regard.

The University of Cincinnati Secular Student Alliance is an affiliate organization of the Secular Student Alliance, a nationwide educational non-profit organization. We place high value in scientific reason and secularism. Many of our members are atheists, and there is nothing “wrong” nor “weird” about being so.

I hope that you will take some time to become better acquainted with the non-religious portions of your constituency and address your recent comments. I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Taylor J. Haynes

President, UC SSA