North Carolina and the godless

The North Carolina constitution actually bars atheists from public office – in Article VI, Section 8:

Sec. 8.  Disqualifications for office.

The following persons shall be disqualified for office:

First, any person who shall deny the being of Almighty God.

(…)

NC Constitution, Article VI, Section 8

This, and all other religious tests for public office were invalidated by the Supreme Court of the United States in the 1961 decision in Torcaso v. Watkins. That means that the people who are trying to deny Asheville City Councilman Cecil Bowell and the citizens of Asheville their electoral rights have really no legal leg to stand on. They argue that because Bowell is an atheist he is not eligible for public office in NC. Of course the SCOTUS invalidated that  bigoted “argument” half a century ago. (Full story on Alternet)

But it’s time the NC Constitution be updated for the 21st Century. Nonsense like this should be repealed and struck from the books, once and for all, so that hard-working, honest godless folk can serve in North Carolina without getting hassled by the hypocrites and bigots.

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