Atheists as TV Talkers

There is a pointlessness to conversation with atheist activists on television. Atheists do not get much of a platform to begin with, and when they do, there is usually an instant hostility that arises from the interviewer or host. Michael Newdow (fighting to have religious invocations removed from the presidential inauguration) appeared on Neil Cavuto's show, interviewed by guest host Brian Sullivan, and it serves as an excellent example of the uselessness of these kinds of appearances.

Sullivan's entire line of questioning revolves around the "who cares?" argument, insisting that atheists should just "cover their ears." Meanwhile, Newdow is not the most compelling, telegenic presence on TV. Newdow tries to make a comparison between atheists' second class status and that of African-Americans under Jim Crow. Whether you think that comparison is apt or not, rather than helping to make the point, such rhetorical choices usually only serve to induce eye rolls from already condescending interviewers.



Atheists really do need a better slate of television talkers to handle these kinds of interviews. Former American Atheists president Ellen Johnson was capable enough, but she was sometimes easily shaken and American Atheists as an organization carries with it a lot of bogeyman baggage from decades of the O'Hairs and general cultural demonization.

Of the New Atheists, it seems to me that Sam Harris and Daniel Dennett have been the strongest on television, though they are rarely seen there. But both are calm, polite, and unflappable (Harris seems to be incapable of displaying any degree of ire at all). Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens, meanwhile, while obviously extremely smart, confident, and articulate, clearly rub a lot of people the wrong way (it is in fact Hitchens' raison d'etre) and I think many television personalities, woefully uninformed, assume they're in for an intellectual beating.

This is less a criticism of less-than-brilliant atheist talkers than it is an acknowledgment of the industry's inability or unwillingness to deal with atheists as a whole. Stereotyped as and dealt with as though they were cranks, party-poopers, or devils, atheists perhaps need to be thinking more about playing their game with more skill.

Anyway, here's Harris on Bill O'Reilly's show in 2004. Just to show how good Harris is, Bill-o doesn't yell at Harris even once.



So far, I can't find any examples of CNN or MSNBC handling the inauguration case on television. If you can point me to some, please do. I'd love to compare the different approaches. My theory is that Fox only covers it as a "look at the weirdos" kind of story.