Skip to content

A Day for the rational

The godless of Rhode Island have won a small victory:

Rhode Island’s governor has declared May 1 a “Day of Reason” to [recognize the state’s nonbelievers.

The Humanists of Rhode Island and the Secular Coalition for Rhode Island requested the proclamation, which the Friendly Atheist blog said is virtually identical to others signed by the mayors of Charlotte, N.C., and State College, Pa., and some members of Congress last year.

Providence, R.I., was named along with neighboring New Bedford, Mass., as the least Bible-minded metro area in the U.S. for the past two years, according to the second annual American Bible Society survey.

First, congratulations to Providence and New Bedford, and a tip of the hat to Roger Williams, whose unintentional legacy lives on. It's nice to know that somewhere in this great nation we pay tribute to reason once a year. Unfortunately, that leaves 364 days where it goes forgotten.

For every silver lining, however, there is a cloud, for fearless Lincoln Chafee hedged his bets:

Chafee also issued a proclamation designating May 1 as a Day of Prayer.

So May 1st in Rhode Island celebrates both reason and irrationality. What a great country we live in.

One Comment