Being an atheist and hearing the chatter going on about this community, the new atheists are taking more of a Malcom X approach to being seen and recognized in government. These are the ones who would hang billboards saying ''You know god doesn't exist. We know you're right." and possibly would protest some street sign. Many atheists, like myself, are trying a smoother course, however, I understand that it takes all kinds (Malcom X's, MLK's, Rosa Parks', W.E.B Du Bois') to make things move.
I think the reason this movement is picking up is because we, in fact, can not agree on some very important points with religiouly minded people, at least here in America where most of the country is Christian of some sort. A lot of social injustices are being carried out in the name of religion. We have bans on same sex unions. Attacks on women's health. Medical studies in the field of stem cells hindered. Teaching an invsibile skydaddy magically created everything as truth to young minds. It's nonsense! When news comes up about women killing their children for god, people say she's just crazy when she's REALLY and actually believing what she reads and hears at church. A whole organization can get away with hiding pedophiles for decades because it's religious. There are just as many atheists in America as Baptists and more atheists than Jewish people or Mormon people yet our voice is rarely heard when it comes to governmental desicions. We're your neighbors and we want to be recognized and heard- so what else to do but to speak up?