On Monday, February 11, Arizona State Rep. Athena Salman — an openly atheist lawmaker — delivered a secular and inclusive invocation to start the legislative session. Afterward, Republican State Rep. John Kavanagh asked to speak and used his time to mock Salman’s invocation by introducing his special guest “God.”

Rep. Salman did not back down. The next day she rose to protest the denigration and belittlement of her invocation, calling attention to the mockery of nonreligious people that has become routine in the Arizona state legislature.

We want to applaud Rep. Salman for her courage and determination. Atheists, agnostics, humanists, and nonreligious Americans have every right to serve as lawmakers and be afforded the same recognition and respect as their peers.

via YouTube