http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=2798&u_sid=10248489Acting greats Marlon Brando and Henry Fonda have Omaha streets named in their honor.So does slain civil rights leader Malcolm X.Commemorative street signs also bear the names of more than a few neighborhood activists.An Omaha man wants to add another name to the list, but the moniker likely won’t instantly ring a bell with most people.Raymond Zbylut has asked the city to erect a commemorative street sign for Madalyn Murray O’Hair, the founder of American Atheists and the plaintiff in the 1960s U.S. Supreme Court case that ended daily prayer in public schools.Murray O’Hair, who was murdered in 1995, does not have specific ties to Omaha, but Zbylut said she deserves to be commemorated for her efforts to protect the rights of Americans who don’t believe in God.”It’s about time that godless Americans have someone who has been beneficial to the movement brought to the surface,” said Zbylut, a self-professed atheist. Zbylut wants a commemorative street sign for O’Hair on 108th Street between Bedford Avenue and West Maple Road, in part because he lives nearby.The City Council is scheduled to vote on the matter Tuesday. If approved, a commemorative sign would be put up, but the name of the street would remain 108th.Convincing the council to approve a commemorative street sign for a leader of the atheist movement will likely be a tough sell for Zbylut. The council begins its weekly meetings with an invocation, and each of the seven members has delivered the opening prayer at some point.”I’m going to need more information about this,” Council President Dan Welch said Friday. “Based on what I know, I would be strongly inclined to vote against it.”Councilman Chuck Sigerson, who represents the area where the proposed sign would go, said he has several objections to the plan. One is that religion or lack of religion should not be the basis for street commemorations.”We have to be careful when it comes to something like this,” he said. “We try to keep religion out of it.”Sigerson said he would listen to Zbylut’s arguments Tuesday, but he would not vote for the Murray O’Hair sign.Ellen Johnson, the leader of American Atheists, said she isn’t optimistic that Omaha will go forward with a commemoration of Murray O’Hair. No other city has named a public street or facility for her, but Johnson said she hopes the idea will at least spark serious discussion.”(Murray O’Hair’s lawsuit) opened the nation’s public schools to all our children, and that’s a wonderful thing,” Johnson said. “Lesser people have had streets and ballparks named after them.”Zbylut said he’s not just trying to spark a discussion ? he wants the sign to go up.
Sounds like Zbylut is facing an uphill losing battle.
Something like WHAT? Keep religion out of WHAT? They certainly don’t keep it out of their meetings.
I’d say Zbylut’s lucky he’s even being heard on the matter.
Well, you can’t get any less religiony than naming a street after a well known and influential atheist.
I wonder if there would be controversy if it were a famous hindu or buddhist getting a street named after them. Would “Dali Lama” or “Shiva” be considered as controversial steet names too?
Never happen in Omaha (and highly unlikely anyhwere else).
But it is a great idea.
I would like to live on that street.
(And I always thought that a High Street address in Pottstown was cool too.)
Question- what is a “self-professed” atheist?
Is that any different from any other kind of atheist? Sounds like a dig.
What’s that saying? Something about hell freezing over?
Well, don’t hold your breath. The hell those religious members believe in will have to freeze over before a street is named after Madalyn Murry O’Hair.
However, I commend Raymond Zbylut. Pursuing a goal such as this brings the no-god issue before the public. And more importantly, I believe that speaking out in such a public manner emboldens others who have been afraid to speak out to sooner or later do so.
Good show, Mr. Zbylut!
I can see why the city officials would not want to give MMOH a sign just because she was a leader in american atheism, but thats really missing the point.
the fact that she was an atheist is unrelated to the work she accomplished on behalf of everyone’s religious freedom.
I would assume they want to keep race out of it too, (not give prefference to one race) but that doesn’t keep them from putting up MLK jr signs everywhere, why? because the fact that he was a black man is unrelated to the work he did on behalf of everyone’s civil rights.
I do not believe MMOH deserves a street named for her in Omaha. She has no connection to Omaha. There are many streets here named for famous people, but they all were either born here, grew up here, or did their important works here.
I believe MMOH is deserving of the honor, just not in Omaha. Didn’t she work out of TX, somewhere? That would be the place for something like that.
It is true that we have a street named for Malcom X, here in Omaha. He was from here. I do not recall any streets named for MLK Jr., though. We do not even celebrate his birthday in this state, so I am guessing a street name is probably out of the question, as well.
The opposite of “other-professed” theist.
I think they use this phrase because quite often xians try and blame heinous acts on an “atheist” even when the person claimed to be religious.
Hitler is a good example.
I have even heard them say some of the school shooters were atheists even when they come from religious homes.
Self-professed means there is no doubt, not simply accused of being atheist by nutcases in denial.
Dave
It was late last night when I came upon the MMOH Bvd thread, but I still got a giggle out of the header. I thought you were advertising new underwear. You know-BVDs. The abbreviation for boulevard is BLVD, as far as I know.
In any case, O’Hair Boulevard sounds way better than Zbylut Avenue
“Self-professed atheist” is a holdover from when the word “atheist” was an insult.
You can’t call someone a jackass in the paper, but if they proclaim themselves to be a jackass, then you can call them a “self-professed jackass”.
Some people never got the memo that atheism is nothing to be ashamed of.
lol FairyDogMother! my folks live in pottstown! bout 3 blocks from high street best. street. name. EVAR.
of all the places to get a street named after an athiest, nebraska? i think the only places in the US where it would be harder to get approved by the locals are KY and FL.
i doubt it’ll go through.
ren- it’s hard to find a major city in the US without an MLK blvd. seriously it’s like Main st.
Thank you Raymond Zbylut! Win or lose it is important to test the waters now and then. Good for you!
mouse,
No doubt, but I have been here almost 5 yrs and I have no knowledge of an MLK st, blvd, way, etc… I could always be wrong, though.
Doesn’t Chicago already have a major airport named after MMOH? Oh well, we can always pretend.
Well, guess I am going to get some flack here but, I can think of much better Athiests to have a street named after. Too much baggage, she does carry.
By the way, has anyone noticed all the xtian advertisements here? What a joke!
deepdiver,
Google needs to tweak their ad sensing technology.
What is sad about it: (I think) money is only exchanged if we click the links. Yet, we won’t click these types of links…
Money is exchanged when we click the links? I’ll have to click on the Rational Response Squad link when it comes up then.
But that one for Ann Coulter…brrrr!
And thanks dawn, for the Bill Maher clip. That was fun. I saw that the night it was on, and thought, too bad for us-none of the candidates pass the test.
I think that’s how the google adsense deal works. You make a tiny amount of money each time someone clicks a link from your blog.
Maybe peter or dave would like to clarify it because I’d be more than happy to clink these stupid links if it helps the cause.
If you think she has no chance in Omaha then let them try here in Texas. This is THE bible belt. Theres no way any city council would do so.
At least they are open minded folks.
On first glance, I read that as possessed for both.
Still works.