Columnist Smears Atheists, Ties Violence to Decline of Religion and Lack of Faith

Cleveland Shooter an Atheist? Evidence Questionable…

A nationally syndicated newspaper columnist has linked a shooting rampage by a disturbed, 14-year old boy to, among other causal factors, the decline of religion in the United States.

Mitch Albom, whose October 14, 2007 op-ed piece in the Detroit Free Press discussed the shooting-suicide of Asa Coon at a Cleveland school where two teachers and two students were wounded. Albom mentioned that Coon “was reportedly into Goth music and dress, claimed to be an atheist and worshiped shock rock singer Marilyn Manson…” He also noted that Coon had been hospitalized for mental problems, once attempted suicide and made threats against his school mates.

Has Mr. Albom done his homework, though, on all of Coon’s background – specifically his alleged Atheism? As a journalist, has he made a cogent argument about the relationship, if any, between the decline of religious belief and violence?

Ellen Johnson, President of American Atheists, said that Albom’s column defamed and insulted millions of Atheists, Freethinkers, Humanists and other non-believers.

“This is an old chestnut we’ve heard over and over every time a single disturbed individual -- especially a troubled young person – commits an act of senseless violence,” said Johnson. “There are no reputable studies to support such a claim. In fact, surveys taken in jails and penitentiaries show that Atheists and other disbelievers are a very, very small percentage of prison populations.”

The claim that Asa Coon identified himself as an Atheist is questionable. According to a post on the Cleveland.com web site, someone – but not necessarily Coon – made the statement about Atheism.

“Even if Asa Coon was an Atheist, though, so what?” asked Dave Silverman, Communications Director for American Atheists. “Bringing this up in the context of surveys about the decline of religion in America is spreading stereotypes, and not understanding the problem of troubled youngsters in the schools.”

Silverman noted that similar muddled arguments have been made in the wake of other school shootings, including Columbine.