Right here in Tulsa:

Barbara Santee sent around an email today with the picture above and also an article of which the following is an excerpt:

A Tulsa man came up with a national billboard posted in Midtown Tulsa.

The message in patriotic colors reads, “Atheism is OK in Oklahoma. Saluting Gore-First Atheist Senator.”

Not surprisingly the billboard is getting a lot of attention.

On the westbound Broken Arr! ow Expressway at the 15th Street exit you’ll see the Freedom From Religion Foundation billboard.

A national group sponsored the board but the idea came from a Tulsa man.

Billboards are a way to sell a product and a way to promote beliefs.

Christians do it and now Atheists are too.

"I thought playing into Oklahoma's desire to be number one. Well we will capitalize and advertise the fact that we are number one with the Atheist," says Bill Dusenberry.

Dusenberry is a member of the Freedom From Religion Foundation. He is talking about U.S. Senator Thomas Gore who was an Oklahoma native who Dusenberry believes was the first openly Atheist US Senator. He was first elected in 1907 and says the sign is a tribute to him.

Just to clarify here, I am not an atheist. I am, however, an ardent supporter of the separation between church and state. I also cherish the constitution and it clearly states that there exists no religious test as a requirement for holding office in the United States of America.

It absolutely stuns me that many of my fellow citizens don't know this.
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