Bloomberg Invites Atheists, Vada Vasquez to Breakfast

Mayor Bloomberg chats with Bronx shooting survivor Vada Vasquez. (Edward Reed)

A plutocrat, a pagan, and an atheist walk into a diner... Okay, it was a library, and it wasn't exactly a joke: On New Year's Eve Mayor Bloomberg held his annual interfaith breakfast at the NYPL and, for the first time, invited a group of six atheists to partake in the pancakes. “I also want to welcome, for the first time, those who don’t profess a faith but who do love our city,” the mayor said this morning. The controversial move was inspired by President Obama, who gave a shout-out to non-believers in his inauguration speech. The atheists elicited interesting responses from all across the religious spectrum, according to City Room.

"This Episcopalian priest turned around and kind of saluted me, and smiled, and it was like 'hey, welcome guys,'" said one guest, Jane Everhart, director of communications for New York City Atheists. Hindu, Buddhist, Jewish and Christian egg eaters all seemed equally unperturbed. The atheists themselves were respectful. There was some discussion of whether they would chime in with an invocation, alongside their faith-based compatriots, but in the end they sat and listened quietly, according to the Village Voice.

Vada Vasquez, the teen who survived a bullet to the head in November was another guest at the event. It was her second meeting with the mayor. Together with the Bloomberg, the priests, rabbis and pagans addressed a number of issues relevant to New Yorkers of all religious proclivities, like community outreach as a way of curbing gun violence.

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By Sabrina Jaszi in News on January 7, 2010 2:05 PM

Comments [rss]

potsmoker

bloomturd was probably advised to SMILE.

too bad he didnt learn body language, postured over a victim in his $5000 suit giving a pat on the shoulder is a sign of dominance and arrogance, its only a picture a video showing how long it was kept there and what was said would be more helpful.

interlard

"The atheists themselves were respectful." And that's news? What did you expect would happen? I can see Bloomie has a tough task ahead of him with this little piece of civil rights (which is about 50 years late).