Will there be an Atheist, Female, or Homosexual President in our lifetime?

[Devil's Due]

(NOTE: Since people don't understand the question: Quit giving me "who cares about their " responses, that's not the question at hand. Any sane person should vote for someone based on their political ideologies, leadership skills, and ability to accomplish the task at hand, and not their race / gender / orientation / whatnot . The questions is about when do you believe we will have one that fits these traits, since there are sadly a lot of people who just base their vote on these qualities in a person.)

It used to be that religion was a major deciding factor in who was chosen for President, such as the big issue at the time where a certain President was a Catholic, and the fear it caused if he'd mess up the country. This risky President was John F. Kennedy.

Then later came another risky young fellow who took on harsh criticism and countless lies against his name to try and shut him down for one simple reason: He is part African-American. We know his now as the current President of the United States (POTUS), Barack H. Obama.

What do these presidents have in common? For one, they've taken a very fragile United States and handled it rather well given their circumstances (e.g. the Cuban Missile crisis, the two recessions, respectively), but many presidents have also done that. What many presidents don't have in common with these two is that they were revolutionaries at the time for taking the presidential office. A Catholic president? A black one?! Madness.

And yet, it happened.

So now that we're reaching even more tolerable levels than before, what's to stop us from getting another president that's even more politically risky? Say an Atheist president, or even an openly homosexual president? We may already have a female president within the next 20 years based on how things are going lately, but still a large majority of people would not support an Atheist or homosexual president simply because... well, they all have reasons. (Hopefully non-prejudice reasons)

How long do you believe it will take before we have...

1) A female president
2) An Atheist president
3) A homosexual president
4) An independent (non-Republican or Democratic) president (Modern day)
5) You name others and how long it'll take. (Other races, beliefs, etc.)


Or even then, why you believe there shouldn't be one of the them! All opinions are welcome. But lets avoid any flamewar for any side here. A quick little ground rule: Just because someone's religious doesn't mean they're an extremist, and this is coming from an Atheist, so play nice people. Also in return that if someone's an Atheist it doesn't mean they're a devil spawn.

Bonus: Even though it's obviously been established that we're talking about the United States of America, you can impute how your country also feels about having a leader (President, Prime Minister, you name it) like that. Or if there's already been one; how the country views it now, etc! All sides welcome.

 

[Pimppeter2]

Female one in the next 10-15 years
Atheist in the next 50-60

Probably wont be a homosexual one in my lifetime.

 

[Pimppeter2]

Female one in the next 10-15 years
Atheist in the next 50-60

Probably wont be a homosexual one in my lifetime.

see i think homosexuality is more accepted in america than athiesm. At least in the way i have been treated out there.

Here in the Uk we have already had a woman prime minister and possibly an athiest one (i dont know the full religous history of my countries rulership).

As for homosexual prime minister, i dont know, its not that i couldn't see people getting behind one, its just most that i have met have little to no interest in politics (in a serious enough of a degree for even local elections)

Depends on what part of the country you visited. But "accepted" is the wrong term, America has a large homosexual and atheist population. Either way, this is just my thoughts. It has nothing to do on the level of "acceptance" America supposedly has for each minority group. If I had said no Female presidents, does that mean that Women are less "Accepted" than homosexuals in America? No.

 

[Strain42]

I wouldn't be surprised to see a female president in my life time. Atheist...I dunno, entirely possible. Depends on if they make it a big deal or not.

Basically if we have a President who talks about being an atheist as much as certain presidents talk about god...no, I don't think that would happen. But if we had a good candidate who just happened to be one and didn't mention it a lot, it could happen.

Homosexual, entirely possible, but there are gonna be loud idiots who complain. Of course there are loud idiots who still complain about Obama so...yeah (of course there are loud idiots who complain about every president, so who knows?) There was a joke in The Simpson's about a gay republican bumper sticker that said something like "A gay president in 2054*" and then they shrugged and said with a smile "we're realistic"

*I can't remember the exact number, but it was up there.

"The best argument against democracy is a five minute conversation the average voter." ~ Winston Churchill

 

[Suicidejim]

In America? Maybe a little longer than some other countries, no offence meant. I don't think a female President would actually be much of a stretch, I can see that happening pretty soon actually. We might have to wait a few generations for an openly atheist President though, given the way religion has become deeply political in the US (just look at the supposed 'War on Religion' happening at the moment). I don't know how homosexuality compares to atheism in terms of acceptance in the US, but I don't see that one happening too soon either.

Still, why set the targets so low? Let's try and get us a polygamous family in the White House. Or a President that practices Wicca. Or Satanism.

Hell, let's get us a gamer President. Replace wars with COD death matches. Iran threatening to acquire nuclear weapons? My killstreak helicopter says otherwise.

 

[Brandon237]

Well in the last 20 years the public opinion towards atheists hasn't improved nearly as much as it should have, and it is still seen as a very... risky position to be in for an American politician. This makes me sad

Woman president, I see no reason why not.

Homosexual president, not in my lifetime. Same with atheist I suppose =/

In other major countries sure, but the USA has the Southern states... and people like Rick Perry are not executed on the spot, so I have less hope for it

 

[girzwald]

The bias in this post is staggering. But getting past that.

The fact that you see it an "accomplishment" that an "African American" was elected president shows that it was not an accomplishment.

Whys that? The fact that we are calling him an "African American" and pointing that out is what makes it not an accomplishment. It proves we have NOT gotten past race. And we never will if this shit keeps up. You can go ahead and think it was an "accomplishment" but all I see him is was the affirmative action president. The token black president. Put aside whether or not you think he was qualified, put aside whether or not you think he is doing a good job and keeping his promises. What happened any time anyone criticized him during the campaign? Or even to this day. What is it labeled? Racism. And if you think that isn't true...than you are an ignoramus. And if you think its true, because that what it always is or mostly was, then you are an even bigger ignoramus. And the talks of race and racism are already starting.

Obama got something well over 90% of the black vote. And how many Samuel L Jacksons (who voted for obama simply cause he was black) were there? Id wager a ton.

And how many whites and other were browbeaten or guilt tripped into voting for him because he was black? Again, id wager a lot.

So no. Not an accomplishment. Till race is a non factor, at all. We are not past racism and its not an accomplishment. Until the day we don't see it as an "accomplishment", will it be an accomplishment.

Also. Why are having a gay, atheist and female presidents "accomplishments". So, until we have an atheist president in a majority religious nation.....we are incomplete? Pure stupidity. If people are supposed to be be people and everyone is supposed to be equal, then stop separating people into groups.

 

[Enslave_All_Elves]

Definitely a homosexual one, maybe an atheist. Atheists, according to some polls, are trusted less than muslims and homosexuals. Americans aren't big fans of either of those groups and they hate us more. However, the number of atheists or non worshippers among young (college age) citizens is growing quickly.

 

[Aris Khandr]

The only one I think is likely in the near future is a female president. I think we will see a homosexual president last, of that list. It might be interesting to see who would win the nomination, a gay Christian, or a straight atheist. And on that note,

was a Catholic rather than a Christian

A non-Christian president

You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.

 

[Valanthe]

In America? Maybe a little longer than some other countries, no offence meant. I don't think a female President would actually be much of a stretch, I can see that happening pretty soon actually. We might have to wait a few generations for an openly atheist President though, given the way religion has become deeply political in the US (just look at the supposed 'War on Religion' happening at the moment). I don't know how homosexuality compares to atheism in terms of acceptance in the US, but I don't see that one happening too soon either.

Still, why set the targets so low? Let's try and get us a polygamous family in the White House. Or a President that practices Wicca. Or Satanism.

Hell, let's get us a gamer President. Replace wars with COD death matches. Iran threatening to acquire nuclear weapons? My killstreak helicopter says otherwise.

A gamer president would be awesome.. until he asked the Secret Service to hunt down and arrest "That aimbotting noob." The Fox News stories about "The renegade, video game playing, president" would be hilarious.

On topic, I don't think America will see an openly atheist president in my lifetime, they seem to have trouble figuring out that "Separation of Church and State" thing. But a female president, or a homosexual one wouldn't surprise me, you've already got representatives of both groups starting to move up the ladder so it won't be long before one of them reaches the top rung.

 

[Lucem712]

It might surprise you that...Catholics are Christians, the original Christians (in a denominational sense) So, JFK is the only non Protestant president...:\

 

[Kolby Jack]

Well, 2 of those 3 options can be considered oppressed minorities, so when we get a president that is either a woman or a homosexual it will probably be a big deal. Atheists aren't really oppressed, unless you count the fact that no non-atheist likes them (mostly because all famous atheists appear to be huge assholes) so it's unlikely anyone will vote for an atheist anytime soon.

 

[BENZOOKA]

In Finland, on the second round of the presidential elections (only a few weeks ago), with only the best two from the first round continuing:

The other contestant was homosexual. He didn't win though.

And we of course had a female president for two terms, 12 years, before this election.

 

[Hyper-space]

Iceland: Been there, done that (concerning a female president).

Now we have a lesbian prime-minister.