KANSAS CITY, Mo. — An atheist group who was denied participating in Kansas City’s annual St. Patrick’s day parade said they will show up and plan to march, the group’s president said.
In the event the parade committee upholds their decision to not allowing the Kansas City Atheist Coalition in the parade, their president said they would hold an “Ask an Atheist” event near the parade route in Westport.
“We want to help people understand that atheism is not a negative worldview,” explained Kansas City Atheist Coalition Vice President Josh Hyde. “As atheists, we believe it is up to us — not a deity — to make the world a better place, which is why we do volunteer work, raise money for charity and work to promote equality and human rights. We don’t believe in any gods, but we do believe in people.”
The parade committee never responded to FOX 4 for comment on the denied application.
However, the coalition showed FOX 4 a copy of the statement. In it, the parade committee said the Atheist Coalition’s published mission is to advance godlessness through activism. And it was with respect for the legacy of St. Patrick, the parade committee turned down the application.
