I'm not sure where Christians get off saying they're persecuted. I'll forgo examples, as I'm sure you've heard them. They forget they have a "National Day of Prayer", "In God We Trust" license plates (Indiana), "under God" in our Pledge, and so on. They even have special holidays to "celebrate"--Easter being upon us.
(And, as an aside, my Lions Club cancelled highway cleanup because it was scheduled on Maunday Thursday and would interfere with services!)

Several things have struck a sour chord with me recently. Most noteably (and very quietly), the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals decided by a 2-1 vote (Mar 11) that "the Pledge is constitutional." Michael Newdow, the California atheist, had lost his challenge that "under God" should be removed. While the one dissenting judge wrote a blistering dissent, the two-judge majority viewed the Pledge as patriotic, not religious, ceremonial, not theological. (Still, I'm offended and don't utter it at Lions meetings.)

At Greenwood High School (IN), graduation calls for a student-led prayer (sanctioned), but the Valedictorian is opposed and will not give his address if the school permits it. The ACLU has stepped in (Hurray--I'm a member!) saying that if students choose not to participate in the graduation prayer, they are still being subjected to the parayer and compelled to participate, if only by being expected to stand respectfully. A lawsuit has been filed on behalf of the top-ranked student. A response and a court hearing are scheduled for April. You can imagine how the Greenwood community is reacting. Damn kid, damn ACLU.

Finally, I received my monthly Freedom From Religion Foundation newspaper yesterday with, as usual, a blank cover page (except for my address and a small FFRF logo). Why blank? I'm guessing it's because of all the nuts out there, including Post Office employees, that would toss my mail in the "undeliverable" box. The fine folks at FFRF realize Randall Smith could be the target of nasty threats for being "one of those". Now who's being persecuted?