IL state legislator says it's dangerous for children to know atheism exists

Atheist Rob Sherman was at the Illinois General Assembly to argue against Gov. Rod Blagojevich's unconstitutional grant of $1,000,000 to the Pilgrim Baptist Church when this exchange took place between him and Rep. Monique Davis (D-Chicago):

Davis: I don’t know what you have against God, but some of us don’t have much against him. We look forward to him and his blessings. And it’s really a tragedy — it’s tragic — when a person who is engaged in anything related to God, they want to fight. They want to fight prayer in school.

I don’t see you (Sherman) fighting guns in school. You know?

I’m trying to understand the philosophy that you want to spread in the state of Illinois. This is the Land of Lincoln. This is the Land of Lincoln where people believe in God, where people believe in protecting their children.… What you have to spew and spread is extremely dangerous, it’s dangerous–

Sherman: What’s dangerous, ma’am?

Davis: It’s dangerous to the progression of this state. And it’s dangerous for our children to even know that your philosophy exists! Now you will go to court to fight kids to have the opportunity to be quiet for a minute. But damn if you’ll go to [court] to fight for them to keep guns out of their hands. I am fed up! Get out of that seat!

Sherman: Thank you for sharing your perspective with me, and I’m sure that if this matter does go to court—

Davis: You have no right to be here! We believe in something. You believe in destroying! You believe in destroying what this state was built upon.

(Via Friendly Atheist.)

UPDATE (April 6, 2008): Rep. Davis, like Barack Obama, attends the Trinity United Church of Christ, formerly led by Rev. Jeremiah Wright.

UPDATE (April 7, 2008): Pharyngula has commented on this (lots of good comments there). It's worth noting that Rep. Davis is a legislator in the Land of Lincoln, and Lincoln was the U.S. president whose religious views were closest to atheism (he may actually have been an atheist, at least for part of his life; he definitely rejected Christianity). Illinois is also the state where noted agnostic orator, Robert Ingersoll, was attorney general after the Civil War.

UPDATE (April 9, 2008): Monique Davis is ranked "worst person in the world" by Keith Olbermann.

UPDATE (April 10, 2008): Monique Davis has apologized to Rob Sherman, who accepted it.