"Curiosity"

by Chris Bodenner
Hanna Rosin:

This is the word that stood out for me in Obama's list of values yesterday: "hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism." The rest have echoes in traditional and more safe political dialogue. But curiosity has a different sort of resonance. Curiosity is what led his mother on the many of what must have seemed like reckless adventures, that eventually created the motley family he has today. For a post-PC age, curiosity is a much better word than tolerance with its implications of holding your nose.

Her colleague Jessica Grose (like Andrew) plucked "non-believers" from the usual rhetoric:

There's been much talk of Obama's ushering in a "post-racial" America, but will he also be welcoming a post-religion America?  Doubtful, but at least it's a step in the right direction.

It's just one anecdote, but: I stood with mostly African-Americans during the speech and the only time I ever heard booing of Obama, from many directions, was his shout-out to "non-believers."

(For PEW's latest stats on race and religion, and a firsthand take on the "isolating experience" of being a black atheist, check out this post.)