By Mike Dishnow, February 3, 2009

This is a first: President Obama acknowledging the legitimacy of the rationalists among us. “For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness,” Obama said. “We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus and non-believers.”

Up to 20 percent of our population is humanist and rationalist, a significant portion, including the vast majority of the world’s most accomplished scientists. I would prefer that the president refer to us as freethinkers. But his was a move in the right direction.