Somebody at the New York Times wrote this comment about why atheists need to "speak up".

The notion that the atheist alone must remain quiet, while the proponents of countless variations of god beliefs are given every opportunity to boast of their "faith" is self-defeating. It's no wonder religions persist and atheists are badly misunderstood and distrusted.

If atheists don't speak up, instead choosing to coddle believers for fear they'll get upset, we have ourselves to blame, and should not be infuriated about a situation we consistently avoid dealing with.

-- Chikkipop