Stark's atheist views break political taboo

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"Rep. Pete Stark of Fremont might have crossed what some are calling "one of the last frontiers" in politics when he delighted atheists this week by acknowledging that he does not believe in a supreme being. Just a generation ago, says Democratic political strategist Dan Newman, "you couldn't go anywhere near'' such a statement, which "would have been political suicide.'' Stark's frank declaration that he is "a Unitarian who does not believe in a Supreme Being'' indicates, says Newman, that a significant page has been turned -- and maybe it's not such a political liability anymore. But he adds that "time will tell whether this is a case of the Bay Area being far out front -- or merely far out.''"