Yet much of Western Europe did, long before we do, despite having state sponsored churches. Especially Nordic countries which are generally more secular in actuality but with state churches in practice, and have a much longer history of civil rights successes. Ditto with Canada and some other non-European countries.
As in there is no Seperation of Church and state clause in most European countries.
Yes, but Dawkins and Hitchens were and are primarily read and successful in America, not in England or Western Europe. The so-called Brights and Atheist+ and other aggressive atheist groups are virtually non-existent in Western Europe. And Dawkins ended up speaking directly to America so much because America is the birthplace and the only stronghold on any relevant scale of Young-Earth creationism. But they haven't actually done anything to curtail the Christian religious movement here in the states. And, as I said, I think they made it worse. Hitchens in particular was, in my opinion, did pretty much nothing to change any minds, and was mostly just preaching to the choir of equally and overly aggressive atheists radicalizing the debates and gumming up the works.
Probably why people more like Bill Nye and Neil DeGrasse Tyson became more famous as voices of atheism (even though Neil doesn't identify as an atheist and basically says 'I don't care that we live in a religiously pluralistic society, stop trying to drag me into this silly fight.')
That's just my opinion.
