What is it that atheists want?
If they just want to be ignorant jerks like so many religious fundies are, then that's easy enough to accomplish. It's not a very high bar to clear.
But if atheists want to do better than that, if they really want to be the thoughtful, educated and scientific people that they so often claim to be, then they are going to have to do better than that.
Atheists want secular governments to remain secular, and for irrational religious beliefs to be excluded from incorporating themselves into the law. We tend to want to elevate the role of science in public life and education, and to promote education and rationality. We do not want to respect beliefs that do not deserve respect.