Jay Wexler’s humorous, lively and revealing presentation is based on his best-selling book Holy Hullabaloos: A Road Trip to the Battlegrounds of the Church/State Wars.

“In the fall of 2007, I spent about six months traveling to all sorts of interesting places where big church-state Supreme Court cases came from,” Wexler said. “I wanted to visit the people who were involved in the cases and see the places where they actually happened. I went to an Amish farm, a high school football game in East Texas, the U.S. Senate, a community of really Orthodox Jews in New York State, a Santeria get-together in South Florida, and downtown Cleveland.”

Wexler has received many great reviews, including this from Publishers Weekly:

  “Wexler’s lucid explications of difficult constitutional concepts and the vagaries of Supreme Court rulings are superb, providing readers a deeper understanding of the First Amendment and Supreme Court jurisprudence. But that’s only half the story. Wexler is laugh-out-loud funny as he narrates his odyssey through battleground sites from rural Wisconsin through Texas to the chambers of the U.S. Senate. Along the way he happily and with a usually generous spirit skewers Supreme Court justices, legislators, educators, law school professors and pretty much anyone else, including himself, who has ever taken a position on the enduring American controversies surrounding prayer in schools, religious displays on public property, or the teaching of evolution. This is a rare treat, a combination of thoughtful analysis and quirky humor that illuminates an issue that rarely elicits a laugh.”

Wexler is also the author of The Odd Clauses: Understanding the Constitution Through Ten of Its Most Curious Provisions, and his first book of fiction, The Adventures of Ed Tuttle: Associate Justice and Other Stories, and has written numerous academic articles, essays, reviews and stories for the Boston Globe, Huffington Post, National Geographic NewsWatch, Slate, Salon, Spy, and several other publications.

Hear Jay Wexler give his funny and revealing presentation at 7:00 PM on July 1, 2013 at the Ethical Society, 1906 S. Rittenhouse Square, Philadelphia. It is free and open to the public, but a $5 donation is requested to offset expenses. 

RSVP via the FS Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/events/264369357035058/   or the FS Meetup: http://www.meetup.com/Freethought-Society-Meetup/events/124257472/

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A Problem with Online Communication

At the same time, the fact that so much of our community is online brings with it certain challenges. Communicating primarily online can make it difficult to recognize each other’s humanity. Online we don’t have the same vocal and physical cues to tell us what another person means by his or her comments, so it’s easier for misunderstandings to develop. The instantaneous and impersonal nature of online communication also makes it much easier for these misunderstandings to escalate, or for civil arguments to turn into bitter fights. Like many online communities, our comment and forum threads all too often become places for name calling and even threats, rather than honest dialogue based on mutual respect. Between the small but vocal number of abusive participants (often called “trolls”) who hurl threats and insults, and the overheated rhetoric of some ordinarily friendly and reasonable people, our online environment is in danger of turning toxic. Fortunately, our secular values of reason and compassion give us tools to rise above the lowest common denominator of online communication.

Our Position and Our Pledge

We, the leaders of the undersigned national secular organizations, pledge to make our best efforts toward improving the tone and substance of online discussions. The secular movement as a whole is friendly, welcoming, and committed to the use of reason and evidence as a means of resolving disagreements. We refuse to allow the deplorable conduct of a few to debase the reasonable, appropriate, and respectful conduct of the overwhelming majority of our community.

We seek to promote productive debate and discussion. We firmly believe open and candid discussion is the most reliable means of resolving differences of opinion and bringing about needed change.

Insults, slurs, expressions of hatred, and threats undermine our shared values of open and candid discussion because they move us away from an exchange of views supported with reasons.

Of course we will disagree with each other on some issues, but we can do a better job of expressing our disagreements. We can resolve to avoid mischaracterizing the positions of others, relying on rumors as the basis for our opinions, and using inappropriate tactics such as guilt by association. Instead, we can give one another the benefit of the doubt, strive to understand the whole story, and de-escalate rhetoric to foster more productive discussions. We can become better at disagreeing by treating each other like reasonable human beings.

It takes patience to educate people, but we can change how people think by having a constructive dialogue. If that weren’t the case, we wouldn’t bother in the first place to communicate online about important issues.

The Debate over Sexism and Feminism

Before listing some specific recommendations regarding improvement of online communications, we have observations about one particular set of interrelated issues that has engaged much of the secular community in the past year, namely sexism within the secular movement, the appropriate way to interpret feminism, and the extent to which feminism, however interpreted, should influence the conduct, policies, and goals of movement organizations. This set of issues is worthy of careful consideration, but in a few areas our positions should be very clear.

The principle that women and men should have equal rights flows from our core values as a movement. Historically, there has been a close connection between traditional religion and suppression of women, with dogma and superstition providing the rationale for depriving women of fundamental rights. In promoting science and secularism, we are at the same time seeking to secure the dignity of all individuals. We seek not only civil equality for everyone, regardless of sex, but an end to discriminatory social structures and conventions – again often the legacy of our religious heritage—that limit opportunities for both women and men.

Unfortunately, the discussion of these issues has suffered from the same problems that plague online discussion in general—although arguably to a greater extent. Some blogs and comments actually exhibit hatred, including rape threats and insults denigrating women. Hatred has no place in our movement. We unequivocally and unreservedly condemn those who resort to communicating in such a vile and despicable manner.

Our Approach

Here are some things that we plan to do to make our online secular community a place where we can exchange ideas and views instead of insults. We hope that others may also find this approach useful.

Moderate blogs and forums. Any organization or individual engaged in blogging or administering a forum has an obligation to moderate comments. Slurs, threats, and so forth beget more of the same. Keeping our online spaces free of these elements creates a civil climate that makes it much easier for people to engage issues productively.

Go offline before going online: pick up the phone.When you hear that an organization or member of our community is doing something that you think is wrong or bad for the community, call and talk with them, find out what they are actually doing and why they are doing it. If you don’t have a phone number, send a private email and arrange a time to talk. So much of the time there’s more to the story, and talking to another person on the other side of the issue can help us more fully understand the situation. Plus, a phone call makes it easier for people who are making mistakes to change course, because they aren’t on the defensive as they would be after being called out publicly.

Listen more. We miss the nuances and differences within “the other side” once an issue becomes polarized, while continuing to see our side as filled with nuance and distinctions. There is a tendency to stop listening and treat everyone associated with an opposing position as a monolithic group. People can be painted with views that aren’t their own just because they may disagree with some aspects of your own position. We should listen more so we can see distinctions among those with opposing views and start to move toward a more accurate understanding of the issues rather than being deadlocked into two entrenched camps.

Dial down the drama. It’s tempting to overuse inflammatory and derogatory rhetoric. It gets attention. We should be cautious about using this tactic within our community because of the long-term damage it does to relationships and morale. When critiquing people within our community, everyone should remember that our goal is to persuade our allies to see our perspective and modify their opinions. Insults don’t change opinions; they harden them.

Be more charitable. We should remember that the purpose of argument within our community is to come to shared and correct conclusions that move us forward, not to score points against the opposing side. To that end, we should apply the principle of charity, which tells us to aim our argument against the best interpretation of the opposing arguments rather than picking off weaker versions. By applying the principle of charity we will elevate the discussion so we’re actually talking about our real differences, not just engaging in a pointless exchange.

Trust but verify. Before we believe and repost something we see, we should ask ourselves about the evidence provided and the context. It’s easy for multiple people saying the same thing to look like a lot of evidence, but if their statements are all based on the same original source, they do not constitute independent verification. We should look for the original data and corroboration from independent sources before believing and spreading claims.

Help others along. We should remember that we weren’t born knowing the things we know now. To get to the reasoned conclusions that we’ve reached, we learned by reading, thinking, and talking with others. When we encounter someone espousing a view we think is based on lack of knowledge or experience, we should remember that we have all held ill-informed views. We should cultivate patience and try to educate instead of condemn.

By improving our online culture, we can make this movement a place that engages, fulfills, and welcomes a growing number and increasing diversity of secular people.

Sincerely,

David Silverman, President, American Atheists

Rebecca Hale, President, American Humanist Association

Roy Speckhardt, Executive Director, American Humanist Association

Chuck VonDerAhe, President, Atheist Alliance of America

Richard Haynes, President, Atheist Nexus

Ayanna Watson, CEO, Black Atheists of America, Inc.

Mandisa L. Thomas, President, Black Nonbelievers, Inc.

Mynga Futrell, for Brights Central, at The Brights’ Net

Amanda Metskas, Executive Director, Camp Quest

Ronald Lindsay, President and CEO, Center for Inquiry

Tom Flynn, Executive Director, The Council for Secular Humanism

Jan Meshon, President, FreeThoughtAction

Joseph McDaniel Stewart, Vice President, FreeThoughtAction

Margaret Downey, Founder and President, Freethought Society

D.J. Grothe, President, James Randi Educational Foundation

Stuart Jordan, President, Institute for Science and Human Values

Jason Torpy, President, Military Association of Atheists and Freethinkers

R. Elisabeth Cornwell, Executive Director, Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science

Edwina Rogers, Executive Director, Secular Coalition for America

August E. Brunsman IV, Executive Director, Secular Student Alliance

Todd Stiefel, President, Stiefel Freethought Foundation

Fred Edwords, National Director, United Coalition of Reason

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Click here:  March April 2013 Newsletter Web

In the newsletter you will find the following articles:

2013 State Conference Announcement

Promotional Flier for the September 13, 2013 Friggatriskaidekaphobia Treatment Center Event
by Carol Everhart Roper

Honoring the 50th Anniversary of U. S. Supreme Court Case of Abington School District v. Schempp
by Margaret Downey

Photos of the 50th Anniversary of U. S. Supreme Court Case of Abington School District v. Schempp

The Freethought Society’s 2013 Three-Month Calendar

Donation and Information Page

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Roy Zimmerman

The Freethought Society and the Ethical Humanist Society of Philadelphia are pleased to announce the return of Roy Zimmerman to the Philadelphia area. Roy’s “Wake Up Call” performance of original and funny songs about ignorance, war, greed, hope, struggle, change and more greed takes place on Monday, April 1, 2013. The charge is $18 (pay at the door) with discount available to students and seniors. Anyone would be a “fool” to miss this April 1^st concert!

Roy’s one-of-a-kind performance begins at 7:30 PM at the Ethical Society’s Building located at 1906 South Rittenhouse Square, Pennsylvania. Zimmerman sings satirical songs – all original songs about class warfare, creationism, same-sex marriage, guns, marijuana, abstinence, Republicans (a lot of songs about Republicans), ignorance, war and greed. There’s a decidedly “Lefty” slant to his lyrics.

In 2012, Roy and his co-writer wife Melanie Harby traveled 47,000 miles
to complete a 50-state tour of all 49 states. Hawaii was “Omission
Accomplished,” he says.

“Wake Up Call” is a funny, tuneful and unabashedly progressive look at what they saw and heard across America in the
Obama Era. The show is ninety minutes of original, rhyme-intensive songs, with funny titles such as Abstain With Me and I Want a Marriage Like They Had In the Bible. Roy also sings heartfelt songs like Hope, Struggle and Change and I Approve This Message. The audience always enjoys Roy’s impassioned comic commentary.

With thirteen albums over twenty years, Roy has brought the sting of satire to the struggle for peace and social justice. His songs have been heard on HBO and Showtime. Roy has recorded for Warner/Reprise Records, and he has been profiled on NPR’s All Things Considered. Roy’s YouTube videos have amassed over seven million views, and he is a featured blogger for the Huffington Post.

Sing Out! Magazine writes, “Zimmerman is a guy on the left skewering folks on the right with rapier-sharp lyrics … underneath the caustic satire is a man who is surprisingly optimistic.” See for yourself: Creation Science 101, To Be a Liberal, and Defenders of Marriage.

Don’t miss Roy Zimmerman’s Monday, April 1, 2013 one-man show on April Fools Day!

PLEASE RSVP VIA OUR MEETUP PAGE:

http://www.meetup.com/Freethought-Society-Meetup/events/109400402/ 

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• The 2012 Tree of Knowledge Report by Margaret Downey
• The Freethought Society’s 2013 Four-Month Calendar
  
• The Pastafarian 2012 Holiday Display Request by Margaret Downey
  
• FS Tree of Knowledge and the Ethical Humanist Society by Margaret Downey
• The Integration of Religion and Government by Douglas Heisler
• The 2012 Human Tree of Knowledge Report by Margaret Downey
•  Photos from the 2012 Human Tree of Knowledge Event
•  Promotional Flier for the September 13, 2013 Friggatriskaidekaphobia Treatment Center Event
•  Hurricane Sandy Emergency Relief Fund Update
•  Freethought Society’s St. Croix Flier

January February 2013 FS Newsletter PDF Final

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