In this issue:
CONGRATULATIONS TO DILLARD HENDERSON
Dill wrote an outstanding article: "On Cloning, Medicine, and Religion", which was published in the American Atheist Magazine in the Spring 2002 issue, in the "Me Too" feature showcase. This is a great honor and we are proud of you, Dill.
(Note: "Me Too" is a feature designed to showcase short essays written by reader in response to topics recently covered by the American Atheist or of general interest to the Atheist community. Essays submitted to "Me Too" should be 600-800 words. If you wish to subscribe to the American Atheist Magazine, at the rate of $20 a year for 4 quarterly issues, contact PO Box 5733, Pasippany, NJ 07054)
BARBARA STRAND, long time Atheist activist and friend to many of us, has died. She will be missed.
IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN BECOMING a Board and/or sterring memeber, contact me ASAP at amarie@atheists.org.
Arlene-Marie, American Atheists State Director, Michgan
TopI know that it's been awhile since the last newsletter, and a lot has happened. I have been a part of the Michigan Atheists Press Conference in March and the American Atheists National Convention in Boston, so between travel, preparing for events, and my other life (where I work a full-time job, have a wife, and so on), I have been very busy. I am hoping to make this publication a twice-monthly effort, or at least once monthly with special alerts when necessary but in nearly seven months of doing the newsletter and a few months on the website, I have found that I could really use your help. Anyone who is interested in being a "watchdog" for pending legislation, an event representative, a field reporter, and/or a guest columnist, please e-mail me at michiganatheistsnewsletter@comcast.net or contact Arlene-Marie at amarie@atheists.org.
TopOn April 28, American Atheists will be having a very special guest speaker at the China Star restaurant in Westland. His name is William (Bill) Flory, lobbyist and the Assistant Director of Legislative Affairs for the ACLU of Michigan. Bill is on top of the First Amendment issues in Lansing, where he lives and works. Beyond that, Bill has a booming voice and a tremendous sense of humor. We thank him in advance for his willingness to make the long drive to address us.
Have your questions ready for Bill, and meet us at the China Star on Sunday, April 28, at 1:00pm (NOTE: This is an earlier time than usual). The buffet will be served at 2:00pm, and will include Tea, Coffee, Tomato Juice (cash bar available), Sweet & Sour Chicken, Almond Chicken, Pepper Steak, Stir Fried Vegetables, and Rice.
China Star's phone number is 734-326-1310. Please remember to park in the rear of the restaurant. Reservations are appreciated--please contact Arlene at 313-388-9594 or at amarie@atheists.org.
TopPack your picnic basket with fried chicken, potato salad, veggies, develed eggs, fruit, sandwiches, chips, cupcakes, or whatever. Bring your day's eats and something to share. We will provide cups, plates, napkins, and forks. NOTE: grills are not available. Other things you might want to bring include: jacket, baseball stuff, cards, lawn games, board games, lawn chair, and maybe an umbrella if it looks like rain (we have a pavilion reserved). Don't forget your kids, dogs, and friends. Plan to stay into the evening. We'll have plenty of daylight. Join us rain or shine!
When: Sunday, June 16 at Noon.
Where: Tattan Park, Westland (Pavilion #2)
South of Ford Rd, North of Cherry Hill, East of Newburgh Rd, West of Wayne Rd. Take Carlson/Central City Parkway to the site. It is near City Hall.
Need further info? Call Arlene at 313-388-9594, or e-mail her at amarie@atheists.org.
Top--Paul Pearson, guest columnist
The USS Constitution. The Freedom Trail. Boston Common. The Paul Revere House. Father John J. Geoghan. Historic sites and modern priestly sex scandals--the perfect backdrop for an assembly of Atheists!
As in previous years, our Atheist event coincided with the Easter weekend. Just over a dozen members from the Michigan contingent (not including a few new faces from the mitten state) were in attendance. This year's total attendance, according to Joe Zamecki of the New Jersey headquarters, was 229. Six members of the press were also in attendance, including reporters from the Boston Globe, local alternative weeklies, and the National Review.
Conventioneers arriving on March 28 (or lucky enough to live in the area) were ab le to board a bus for an AA-sponsored ride to historic Salem, Massachusetts. In 1692, a religiously inspired frenzy led to the torture and execution of 19 men and women (mostly women) who were--by any levelheaded replaying of the events--innocent of any wrongdoing.
FRIDAY, MARCH 29
The convention events began at 9:00am when Ellen Johnson, President of the American Atheists, spoke in the main ballroom of the Hyatt Harborside hotel. Her speech rallied members, rousing passionate First Amendment defenders by expounding recent organizational successes, failures, and the many jobs ahead. Her new approaches to membership and the organization's renewed emphasis on State/Church separation were also highlighted. Ellen announced an upcoming event for all non-faith persons, the Atheist Pride March, scheduled for September 21 in Washington, D. C.
Ellen Johnson also spoke of the need to "make our voices part of the public culture", and how this could soon be better achieved by the upcoming formation of a political action committee to promote State/Church separation issues. Finally, our voices may be heard in the hallowed halls...
Activist Bill Baird spoke after Johnson, and gave what was arguably the most vibrant, engrossing, and funny-yet-scary speech of the convention. Baird, the "Father of the Abortion Rights Movement", was involved in the 1972 Supreme court decision BAIRD V. EISENSTADT, which paved the road for ROE V. WADE a year later, legalizing abortion. His talk was titled "Bill Baird's 40-Year Crusade to Free Women from the Cross of Religious Oppression". It is doubtful anyone was not impressed by his passion, vigilance, and ingenuity. March 22, anniversary of the BAIRD V. EISENSTADT ruling, is known as "Right to Privacy Day". Baird urged everyone in attendance to effect state governors to make official proclamations of the day, as a way to contrast such silly postings as George W. Bushwacker's "Jesus Day".
Other speakers on Friday include Keith Wood in a talk titled "The US and the UK--so different, but so similar," and Conrad Georiinger, contributing editor of the American Atheist Newsletter, gave a vivid and intelligent lecture on "Holy Terror: Religious Violence, Cosmic War, and other Anti-Modernist Fashions." "Holy Paraphernalia Mania" man Arlo Pignotti gave a Powerpoint presentation on some of the most absurd, scary, and hilarious religious toys, t-shirts, board games, video games, belt buckles, bumper stickers, movies on video and DVD, paperback and hardcover books, and other items to keep superstition at the forefront of everyday life and culture. Mr. Pignotti concentrated on two themes: "Blood and GOre in Christianity" and "The Pre-Scripture Shop" of the Mormons. Did you know that for every Mormon temple built, there is a men's necktie issued in commemoration? Two more: a t-shirt obviously plagiarizing the Pokemon trademark instead emblazoning Pokemoroni, and the Mormon brass knuckles. No, these weren't made for street fighting, but assist in helping Mormon missionaries knock louder on our doors! Let's hope the Jehovah's Witnesses don't find out...
Several members from the Michigan Atheists group boarded a hotel shuttle to the airport subway station, headed into the pulsing heart of Boston, and found a vibrant, energetic, clean city where we battled superstition by engaging in debate with a tract-passing, placard-toting pastor named Bob.
Upon arriving back at the hotel, Ellen Johnson hosted the Annual Members Dinner and Awards Presentation. Michigan's State Director, Arlene-Marie, won State Director of the Year, receiving with it a plaque and certificate. This was a surprise to her, and for us in attendance, but we know it was deserved. Congratulations, Arlene-Marie--you rock!
SATURDAY, MARCH 30
Day 2 began with an issue some Atheists feel to be dreamweaving. Eddie Tabash's speech "Breaking the Final Taboo: Electing Atheists to Political Office," gave us hope of taxation with representation. Mr. Tabash is a Constitutional and civil rights lawyer from California who placed second (of four) in the primary for state assembly, the only open Atheist vying for that state's legislative seats.
Ibn Warraq, author of WHY I AM NOT A MUSLIM (Prometheus, $29), gave an impressive talk on Muslim religion and society. Warraq highlighted how Arabic language affects our language ("whore" is from the Arabic word for "maiden with dark eyes") and to what end the Qu'ran is used to impose authoritarianism (in Iran, men and women are still stoned to death for adultery). He was raised in the Islamic religion and now authors works and lectures in criticism of that dark patristic superstition.
Stephen Nissenbaum spoke on "Why the Puritans Hated Christmas and How Santa Claus Solved the Problem." One of his more cogent sayings, reminiscent of Orwell and Chomsky, was "The power to name time was also the power to control it." Larry Darby, Alabama State Director, discussed the "state that time forgot." Brian Lee discussed and gave a presentation showing some of the prime examples from jesusmuseum.com, a website devoted to one wacky Christian website a day: one carried the "God Hates Fags" mantra; another devoted itself to "Christian spanking" as a sensual art. My favorite site was a catharsis for women who have had abortions and want to write letters to their unborn children's souls in heaven. Or was it hell?
American Atheist Press editor, Frank Zindler, gave the final talk of the session, "Cloning and the Cult of Christ." Its subtitle was "How Christianity is Holding Back the Most Promising Medical Breakthrough of All Time." The 15 minute preamble was a shaggy-dog story on the cloning of Christ from his blood on the Fraud of Urine...er...the Shroud of Turin. Though comical and thoroughly iconoclastic in nature, it highlighted the insane logistics of a religion that would hold back human progress because of an outdated, unprovable, untestable ideology: the soul.
Much was said; much was learned. Many, myself included, renewed our interest in fighting the zealotous credulous fanatics who want to destory what Amerca was founded on. In popular media, there is a growing attempt to dissuade consensus--the Founding Fathers, they say, were all Christians who would despise the lack of prayer in public schools. This is one simple example of many hundreds I could have chosen that should send shivers of anger through every Atheist. Every time we hear such claptrap, or read an editorial, or find out our elected officials are taking apart the Jeffersonian wall brick by brick, we need to be angry and fight; every time we do not react with a letter, editorial, or call to our legislature, we let the anti-intellectuals win. One day soon, if religion controls our country, religion will ruin our lives and prosperity, taking away more freedoms than it has already, and Atheists hung in the public square by their thumbs will be a reality once again. If we want to have the freedom to assemble, we should support, American Atheists on the national and local levels, financially and otherwise.
TopThe Michigan Atheists Newsletter is an electronic publication containing news about separation of state and church, the events of Michigan Atheists, and the civil rights of Michigan's godless citizens. All content of the newsletter is the intellectual property of Greg Reich and Michigan Atheists, unless otherwise credited.
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