Secular Coalition National Weekly Update: Dawkins on the Hill
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National Secular Movement Update
Newsletter and Call
Call Every Thursday from 12PM - 12:30PM (ET)
Phone Number: 559-726-1300 Code 953064
October 3, 2013
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
Science Education Capitol Hill Briefings - On Monday, the Secular Coalition held two Capitol Hill briefings with Steven Pinker and Richard Dawkins. Despite the government shut down, both meetings were filled with Congressional staff and others who were interested in hearing the scientists give their answers to questions such as: Is evolution real? Is there life on other planets? Why are there different races? Has society become less violent over time and why? and more. The scientists began by answering questions prepared by the staff and collected from Twitter and Facebook. Questions were then opened up to the audience. Dawkins signed complimentary copies of his book immediately following the briefings. Prof. Pinkers' books unfortunately did not arrive in time for the briefings, but we will be working to get copies of his book to those in attendance as promised. A video of the U.S. House Briefing is now available online via our website and our Youtube channel. Additionally, the U.S. Senate Briefing video will be available shortly. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook and be the first to know when it's posted! Also, view photos from the briefing and Dawkins' lobbying visits here at Secular News Daily or via SCA's Facebook page.
Capitol Hill Meetings-- On Tuesday and Wednesday Dr. Dawkins participated in 10 lobbying visits arranged by the Secular Coalition on Capitol Hill. Secular Coalition staff accompanied Dawkins on the visits, where Dawkins and Edwina Rogers discussed evolution, creationism and intelligent design in public schools, humanist military chaplains, the Congressional Science Committees, the importance of science in the public sphere, and other issues ranging from artificial intelligence to gun issues as they related to religion in the U.S. The SCA had originally scheduled upwards of 15 meetings for Dr. Dawkins, at least five were canceled due to the government shutdown. Dawkins met with:
Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA)
Rep. Scott Peters (D-CA)
Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA)
Rep. Elizabeth Esty (D-CT)
Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR)
Rep. Chris Stewart (R-UT)
Rep. James Bridenstine (R-OK)
And the offices of:
Rep. Alan Grayson (D-FL),
Rep. Ralph Hall (R-TX)
Rep. Mo Brooks (R-AL)
Rep. Federica Wilson (D-FL)
Government Shutdown- Congress failed to head off the first government shutdown in 17 years. Yesterday President Obama and congressional leaders emerged from a White House meeting with little sign of progress toward ending the government shutdown, a standstill both parties acknowledge could last weeks.
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Table of Contents:
I. White House and Congressional Update
II. Secular Events and Calendar
III. Secular Movement in the News
IV. Legislative and Regulatory Update
V. Judicial
VI. SCA State Chapters
VII. Secular Student Movement Update
VIII. Policy and Research Documents
IX. Secular Coalition Expansion
X. SCA Member and Associated Organization Announcements
XII. Movement Charity Updates and Activities
XIII. Secular Artist of the Month
Please join our movement today! Follow this link to the SCA sign-up page.
I. White House and Congressional Update
White House: President Obama said Wednesday he had been "hugely impressed" by Pope Francis after being asked about the new pontiff's comments that issues of homosexuality and abortion had consumed too much of the church's attention. The president said that his admiration came "not because of any particular issue" but instead because Francis appeared to be someone "who lives out the teachings of Christ." Additionally, the President stated that the federal shutdown won't delay his selection of a new Federal Reserve chairman.
House of Representatives: House Republicans on Tuesday and Wednesday moved to re-open small portions of the federal government, bringing up bills to fund the National Park Service, part of the Department of Veterans Affairs and operations for the District of Columbia, leaving other parts of the government closed down. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) rejected the House GOP's latest effort stating "they are focusing on cherry picking the few parts of government they like.”
Senate: The Senate continues consideration of a fiscal 2014 continuing resolution (H J Res 59) and rejecting House amendments that include defunding or delays of Obamacare.
International: Things are quiet at the United Nations, as the Human Rights Council ended several weeks ago, and the General Assembly has several more weeks before it moves to the specific issues of freedom of religion, belief, and expression. Yet, on a related note, this past Monday, September 30 was International Blasphemy Rights Day, sponsored by the Center for Inquiry to recognize the day the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten published a dozen cartoons lampooning the Islamic prophet Muhammad. In recognition of this day, CFI hosted an online discussion with Kacem El Ghazzali, an atheist who was forced to leave Morocco for announcing his disbelief in God and advocacy for open discussion on religion. You can watch that here. CFI also announced a Twitter contest challenging users to express in 140 characters or less why the right to criticize religion is important. You can read more about that here.
Upcoming Hill Events
October 21- SCA's Sex Education Capitol Hill Briefings with Marty Klein and Phil Harvey.
If you are interested in attending one of these meetings, please contact Director of Federal and State Affairs, Kelly@secular.org. For UN-related questions or remarks for these meetings can email Michael DeDora at the Center for Inquiry at mdedora@centerforinquiry.net. More information on the Committee and all its events can be found at http://unforb.wordpress.com/ (Thank you to Michael DeDora for this update, mdedora@centerforinquiry.net, 646.706.6080). Otherwise, contact Edwina Rogers, Executive Director, Edwina Rogers, at Edwina@secular.org or by phone at 202-299-101 ext. 207 or cell: 202-674-7800.
II. Secular Events and Calendar
Oct. 3 - Richard Dawkins at Northwestern University (Evanston, IL)
Oct. 4-6 - 2013 Carolinas Secular Conference, (Charlotte, NC)
Oct. 6 - Richard Dawkins at Stanford University (Stanford, CA)
Oct. 9 -Richard Dawkins at Santa Clara (Commonwealth Club)
Oct. 11 -Richard Dawkins at Portland State University (with Peter Boghossian) (Portland, OR)
Oct. 12- Sacramento Freethought Day, (Sacramento, CA)
Oct. 18 -Richard Dawkins at University of Southern California (with DJ Grothe) (Los Angeles, CA)
Oct.19 - Secular Assembly for the North East, (West Haven, CT)
Oct. 20 - Richard Dawkins at Cal Tech (with Michael Shermer) (Pasadena, CA)
Oct. 21 - House & Senate Hill Briefings on Sex Education with Marty Klein and Phil Harvey
Oct. 24-27: CFI Summit (Tacoma, WA)
Oct. 26 - Kentucky Freethought Convention, (Louisville, KY)
Oct. 26-27 - Reason in the Rock, (Little Rock, AK)
Anything to add? Contact Communications Manager, Lauren Anderson Youngblood at lauren@secular.org. Please let us know if you'd like to attend one of these meetings: If you are interested, please contact Director of Federal and State Affairs, Kelly Damerow at kelly@secular.org for anything legislation-related.
III. Secular Movement In the News
Follow us on Facebook and Twitter and check out Secular News Daily for even more!
Secular Coalition in the News
SCA's Science U.S. House Briefing with Professors Dawkins and Pinker [VIDEO]
Photo Album: Hill Briefings and Dawkins' Lobbying Visits
A PAC for atheist candidates (Herb Silverman for Washington Post)
Press Release: Atheist to Congress: Balance Budget by Addressing Religious Privileging in Tax Code
MEDIA ALERT: Richard Dawkins, Steven Pinker on Capitol Hill, Monday
Atheist organization believes in Buono (Asbury Park Press)
Lobbyists For A Day: Dawkins And Pinker Stand Up For Science, Secular Government And Separation In Washington, D.C. (Americans United)
Secular and Related News
GOP adds 'conscience clause' to spending bill (CNN)
Christian TV host asks God for ‘military takeover’ of Obama’s presidency (The Raw Story)
(MA) Anti-Gay Pastor Announces Plans to Run for Governor of Mass. (EDGE Providence)
(NY) NY judge hears arguments in dispute over police department’s monitoring of Muslims (Washington Post)
Greece v. Galloway: Why We Should Care About Legislative Prayer (Center for American Progress)
Court upholds private school vouchers (Arizona Daily Sun)
Battle rages over creationism in Texas schools (MSNBC)
Planned Parenthood, ACLU Sue Texas Over New Abortion Law (Christian Post)
Please Stop Assuming All Blacks Are Christian (The Root)
Bertolli Makes the Most of Barilla Chairman's Anti-Gay Comments (Ad Week)
Kansas school board brings back student-led prayer (BizPac)
Sunday Assembly: A Godless Service Coming to a 'Church' Near You (ABC News)
Businesses Refusing to Cover Contraception Because…Citizens United?! (Mother Jones)
Blasphemy Laws Belong in the Dark Ages (Psychology Today)
Can Catholic Church Thrive Without 'Obsession' on Gays and Abortion? (Jewish Daily Forward)
Want daily updates? Click "update subscription preferences" at the bottom of this email and select "Morning Links." You can also view the Morning Read at Secular News Daily.
Calendar Events
Oct 1-7- Hug an Atheist Week
October 20 - John Dewey’s birthday (1859)
November 9 - Carl Sagan’s birthday (1934)
November 21 - Voltaire’s birthday (1694)
November 24 - Publication date of “The Origin of Species” (1859)
Are there any upcoming anniversaries, days of note, holidays or events that the movement needs to coordinate press around? Contact Communications Manager, Lauren Anderson Youngblood at lauren@secular.org.
IV. Legislative and Regulatory Update
Federal
Government Shutdown - Among the amendments ping ponged between chambers as they debate funding the government, was a House passed amendment which would have provided a "conscience clause" exemption for moral and religious reasons to coverage of women's preventive health services (targeted at no-cost coverage of contraception) through January 1, 2015. It was soundly rejected by the Senate and removed from the next House passed version. 12 Republicans voted against this next version, including Rep. Bachmann and Rep. Gohmert who cited the removal of the religious exemption as the reason they pulled support. The Secular Coalition was among 200 advocacy organizations members of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights that signed on to a letter urging Senators to oppose any amendments to the current Senate language.
National Defense Authorization and Appropriations - Senate consideration of the fiscal 2014 defense authorization bill has been bumped off the legislative agenda until late October. We are working towards the introduction of an amendment to support allowing Humanist chaplains in the military and blocking amendments which intend shield servicemembers from ordinary repercussions for discriminatory actions if they are religiously motivated. The SCA is working with multiple national level lobbying organizations to fight a number of amendments which purport to expand religious freedom, but actually use it as a justification for discrimination.
Secular Tax Reform - Tax Reform Tour- Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) and House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dave Camp (R-Mich.)are taking their tax reform inquiries to the people on a Tax Reform Tour. They visited Pennsylvania and California so far. We'll keep you updated as dates are released. We highly encourage our supporters to attend these events and speak up about unfair religious privileging in the tax code! Taxreform.gov was launched to receive public input on comprehensive tax reform through a joint effort by the Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) and House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dave Camp (R-Mich.). Visit secular.org/taxreform for more information.
Employment Non Discrimination Act -The SCA joined a working group with prominent LGBT coalitions working to support ENDA with the most limited religious exemptions possible. We successfully stopped an expansion of the exemption. The bill is expected to come up for a vote in the fall. We are working with a coalition of organizations on a national ENDA campaign and Action Alert on October 3. Keep an eye on your inbox!
Contact Kelly Damerow, Director of Federal and State Affairs, with additional suggestions or information at Kelly@secular.org.
V. Judicial
Presented this week by Andrew Seidel of the Freedom From Religion Foundation.
Arizona Court of Appeals upholds school vouchers - This case was brought under Arizona law in state court. Part of the challenge was based on the Arizona Constitution, that “no public money” shall go to any religious “instruction or to the support of any religious establishment.” The court upheld the voucher program under the typical rationale: that the public money going to the religious institution is a result of “genuine and independent private choice.” The case is Niehaus v. forppenthal, no word yet on whether it will be appealed to the Arizona Supreme Court.
Faith healing conviction upheld - In 2002, Jacqueline Crank prayed for her cancer-stricken daughter, Jessica, rather than get her medical treatment. Jessica died and Crank was convicted of child abuse and neglect (though she received just under a year, suspended to probation). Tennessee child abuse law exempts parents from abuse or neglect charges if “the sole reason the child is being provided treatment by spiritual means through prayer alone … in lieu of medical or surgical treatment.” is because the parent is doing so “in accordance with the tenets or practices of a recognized church or religious denomination by a duly accredited practitioner of the recognized church or religious denomination.” The court refused to apply the exemption to Crank and upheld her conviction.
Lawsuit claims teaching science is akin to promoting atheism - Citizens for Objective Public Education (COPE) filed a federal lawsuit against the Kansas Board of Education for seeking “to establish and endorse a non-theistic religious worldview.” The board adopted Next Generation Science Standards promulgated by the National Academies of Sciences fo K-12 science education. COPE’s complaint refers to the standards as “The Orthodoxy” a.k.a “methodological naturalism or scientific materialism.” According to COPE (and remember that the “O” stands of “objective”): “The Orthodoxy is an atheistic faith-based doctrine” with many “misleading methods used to promote the Worldview.” The complaint alleges that “the Orthodoxy” is deliberately concealed and that there are “other tools of indoctrination and evangelism” such as “misrepresentation and omission.”
If you have any additions, questions or submissions for inclusion on the judicial section for next week, contact Bill Burgess, BBurgess@americanhumanist.org, 202-238-9088 or Rebecca S. Markert, rmarkert@ffrf.org, with the Freedom From Religion Foundation at (608) 256-8900.
VI. State Chapters
Employment Nondiscrimination
Americans for Workplace Equality will be hosting volunteer events in the following states over the next month to lobby for workplace nondiscrimination: Arkansas, Arizona, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. If you would like more information on how you can get involved, please email diana@secular.org.
Upcoming State Calls: Join the call for your state chapter by dialing in: Call in number: (530) 881-1400 - Participant code: 978895.
Today: Vermont at 2 pm ET; Massachusetts at 3 pm ET; and Pennsylvania at 7 pm ET
Friday, October 4: Colorado at 11 am MT
Saturday, October 5: California at 10 am PT; and West Virginia at 2 pm ET
Sunday, October 6: New Jersey at 6:30 pm ET
Tuesday, October 8: Maryland at 6 pm ET; and Texas at 6 pm CT
Wednesday, October 9: Missouri at 3 pm CT
STATE LEGISLATURES
Currently, 6 out of 50 state legislatures are meeting in regular session, as well as the District of Columbia council.
Michigan, Wisconsin, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Ohio, and Pennsylvania are in session.
Oregon is meeting in special session. Montana, Wyoming, Kansas, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Florida, and New Hampshire are accepting prefiled bills.
California
AB 980 - This bill, which would have abortion facilities be held to the same standards as primary care centers, was enrolled and presented to the governor for his signature.
Illinois
HB 3685 - Provides that the Secretary of State may grant a waiver to the requirement that religious organization bus drivers hold a valid driver's license for 3 years prior to the date of application if there was a break of 30 days or less in holding a valid driver's license during that 3 year period.
Massachusetts
HB 382 - This bill would require all public high schools to teach courses on the bible and international religions as required subjects to promote morality and brotherhood. A hearing is scheduled on October 31, at 10:00 am with the Joint Committee On Education A-1.
Michigan
HB 4927 and HB 4991 - Both of these bills would allow for objections from child placing agencies on religious or moral grounds. Both have been referred to second reading.
New Jersey
HB 1157 - This bill, which would have allowed for non-sectarian marriage celebrants, was withdrawn from consideration.
Ohio
HB 171 - A hearing on this bill, which would allow for public school students to attend and receive credit for released time courses in religious instruction conducted off school property during regular school hours, was held yesterday.
SB 188 - This bill would prohibit persons licensed or certified, or in training to be licensed or certified, in occupations that provide professional counseling from engaging in sexual orientation change efforts with a person under eighteen years of age.
Pennsylvania
HB 1728 - This bill would provide for the display of the national motto "In God We Trust" in classrooms and other areas in public school buildings.
State Events
2013 Carolinas Secular Conference, October 4-6 (Charlotte, NC)
Sacramento Freethought Day, October 12 (Sacramento, CA)
Secular Assembly for the North East, October 19 (West Haven, CT)
Reason in the Rock, October 26-27 (Little Rock, AK)
Kentucky Freethought Convention, October 26 (Louisville, KY)
More Information on States
Legislation tracking is now available on the chapter pages of all officially launched Secular Coalition chapters sites!
We encourage everyone to “like” the Facebook pages of their state chapter, listed as “Secular Coalition for [State].
Get the latest updates and sign up to receive emails about the chapter forming in your state on the state chapter’s page on our website.
If you have seen any bills that concern secular issues in your state, please email Diana Castillo, Lobby Assistant for the Secular Coalition for America at diana@secular.org with the state and bill number in the subject line.
VII. Secular Student Movement Update
October 1-7th is Hug an Atheist Week, in which various campus groups will be holding events to raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, based on the Illini Secular Student Alliance's success last year. The Stiefel Freethought Foundation has pledged to reward any groups that send in videos of their events.
The Secular Safe Zone is still gaining momentum, with 60 Allies signed up and more coverage from an article in The Washington Times. The growth Judaism9;t come without controversy, and one of our Allies at the Ohio State University reports that his Secular Safe Zone sign has already been vandalized.
Recent controversies at high schools are getting resolved - the Freedom From Religion Foundation has sent a letter and is following up with the Madison Central High School, where the mayor came to lead the students in prayer; and Western Brown High School in Indiana has agreed to stop giving preferential treatment to religion groups in their flyering policy.For more information, questions, comments or additions to student-led efforts in the secular movement, Contact Jesse Galef, communications manager with the Secular Student Alliance at jesse@secularstudents.org.
VIII. Policy and Research Documents
For American Jews, Judaism is about culture not religion (Pew) - About one-third of Jews born after 1980 say they have no religion, compared to just 7 percent for those born before 1927. And the report found evidence that the numbers of Jews with no religion could continue to rise. A new survey of U.S. Jews has confirmed some of the community's worst fears: One in five American Jews say they have no religion, and their ranks appear to be growing.Jews in this category feel pride in being Jewish and a strong sense of belonging to the greater Jewish community. But they say their connection is based mostly on culture and ancestry, not necessarily on belief in God or observance of religious law. A large majority said remembering the Holocaust, being ethical and advocating for social justice formed the core of their Jewish identity. About seven in 10 feel very or somewhat attached to Israel and more than 40 percent had visited it.
Reminder: The Open Access on-line Research Library at the Institute for the Study of Secularism in Society & Culture, Trinity College, Hartford, CT is available to everyone in the movement. Go to www.secularisminstitute.org. This is the academic website for ISSSC. From there you can access (top right) all the reports and materials on the American Religious Identification Survey series since 1990.
Contact Barry Kosmin (barry.kosmin@trincoll.edu) Director of the Institute for the Study of Secularism in Society or Jenny Kalmanson (jenny_kalmanson@hotmail.com), who sits on the Board of the American Humanist Association, with any additions or suggestions for this list. Powerpoints, brochures, scorecards, and other resources are now available on the website. These speeches will be free and available to everyone in the movement. The Secular Coalition is looking for helpful research papers, to link to from our website and to determine where additional research needs to be done. If you are aware of any, please send information to kelly@secular.org
IX. Secular Coalition Expansion
Coalition expansion drive underway! We are looking to add Endorsing and Allied organizations through additional website sign up opportunities and meetings. Please recommend any non-movement groups we should meet with to discuss common ground.
We had 34 endorsing organizations in May of 2012; we now have 145.
Greater Mobile Atheists (AL)
Omnipresent Atheists (OH)
X. SCA Member and Associated Organization Announcements
Attorneys for the United States have been arguing that the officers of the Freedom From Religion Foundation might qualify for a clergy housing allowance. Forbes explores Should Humanist Groups Seek Church Status ?
Check out the new Google Groups "Life Atheist" group, promoting "A Better Life through an Enlightened Humanity." This list serve will be a forum where health, fitness, atheism, and ethics will become integrated by way of discussion into a lifestyle idea that will help bind together the Atheist community providing a common bond
of positive direction. Sign up to be part of the list serve here.
Want to share your organization's efforts with the SCA? Email updates, alerts, announcements or other items you'd like to share with the community to lauren@secular.org.
XII. Movement Charity Updates and Activities:
Foundation Beyond Belief is raising money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society! We are encouraging the secular movement to take part in their Light The Night Walks and help raise money through the Foundation Beyond Belief team. More information at http://foundationbeyondbelief.org/LLS-lightthenight. Foundation Beyond Belief staff will be reaching out to other secular organizations in hopes of incorporating their charity efforts into this report, and to provide a year-end summary of non-theist charity giving. The LLS LTN initiative headed by Todd Stiefel and supported by many national secular organizations has made it extremely likely that nontheists will reach $1 million in organized charitable giving in 2012.
Please contact Dale McGowan at dale@foundationbeyondbelief.org if you would like your group's charity effort to be included.
XIII. Secular Artist of the Month: October
Filmmaker: Jeremiah Camara
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