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Freethought Society's Sponsorship of 2012 Reason Rally November/December 2011 Volume 1, Number 6 Freethought Society’s Sponsorship of 2012 Reason Rally The Freethought News The Freethought Society (FS) is of one of seventeen sponsors for the Reason Rally which is delivered as an ezine will take place on Saturday, March 24, 2012 at the Washington Mall in Washington, DC newsletter only and is (10:00 AM-4:00 PM). The sponsorship rating resulted from a $1,000 donation FS made to complimentary to supporters, the Reason Rally fund in February 2011. FS was one of the very first sponsors of this excit- donors and like-minded ing event. Other sponsors include: individuals. American Atheists Secular Student Alliance To subscribe email to: American Humanist Association Society for Humanistic Judaism [email protected] Atheist Alliance of America Stiefel Freethought Foundation A limited number of hard Camp Quest The Brights copies are produced for Center for Inquiry The James Randi Educational Foundation meetings Military Association of Atheists and Free- The Richard Dawkins Foundation and special events. thinkers United Coalition of Reason Secular Coalition for America Washington Area Secular Humanists The newsletter is published by the Freethought Society (FS) Reason Rally activities are free and open to the public. Attendees will enjoy music, come- and offers information written dy, speakers, and much more. Speakers include scientist and author Richard Dawkins, blog- specifically for the ger and professor P. Z. Myers, women’s rights activist and author Taslima Nasrin and ma- nontheist community. gician and author James Randi. Entertainers include comedian Jamie Kilstein and rock Articles in this newsletter, group Bad Religion. however, do not necessarily To help ensure the success of this event, FS president Margaret Downey joined forces represent the opinions with Amy Jones Glen to set up a system of bus transportation for people to attend the rally. of the FS Board of Directors. Please see the bus service ad on page two of this newsletter. For more information, please visit: Attention writers! Interesting articles about www.ReasonRally.org freethought issues are There are two purposes for this event. One is to change the public perception of the non- welcomed. theist community. Too often, and for no good reasons, nontheists are negatively stereotyped Submissions will be reviewed as immoral, mean-spirited and joyless. A stellar platform of speakers and entertainers should and approved for publication help to change that perception. A large attendance will also demonstrate that nontheists hap- by the FS Editorial Board. pily and proudly endorse a nontheist philosophy/life stance/worldview. So please make ar- Article word count maximum is rangements to participate in this historic event. 5,000. Another purpose for the Reason Rally is to provide a unifying opportunity for nontheists Please submit articles with a who use different words to identify themselves. The Reason Rally is not concerned with la- bio and photo, a suggested title, bels or identifying words, rather to unite those who are involved with living a life free of and relevant photos/clip art to: dogma, belief in the supernatural, superstitions and gods. Constitutional freedoms will be celebrated in an atmosphere of unity at the Reason Rally. Attendees will be inspired, motivat- [email protected] ed and energized. Participants will be encouraged to make new friends, socialize and share Donation and financial support ideas. We hope the Reason Rally will be a tipping point in changing attitudes towards non- information is located on the theists. Someday it will be commonplace for secular politicians to win an election. There will last page of this newsletter. surely come a day when a lack of religious belief will not affect job status, family dynamics, laws of the land, serving in the military and influence public school education. Let’s bring FS is an educational nonprofit that day closer! organization To paraphrase Robert Green Ingersoll: The time to end negative stereotyping is now. (EIN Number 23-2738574). The place to make a difference is the March 2012 Reason Rally. Tree of Knowledge 2011 Project Report by Margaret Downey On Tuesday, October 11, 2011 Freethought Society (FS) historic tradition of encouraging minority board member Sally Flynn and I attended the Chester participation, recognizing the diversity of the County, Pennsylvania Commissioners’ Sunshine meeting to community and demonstrating respect for its varied once again confront discrimination related to annual holiday world views by accepting the Freethought Society’s displays erected on the grounds of the Chester County Tree of Knowledge display this holiday season and Courthouse on High Street in West Chester, Pennsylvania. I for years to come. Should you reject our proposal, read portions of the following letter in front of Commission- we formally request that the explanation for ers Ryan Costello, Terence Farrell and Kathi Cozzone and denying the nontheist community representation be approximately fifty people who were in attendance that day: sent to us, in writing, at your earliest opportunity. “Once again, the eyes of the nation will be on “In light of the passage of Resolution 58-10 on Chester County during the 2011 holiday season as November 18, 2010, the Freethought Society you decide which local communities will be hereby requests that the Tree of Knowledge display allowed equal participation in the government be included among the symbols you select to sponsored holiday display on the public grounds of represent the Chester County community during the a government building. upcoming 2011 winter holiday season. “Chester County Commissioners have a unique “Attached is documentation demonstrating that opportunity to join with other cities and counties the Tree of Knowledge has become a widely across the entire country by supporting the anticipated and valued local tradition. In 2010 promotion of knowledge and appreciation of several hundred people emailed messages to you diversity. Inclusion of the Tree of Knowledge in the requesting that the Tree of Knowledge remain Chester County holiday display will allow the among the holiday displays as a symbol of the nontheist community to unite with fellow citizens Chester County nontheist community, which in celebrating our fundamental Constitutional includes atheists, agnostics, humanists, secularists, guarantees of freedom, equality and justice. rationalists, skeptics, Ethical Culturalists, freethink- Thank you for your consideration of this ers and others. request.” “The Tree of Knowledge has become a widely recognized symbol celebrating education and the I gave a copy of my statement (and the attachments I written word. The Tree of Knowledge has drawn mentioned) to each of the Commissioners. My live statement visitors to West Chester from around the country, was taped and it can be viewed at the following link. It supporting local businesses. appears 48 minute and 38 seconds in the recording: “In 2007 Chester County exemplified openness and acceptance when it became the first county in http://bit.ly/sUMaEt the United States to recognize the nontheist community by including a Tree of Knowledge FS expects that the 2011 FS Tree of Knowledge display along with the Judeo-Christian holiday offer/request to display will be denied. Therefore, FS presentations. This First Amendment right to supporters are asked to participate in another “Human Tree of freedom of expression has inspired nontheist Knowledge” event/protest rally. groups across the country to erect similar displays. Please plan to participate on Saturday, December 3, 2011 “The omission of the Tree of Knowledge in 2010 at the Chester County Courthouse located at the corner of was a great disappointment to the community. High and Market Streets (2 North High Street, West Therefore, the Freethought Society is hereby Chester, PA). The event will start at 3:00 PM and will offering to donate the Tree of Knowledge and its include speeches, singing, photo opportunities and a press ornaments to Chester County for use in official conference. holiday displays. Please email FS to volunteer ([email protected]) “Should Resolution 58-10 require the county to for one of many jobs that need to be done ahead of time (new purchase display materials, we will happily accept ornaments, press releases, media training, etc.). one dollar in payment and donate that dollar to the Should the FS petition to include the Tree of Knowledge Chester County election fund. In addition, be approved, FS supporters will be notified by email and a Freethought Society supporters hereby offer to notice will be posted on the FS website. In that case, the donate time and resources to deliver, install, December 3rd plans will change to a Tree of Knowledge decorate and maintain the Tree of Knowledge decorating event. In either case, participants are invited to during the 2011 holiday season. attend a 5:00 PM “Dutch-Treat” dinner at Kildare’s Irish “We trust that Chester County will continue its Pub (18 West Gay Street, West Chester, PA). The 2011 Holiday Banner Application Process by Margaret Downey Freethought Society (FS) board member Sally Flynn and I I responded saying, “Do you know who we are?” left the October 11, 2011 Chester County Commissioner’s The clerk appeared to catch herself in revealing her own Sunshine meeting knowing that there was very little hope that bigotry and commented, “I have no idea who you are or what the Tree of Knowledge would be included in the 2011 holiday you want.” display. Plans were in place to form a human Tree of Flynn and I knew that the reactions and the responses we Knowledge on December 3, 2011 as a way to object to the encountered from this clerk were based entirely on her exclusion of nontheist representation during the winter recognition of who we were and what we wanted. We pressed season, but we knew that the rally would do little to educate forward and asked, “Who has reserved the street banner space the public.
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