OP-ED

and not those who want, for example, regimented, controlled, regulated. By much to guarantee a better life for us more and better housing developments whom, one might ask? By other indi- all as to place the responsibility for and means of transportation. But the viduals who supposedly know what is seeking such a life with individuals. We bottom line of the chorus of complaints important for the rest to do. now need to decide what to pursue with about modernity seems, in fact, to be Criticisms of modernity are voiced all the great tools that modernity has nothing other than that individuals are in terms of concern for the interests or produced. We can go seriously astray in better equipped now than ever before good of the community, the public, the that task. But it is no longer credible to to pursue their very own chosen goals. nation, or humanity, as opposed to the claim that ordinary folks are to be treat- Technology helps us to strive for our selfish pursuits of individuals. But in ed like little children who must look to chosen goals: we can travel better to the most cases, the conflict isn’t between others—others who are just as capable places where we wish to go; we can keep public and private interests but between of making mistakes—to make us behave alive longer and thus do more of what we one private interest and another. properly. want to do; we can receive information Environmentalists, for example, more rapidly than ever before, so we can have no special understanding of what Tibor R. Machan is the better understand things. Once again, society as a whole should care about— R.C. Hoiles Professor of this leads to more individual control over they simply hope to bamboozle us all Business Ethics and Free Enterprise personal affairs. into thinking that their priorities ought at the Argyros School of Business and There are a great many who find this to be everyone’s. And so it is with oth- Economics at Chapman University. intolerable. After all, is the puny individ- ers who try to elevate their own special He is the author of Putting Humans ual to be left to his or her own resources agenda to become everyone else’s, usu- First (Rowman & Littlefield, 2004). when it comes to selecting various ends ally not by argument but by law and to pursue? This cannot be allowed to public policy. go on—those people need to be guided, What modernity has done isn’t so

BILL COOKE

Reason and “In Uganda, is not simply a brand name; it Superstition in is a real danger that blights Uganda real people’s lives.”

t has become problematic through- I was in Kampala, Uganda, for out the Western world to speak three conferences. From all corners of Iof reason or superstition without Uganda, the country Winston Churchill resorting to scare quotes. To talk of rea- once called the “pearl of Africa,” and son or superstition is naïve, logocentric, from neighboring Kenya, Sudan, Tan- culturally imperialist, or some other zania, and Rwanda, people came togeth- fashionable pejorative. But wrap these er in Kampala to learn more about sorts of words in scare quotes, and we and to help strengthen the can affect a pleasing irony. humanist presence in East Africa. Why has this happened? Probably Kampala is a sprawling city, built because we in the West have lost a around a series of hills and with occa- firsthand sense of what reason or super- simply a brand name; it is a real danger sional views of Lake Victoria. Uganda stition mean in people’s lives. So what that blights real people’s lives. And rea- is a country on the way up, with some a pleasure it was to get away from this son is not a token of Western imperialism im pressive development taking place. postmodernist trivia last spring and go to but a real means by which people can This is fine for the minority of the popu- Uganda, where things are called by their reclaim responsibility for their own lives lation who have the education and skills real name. In Uganda, superstition is not from those who seek to enslave them. to take advantage of the opportunities

free inquiry http://www.secularhumanism.org 22 OP-ED

arising out of development, but most ment expecting outward conformity to article the next day under the headline people are being left behind on what is religious norms. And a man from west- “Homos Meet in Kampala.” Suddenly, the a highly unequal track. Stepping into ern Uganda who had been a practicing humanist conferences had become “the those gaps between the haves and have- witch doctor spoke about his journey first ever conference to discuss the rights nots (an area already crowded with from superstition to reason. No scare of homosexuals.” A cartoon in the follow- those holding traditional beliefs) are quotes were needed here: this man’s ing day’s paper plumbed the depths of some well-funded evangelical groups. journey really was from superstition bad taste. It portrayed some very cari- Unlike the missionaries of old, these to reason. His relief, joy, and pride at catured gays mincing off to a conference groups are not building schools or having made that journey was a sight and taunting police in full confidence hospitals. All they offer is a hysteri- to behold. He is now actively engaged of not being arrested while there were cal brand of salvation that is usually in his region in showing people how other, larger conferences attended by bound up with helping to fund their local the witch doctors’ tricks are done and representatives of nations helping Ugan- church. The day I arrived in Uganda, I encouraging the people to resist their da still in town. The policeman replies to read about an apocalyptic cult that was blandishments. the homosexuals with a veiled threat to spreading through a prestigious girls’ But the most memorable talk was dare continue the meeting after the other school in Kampala. de livered by a young Rwandan woman conferences have finished. It took a long time for the human- who spoke of the genocide in her coun- ist community to take much notice of try. She had not been scheduled to Unlike the missionaries Africa. The longest-standing commit- speak, and her talk was entirely unre- ment to Africa has come from African- hearsed, but she gave a full sense of the of old, today’s evangelists Americans for Humanism (AAH), an horror the country had undergone. It are not building schools or organization founded in 1989 by Norm was very moving. One of the stories that Allen and . Since then Norm, has not emerged from Rwanda is the hospitals. All they offer is a who is also deputy editor of FREE shameful role of many church leaders in IN QUIRY, has continually cultivated Afri- encouraging the genocide, leading the hysterical brand of salva- can humanists. He frequently published murderers to victims or at the very least tion that is African writers in his group’s newslet- taking no action to prevent the killings. ter, the AAH Examiner, sending out At the conferences, I also realized usually bound up with donated materials from Prometheus the depth of respect for Norm Allen Books and occasionally visiting Africa. that has developed over the past fifteen helping to fund their local Things began to pick up in 2001, when years. Norm chaired sessions in two church. the first major humanist conference of the three conferences (the only non- on the African continent was held in IHEU person to do so) and was a major . The conference was paid for by speaker, panelist, and opinion-leader in This blatantly dishonest reporting the Center for Inquiry, and the Center all three. Leo Igwe, Nigerian CFI exec- did the humanist conferences a grave for Inquiry–Nigeria was set up shortly utive director, and Deo Ssekitooleko, disservice. All the other issues discussed afterwards. his Ugandan counterpart, both gave ful- over five days dissolved into irrelevance The first conference held last spring some praise to Norm’s dedication over as we had now been branded a “homo was the International Humanist and the past decade and a half to build the conference.” The hotel where the con- Ethical Union (IHEU) youth confer- foundations of African humanism. And ferences were held was visited by the ence in which about sixty young peo- both mentioned Norm’s role in their own police, though no arrests were made. ple from Africa and Europe took part. path toward humanism. Roy Brown, The New Vision ran a major op-ed piece Then there was a day-long conference IHEU president, described Norm as “a a few days later in which Paul Waibale at which the Ugandan Humanist Asso- pillar of African humanism.” Sr. confessed to being “gravely amazed” ciation (UHASSO) was established. And Besides persecution of the nonre- to hear that Ugandan law had been flout- then came an international conference, ligious, other forms of discrimination ed in so cavalier a fashion by “two asso- sponsored by the IHEU, under the title were discussed at the conferences. In ciations I have never heard of, namely “Humanist Visions for Africa.” Uganda, homosexuality carries with it the Uganda Humanist Association and I was impressed by the youth and a maximum of life imprisonment, and the In ternational Humanist and Ethical passion of the African humanists. Many there is severe punishment even for fail- Un ion.” Roy Brown went out of his way of them had struggled to Kampala on ing to report homosexual activity to the to correct the misinformation, but I buses; some even hitchhiked. At the con- police. Not surprisingly, then, the few don’t think the New Vision was inter- ference, they told their personal stories. Ugandan homosexuals brave enough to ested in presenting the conference hon- A young teacher from Tanzania spoke show their faces began speaking up at estly. I hope UHASSO can survive the of the discrimination he faced from the the conference. The conference agreed negative publicity. religious authorities of his school for that this form of discrimination was Had the New Vision reporters stayed not toeing the orthodox line. A group of unacceptable in an open society. longer, they could have collected more students from Nairobi University spoke Nobody was ready for the press reac- material with which to berate human- of their sense of isolation in an environ- tion. The New Vision paper carried an ists. Dr. Sylvia Tamale of Makerere

23 http://www.secularhumanism.org Oct./Nov. 2004 OP-ED

University gave a fiery indictment of the hundred titles donated by Prometheus The leadership of this organization is ded- patriarchal conservatism in Ugandan Books sit proudly on shelves alongside icated, intelligent, and realistic. Ugandan society that conspires to hold women the two tables and the two computers. humanists will be battling superstition by down. There were also some good pre- The Center for Inquiry delegation had using reason, without recourse to scare sentations on third-world debt, global- come to the conference with a donation quotes. And after this conference, they ization, and the rise of Islam. of US$2,000 for CFI–Uganda/UHASSO are now a focal point for humanists from After the conference it was wonder- (twice the size of any other gift the group all the neighboring countries. I couldn’t ful to see the office of CFI–Uganda/ received), so it was inspiring to see the help feeling hopeful as I left the coun- UHASSO. Just down the road from money being used in this way. This office try—hopeful for Uganda and hopeful for Makerere University, in a building will be the nerve center not only for humanism. being comprehensively renovated, the Ugandan humanism but for humanism only room already occupied is the CFI– throughout East Africa. Bill Cooke is director of Trans- Uganda office. As one closes the door on Viewing the facilities, I was able to national Programs for the Center for all the concrete dust and noise, the two regain confidence in UHASSO’s future. Inquiry.

NORM R. ALLEN JR.

cinated with the books that they read them in one sitting. A couple of years ago, the Council for Humanism in Africa offered space on its Web site for the loosely formed African Humanist Alliance. At the Kampala con- ference, this organization was formal- Marches Forward ized, infusing African humanist leaders with new energy and enthusiasm. Under n late May and early June 2004, I par- the leadership of Leo Igwe, director of ticipated in major meetings in Kam- the Center for Inquiry–Nigeria, and Ipala, Uganda, and Ikenne, Ni geria, Gebregeorgis Yohannes, of the Ethi- which were attended by humanists from opian Humanist Organization, African Africa, Europe, and North America. humanists are poised to spread human- From May 20 to 24, the Inter national ist ideals throughout the African con- Humanist and Ethical Youth Organ ization tinent. (IHEYO) held a conference with the theme On June 1 and 2, humanists met in “Hu manism for Global Peace and Social Ikenne, Nigeria, to commemorate the Justice.” Numerous workshops addressed tenth anniversary of the death of Tai topics including poverty, sexuality, Solarin, one of Nigeria’s leading edu- wo men’s rights, women and reproductive cators and humanists. The conference rights, AIDS and religion, the education was held at the Mayflower School, which of street children, and others. One of the the Congo, Tanzania, southern Sudan, So larin established as the only secular highlights was a presentation by Caro - and other African countries discussed school in Nigeria. Since his death in lyn Nakazibwe, a Ugandan and editor of Africa’s need for humanism. Many had 1994, however, the school has become the newspaper The Weekly Observer. never heard of the organization I repre- increasingly religious. There is now a Ms. Nakazibwe discussed the difficulty of sented: African Americans for Human- Christian church on the school’s prop- publishing information on sexuality in ism, a project of the Council for Secular erty—a de velopment that certainly does Uganda’s press. Despite opposition from Humanism. They were thrilled to learn not sit well with humanists who visit the conservative forces in Uganda, her news- that such a group exists. They were very school. paper covers sex education, AIDS pre- eager to learn more about the group, Topics at this conference included vention, masturbation, and other topics and they acquired free copies of my “Tai Solarin’s Philosophical Views,” “Tai many Ugandans consider unsuitable for books African American Humanism: Solarin and Free Thought,” “How Re ligion publication. An Anthology and The Black Human- Underdeveloped Africa,” “Free Thought On May 25 and 26, humanists gath- ist Experience: An Alternative to Re li- on Nigerian Campuses,” “Secu lar ism and ered for a conference titled “Humanist gion, as well as the latest issue of Nigeria,” and numerous presentations Visions for Africa.” Humanist activists our international newsletter, the AAH on and superstition. Indeed, from Nigeria, Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, Ex aminer. Some said they were so fas- among the subjects of greatest interest to

free inquiry http://www.secularhumanism.org 24