May/June 2016 Volume 8, Number 3 Reason Rally 2016 — An Event Not to Miss Expecting to draw the largest crowd of secular and nonreligious people in human history, The Freethought Society News Reason Rally 2016 (#ReasonRally2016) will take place Saturday, June 4, 2016 at the Ezine is published by Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. beginning at 10:00 AM. Dozens of outstanding The Freethought Society (FS) speakers including —Eugenie Scott, Lawrence Krauss, John De Lancie, James “The for the nontheist community. Amazing” Randi, Penn Jillette, Cara Santa Maria, Kelly Carlin, Johnny Depp, Carolyn Porco, Amber Heard, John Davidson, Julia Sweeney, Bill Nye “The Science Free subscriptions Guy” — and many others will be there to promote shared values for science, education, are available for reason, and the separation of religion and government. The full list of speakers can be supporters, donors found at: www.ReasonRally.org/speakers and like-minded individuals The nonstop program will include music (Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington DC, upon request. Wu-Tang Clan, The Fab Four, Shelley Segal, Sophia Kameron, and others); speeches (politicians, scientists, activists, and celebrities); and comedy (Paul Prevenza, Leighann Contact FS at: Lord, Margaret Cho and many more). The stage program will end at 7:00 PM. An [email protected] exhibition tent will be open during the same hours, giving major and minor sponsors the ability to promote their mission, vision, and goals. Articles on topics of interest to A special onsite “Donations Tent” will provide attendees an opportunity to donate to a freethinkers are welcomed wide variety of organizations. All donations are tax-deductible. No goods or services will and will be considered be provided as per National Park Service regulations. for publication. Camp Quest will be providing activities throughout the day at their family tent. Openly Secular will be filming thoughtful narratives throughout the day for posting at the Submit articles Openly Secular website. Find them in the Exhibition Tent. (5,000 word count max.) At its inaugural event in March 2012, Reason Rally drew over 20,000 people for a for review by the single day of celebration despite the weather. By popular demand, Reason Rally 2016 will FS editorial board. feature four days of activities and events beginning Thursday, June 2nd through Sunday, June 5th held throughout the Capitol Hill area in D.C. Free events will be held daily, with Please submit articles with ticketed activities that will include music, comedy, community service, speeches, and a bio and photo, opportunities for secular activism. Additional information can be found at the Reason a suggested title, and Rally 2016 website: www.ReasonRally.org relevant photos/clip art to: Reason Rally 2016 is organized and sponsored by the Reason Rally Coalition, a non- profit organization formed in 2011 by the nation’s leading secular and nonreligious, non- [email protected] profit organizations for the purpose of rallying the 1-in-5 Americans who identify with secular, humanist, skeptic, freethought, and atheist worldviews. Member organizations FS is an educational currently include: Freedom from Religion Foundation, American Atheists, American 501(c)3 organization. Humanists Association, Center for Inquiry, The Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science, Secular Coalition for America, Stiefel Freethought Foundation, Hispanic Donations and American Freethinkers, Atheist Alliance of America, Military Association of Atheists and financial support are Freethinkers, Camp Quest, Secular Student Alliance, Ex-Muslims of North America, encouraged and appreciated. Black Nonbelievers, and The Freethought Society. For donation information, Reason Rally 2016 is a free and open-to-the-public event. Reason Rally organizers please see the last page foresee this event to be the largest gathering of nonreligious folks and supporters. The of this Ezine. Reason Rally Coalition is dedicated to emphasizing that a person can be good without believing in a God/gods. This event will represent a community that advocates for public Tax ID Number: 23-2738574 policy to be based on scientific evidence, not religious beliefs. Nontheists are voters who support the separation of religion and government and who think that public policy should Articles herein do not be based on facts, not faith. The nontheist community advocates medical research based necessarily represent on scientific rigor — not on ideological influences. Nontheists are proud to say that being official positions of FS. patriotic has nothing to do with believing in gods and that religious litmus tests for candidates are just plain wrong. u Who is Organizing the 2016 Reason Rally? The following people are credited for having organized the entire Reason Rally 2016 event taking place at the Lincoln Memorial on Saturday, June 4, 2016. They are members of the Reason Rally Coalition board of directors and they each bring their particular talents to the effort. Some of these board members are chairs of committees and some act as advisors. They all work in unison as a great team. The Freethought Society (FS) thanks them for all the hard work and expertise they contribute. FS editors asked each person one question in preparation for this article. The question was, “When Reason Rally 2016 is over, what is your vision for attendees to take home from the event?” Below are answers from all the Reason Rally Coalition board members, their photos, and an overview of their positions in the nontheist community. If you see them at the Reason Rally, please take a moment to thank them for all they did to make this event possible. Debbie Allen Robyn Blumner Board Member American Humanist Association, Board President and CEO of The Richard Dawkins Foundation for Member Humanist Society, Local Director of the San Diego Reason and Science Coalition of Reason, and Secretary of the Reason Rally Coalition
The Rally's theme is “Speak Up for Reason!” and Rally- goers should take that as a charge. The Rally will inspire and entertain, but for it to have lasting impact people will have to act when they return home. Don’t let the excitement What remains with me to this day is the feeling of belonging of the Rally dissipate into the distractedness of daily life. that enveloped me at the first Reason Rally. Surrounded by Become an advocate for reason. If not you, then who? thousands of people who identify as humanists, atheists, and freethinkers, I delighted in not having to explain myself, or Kelly Damerow constrain my enthusiasm. I still derive great joy and President of Reason Rally and Representative of the Secular inspiration from the photos of us standing united on the Coalition for America National Mall in 2012. Just imagine... all of us standing in front of the Lincoln Memorial in 2016! This will be a I hope attendees leave historical moment in our movement, and I hope to share it knowing that they’re part of with you!! a community that has the power to move mountains, Dan Barker but watershed moments in Co-President of the Freedom From Religion Foundation history don’t begin and end in a single day. To fully I look forward to the Reason attain the respect and re- Rally encouraging even more cognition our community nonbelievers to come out of the deserves we must be open closet, stand proud for atheism, with our friends and our speak out for reason over faith, neighbors. We must engage and fight even harder for with the political process at secular government — the best all levels of government. We hope for the world. Each person must invest in secular or- who speaks out for reason ganizations that defend the creates a ripple effect. I wish vision and values of our someone such as that had community, not for an imme- challenged me when I was a diate or ultimate reward but because we want a future built minister. It would have made a on equality, inclusion, freedom, and knowledge. difference. David Diskin Annie Laurie Gaylor President, Camp Quest West and President of the California Co-President of the Freedom From Religion Foundation Freethought Day I hope (but not pray!) that The Reason Rally is a symbol this amazing event will of the growing voice of secular inspire us all to redouble America. I hope that those who our efforts to uphold the attend no longer feel like they principles of the Enlighten- are alone in their struggle as ment. For our nation and nonreligious persons, feeling civilization to thrive and connected to that growing survive, reason must prevail. voice. I hope that those who we Congress and candidates have elected to office will no have not caught up with the longer underestimate the size changing demographics — and passion of that growing the rise of the “Nones.” The voice. I also hope that our Reason Rally and the religious allies will join the growing voice in the fight for activism it motivates will secular rights. show public officials they dare not continue to ignore Margaret Downey and marginalize our Founder and President of the Freethought Society presence and priorities. We hope that citizens will Sarah Haider be inspired to return to Director of Development for the Ex-Muslims of North their homes and watch America. for violations that tear down the Jeffersonian With this Rally, I want to Wa l l o f s e p a r a t i o n unite the nonreligious. I want between religion and to energize them to be active government. The Reason with their sense of reason Rally will empower and advocate for it in their people to take action if communities as well as in any violations are found. their everyday lives. I want Behind every activist them to know that they are there are supportive not alone, that there are members of the secular many Americans just like community and Reason them who share their values. Rally 2016 will bring Most importantly, I want everyone together. The them to take home a sense of program and exhibition space will also provide large and pride to be a part of this small groups a terrific opportunity to represent the nontheist exciting secular change in the American landscape. community in an exciting, entertaining and educational way. We want nontheists to bring family and friends so that a Lyz Liddell better understanding of our community takes place. It’s time Executive Director of the Reason Rally Coalition to end negative stereotyping and unfounded bigotry against nontheists. We are fun, intelligent, friendly and helpful My hope is that Reason people. Attend and see for yourselves! Rally 2016 attendees take home the ins- Phil Ferguson piration of the Rally Business Owner and and the drive to get Treasurer of Reason more involved. Secular Rally Coalition Americans are a tre- mendous voting bloc — When Reason Rally but only if we get out to 2016 is over you will the polls, lobby our know that you are legislators, run for not alone. Together office, and make our we can make a huge voices heard. This social difference. You election season is criti- will also be able to cal for us to Speak Up tell your children — I for Reason — so let’s was there! get out there and do it! Ron Lindsay Roy Speckhardt Senior Research Fellow, and Executive Director of the American Humanist Association President and Chief Executive Officer at the Center for When folks return home from the Inquiry Reason Rally, I envision the seeds planted at the largest gathering of I want attendees to recognize nontheists in history will blossom that the secular movement is into a drive to join local and more unified, more numerous, national efforts to dispel the pre- and more powerful than ever. If judice against humanists and all we work together and stay other atheists and agnostics. We can committed, we can succeed in replace that prejudice with a uni- removing the influence of versal respect for reason. religious dogma on our public policy. Mandisa Thomas Founder and President of Black Nonbelievers Samantha McGuire President of the Washington Area Secular Humanists and It is my hope that those Founder and Chapter Coordinator of the Southern Maryland attending the Reason Secular Humanists. Rally will understand how much the secular My hope is that the population is growing, attendees of Reason Rally the importance of our 2016 go home feeling acceptance, and that energized from the reali- there are many ways to zation that they are a part get involved. We are of a large and quickly- becoming a force to be growing community of recognized, and every- people that have the same one’s help is needed — no concerns that they do. matter how minute it may Concerns about separation seem. We are all in this of church and state, the fight together. lack of science driven policy and unequal treat- David Tomayo ment of women, minorities Vice President of Reason Rally, and Founder and President as well as the LGBT of the Hispanic American Freethinkers community. My wish is that With more than 56 million they return home with Hispanics in our country, some solid ideas of how to we need leaders who give advocate for change in their own communities. priority to reason instead David Silverman of superstition. We need President of American Atheists leaders who value edu- cation and who favor the My vision is for every Reason separation of church and Rally attendee, every one of state. It is important to them, to leave the event and show everyone, including related activities a changed all the Washington politi- person. Yes, I want them all cians, that we want a to have a great time, but my nation with leadership that vision is also for their time to uses critical thinking skills be transformative. I want in legislation; we want them to leave with a renewed them to understand that or heightened interest in we are not going to stay important atheist activism silent and that it is time to question and object to all thinking and realize the value of being based on superstitions, mythologies, and imaginary things. involved in our movement. I The Reason Rally is the perfect way to let them understand want people to come as this. It is also a great opportunity to meet other people who attendees, and leave as think alike and, by attending this free event, you can support activists, or at the very least, the nonprofit (national as well as local) organizations that supporters of activism. have been fighting for Reason. Actor, Humanitarian
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