Over view of AAI Conference
First off I will say a big thank you to all the people that visited the Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science stall in Crystal City this weekend gone. It was one that we volunteers will never forget, not only for the kind comments about the site and Richard, but for the comradelier that existed. In this venue we could promote the OUT campaign that Richard demonstrated with real passion in his talk. The “Don’t Label Children” wrist band proved popular and we got Dennet, Harris and Hitchens to wear one – once again having an ice breaker.Then I must thank my fellow volunteers, because this was a team effort. Whether it was someone getting Hitchens a bottle of wine as he sat with us and we talked to him, which was a real treat.
In particular I mentioned to Hitchens the Jefferson Memorial exhibition directly under the memorial presents the separation between church and state as a freedom of expression issue, rather than a governance and liberty from religion poisoning the political process.Hitchens has never been to the exhibition centre in his twenty five years in DC, but he has said that he will go and write his take on it and set the wheels in motion for a proper historic representation. Sadly he and Richard were other wise engaged with prior commitments to join the thirty of us that went to the Jefferson Memorial then on to the White House while wearing our “A” T shirts. Once again, help was on hand with the Rational Response Squad telling us of a documentary team in DC for them – giving us the number, and then others with Cell phones making it happen. Thus the thirty of us outside the White House will be a part of this documentary and a chance to outline the http://outcampaign.org/Once again people helped out whether it was getting to the Metro, memorial and White House or helping us to pose for photos and the film crew. It may take a few days to get those photos up so I would encourage those that were with us to please give us your photos of the event.
When I get to England (I write this on the plane back) I hope to post some of my photos on the forum, or at least provide them via http://www.myspace.com/homo_economicus Do incidentally look at OBC’s thread where he has posted photos. We will over the next few days try and collect them and find the best.So in many ways it was like the forum, with staff helping with activities and community members helping to make it a success. One thing I am proud of is that the RDFRS site as a whole is in large part a success due to the wider community support, and we were all grateful for your generous comments but really we think you are great in helping to raise consciousness simply by becoming aware of the issues and taking part in the OUT campaign.
One thing that must be realised is that for all of us Brits this was the first time we had met Richard. If we had a pound for every time someone asks us to pass a message on to him then we would have been in a room at the Crown Plaza. The second thing is that all of us on the forum side of things, and in Crystal City, are volunteers. We manage the forum in our spare time while having full time jobs and other commitments. I only mention it because I think people have this image of us on the forum 24/7 in Richard’s lounge while Lalla gets us all a cup of tea and we discuss life, the universe and everything.
While Julie Sweeney described Dawkins as being a hero on a par with Paul McCartney, it has been good to be close to see what he, Josh and the team that run the front site do at close quarters. He is in such demand and he is so willing to give of himself and to RDFRS. By the way, Julie is really approachable, down to earth and I am hoping that she will adopt me as her son. Julie Sweeney was given the Dawkins award for 2006. In the Q & A Dawkins has stated his intention of writing a science book for children, but one that teaches them to think using the scientific method. No idea how long that project will take (if memory serves when he publicly said he was working on The God Delusion it came out two years later) but you heard it here what his next book will be. As I think most of us know he has edited a collection of scientific works for Oxford University Press that he has completed.
Margaret Downey, the President of AAI is a woman that any man would want by his side for all reasons one could wish. She was always available, kept in touch with us on the stall, and at the drop of a hat ready to help us with any idea we had come up with in the bar the night before. She constantly tried to give us all the best conference ever – despite the line up guaranteeing it. Did not get a chance to tell her husband that I have fallen in love with her and what a fortunate guy he was. You and the volunteer hosts did a marvellous job.
Mind you if there was someone else that could be a rival for my affections it was the author of “Infidel”. Her speech was sincere, based on experience, and a reason why belief in belief and faith lacking reason is why RDF and the other bodies are so vital – people’s lives get fucked up over this (forgive that, but I cannot stress it better any other way). Hitchens is right that one and all would get in the way of an assassins hand if they had tried anything. When Richard at the very end asked for permission to nominate her for the Nobel Peace Prize as one we rose to applaud. I look very much to reading my signed copy of her book as soon as my luggage that did not make my connecting flight is sent to me tomorrow.
At this moment on the train from London back to the Midlands. It seems strange hearing English dialects again and I am more conscious of the differences then usual. Also it was -4 C when I touched down compared to highs of over 30 C in Washington and Virginia. Seeing people with a scarf on rather than shades adds to the frostiness of the local people compared to the USA where people are more in your face in a nice way than detached. But then I am reminded why air conditioning is not as common here – we do not need it like the people in DC.
Sam Harris spoke after Richard and he had something to say that which was something of a led balloon and his speech had the most silent response compared to all the other speakers. It was uncomfortable, and I could tell that Sam knew it was not playing to the gallery but he felt he had something important to say and with honest people like that in the movement I am confident.
His message was that the word “atheism” has too much baggage – he pointed out that he had not used that word to describe himself in “End of Faith”. But more importantly he was suggesting that it was not necessary to identify ourselves as such – anymore then we would as anti-astrologers or anti-racists when talking about these issues, let alone stating we were atheists when doing so to get our point across. His argument on an issue like stem cell research is that the A word need not ever be mentioned because reason and science could prevail in that debate.
When we keep using atheism in non atheism issues he said it was like we were lying down in a chalk body outline willingly for the opposition. At last he got a laugh. But when he mentioned about meditating hermits in caves being happy without usual external stimuli he lost the audience, with one question suggesting he was a super naturalist. I think I shouted shame at that point in my head or out loud, because he had not invoked that – only that what makes us happy may have more to it then we in the west our inclined to think. When I gave Sam the wrist band I thanked him for his guts – but like Dawkins he was busy all over the place so no chance to pick his brains because both of us have an affinity for the philosophical poetry of the east. Once again he made clear that he is a materialist but people seem not to hear that…
As for Hitchens, well he makes one loose his heterosexuality. Unlike the others, he was not running about the place but rather slowly wondering about and joining people, allowing them to talk to him about whatever, as mentioned earlier. In his speech he mentioned that people ask him if he really means everything when saying religion poisons everything. Everything? “What chess?” to laughs.
Yet I remembered John Simpson in one of his books writing that the restrictions on entering Taliban Afghanistan included chessmen and board – he hated being told what not to do, so he deliberately packed them. So yes, even chess is poisoned by religion. It seeps through like radiation, and the mutation is not to be considered always neutral or beneficial to the human mammal the way people that profess belief in belief think.
People did try to tear him apart for his pro Iraq war stance. He handled them in the way I admire him – namely that like him I am not prepared to see my fellow secularists and atheists slaughtered at the hands of religious fundamentalists who care nothing for their people but use them as a means to bring about the 13th Imam and the end of the world. (For more, see previous blogs on Hitchens here). I cannot do justice to Hitchens demolishing their arguments and it was noticeable that only questioners heckled. I love this guy and wish him well and good health for years to come.
I hope to write in more detail about my views of what was said, especially Sam Harris. However I am now going to close my eyes and listen to my new “mum”. I shall also talk about Dennet in the days to come as his acceptance speech for an award by Dawkins, based on “Breaking the Spell” deserves it.
Forgive me if the grammar or spelling is wrong. I am jet lagged and will I am sure resolve any issues, but I guessed you guys wanted something about the AAI Conference. By all means tell me but bear in mind that I am extremely tired (I am now back home) – but I want to share my experience with you. Thanks for that understanding!
