CFINO 2012 Conference: “On the Barricades: Reason vs. Religion in Public Policy”
- Edward Tabash, constitutional lawyer, member of the Board of Directors for both Center for Inquiry and the Council for Secular Humanism, Chair of the National Legal Committee for Americans United for Separation of Church and State
- Sheila Kennedy, Professor of Law and Policy in the School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Faculty Fellow at the Center for Religion and American Culture (both IUPUI), past columnist for the Indianapolis Star
- Michael De Dora, director of CFI's Office of Public Policy and CFI's representative to the United Nations
- Ed Brayton, blogger at Dispatches from the Culture Wars, co-founder of FreethoughtBlogs.com, radio host, comedian
REGISTRATION: (Cost is per person and includes a full lunch)
- General Admission: $65
- CFI Members (Friends of the Center): $55
- Students (with valid student ID): $25
NOTE: Registrations must be received by October 2 in order to reserve space and meals.
For more information, please email neohio@centerforinquiry.net or call 216-932-3081.
SPEAKERS
As a constitutional lawyer, Edward Tabash has filed amicus briefs arguing for the preservation of the separation of church and state with the United States Supreme Court and the California Supreme Court. Tabash serves on the Board of Directors for both the Center for Inquiry and the Council for Secular Humanism. He also serves as the Chair of the First Amendment Task Force of the Council for Secular Humanism and the Chair of the National Legal Committee for Americans United for Separation of Church and State. Tabash has participated in debates with many prominent religious spokesmen, including William Lane Craig, Richard Swinburne, and Peter van Inwagen.
Sheila Kennedy is a Professor of Law and Policy in the School of Public and Environmental Affairs at Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis. She is also a Faculty Fellow with both the Center for Religion and American Culture in the School of Liberal Arts and the Tobias Center of the Kelley School of Business, and an adjunct professor of political science. Before working at IUPUI, Kennedy had several careers; she worked in real estate, business law, and as a columnist for the Indianapolis Star. She served as the Corporation Counsel for the City of Indianapolis, and in 1980 was the Republican candidate for Indiana's then 11th Congressional District seat. In 1992, Kennedy became Executive Director of the Indiana Civil Liberties Union, a position she held until joining the faculty at IUPUI in 1998.
Michael De Dora is director of the Center for Inquiry Office of Public Policy and CFI's representative to the United Nations. He has been with CFI since 2008, serving as Executive Director of CFI's NYC office for three years prior to his current position. Michael has appeared on numerous media outlets, including: The New York Times, Al Jazeera English, FOX News Live, Hannity, NBC and ABC New York, BBC World Service, and the Ron Reagan Show. His areas of expertise include humanistic and naturalistic ethics, as well as religion and politics, religious freedom and the rights of the nonreligious, and separation of church and state.
Popular blogger Ed Brayton, of Dispatches from the Culture Wars, is one of the founders of the freethoughtblogs.com collective (FTB). His blog, subtitled "Thoughts from the interface of science, religion, law and culture," is the premier political journal on FTB. Ed is also the host of Culture Wars Radio on WPRR in Michigan. Before "manning the barricades" in the culture wars, Ed toured the country as a standup comedian. He has appeared on the Rachel Maddow Show and the Thom Hartmann Show, and, per his blog, "is almost certain that he is the only person ever to make fun of Chuck Norris on C-SPAN."
DIRECTIONS
Interstate 77:
Take exit 155 and head west on Rockside Rd. Turn left at Summit Park Dr., then make a quick left into the Crowne Plaza parking lot (5300 Rockside Rd.).
Ohio Turnpike:
From the west, take exit 151 (I-480 East) to exit 20B (I-77 South-Akron). Follow the exit to Rockside Rd./Independence/Seven Hills. Turn right on Rockside Rd., then left at Summit Park Dr., and make a quick left into the Crowne Plaza parking lot (5300 Rockside Rd.).
From the east, take exit 173 (I-77 North) toward Cleveland. Take exit 155 (Rockside Rd. - Independence). Turn left on Rockside Rd. and follow for ¼ mile to Summit Park Dr. Turn left on Summit Park Dr. and make a quick left into the Crowne Plaza parking lot (5300 Rockside Rd.).
Interstate 480:
From the west, take exit 20B (I-77 South-Akron). Follow the exit to Rockside Rd./Independence/Seven Hills. Turn right on Rockside Rd., then left at Summit Park Dr., and make a quick left into the Crowne Plaza parking lot (5300 Rockside Rd.).
From the east, take exit 20A-20B (I-77 N/I-77 S). Follow the exit to Rockside Rd./Independence/Seven Hills. Turn right on Rockside Rd., then left at Summit Park Dr., and make a quick left into the Crowne Plaza parking lot (5300 Rockside Rd.).
ACCOMMODATIONS
Crowne Plaza Independence
5300 Rockside Road
Independence, OH 44131
(216) 524-0700
Comfort Inn Independence
6191 Quarry Lane
Independence, OH 44131
(216) 328-7777
Courtyard Cleveland Independence
5051 West Creek Road
Independence, OH 44131
(216) 901-9988
CLEVELAND MAKES A GREAT WEEKEND DESTINATION!
Coming from out of town? Why not make a weekend of it? Check these websites for activities happening in Northeast Ohio:
