A Note on D.J. Grothe: Looking Back, Moving Forward
by Debbie Goddard, CFI Campus Coordinator
A new year has arrived, which brings new resolutions and ideas for the future as well as some time to reflect on the past. At CFI, we started the year off with a big change in the Outreach Department: D.J. Grothe, former VP and Director of Outreach, left to take the position of President of the James Randi Educational Foundation, while Lauren Becker, a tireless advocate for science, was promoted to fill his position.
I first met D.J. at a CFI conference in Atlanta in the fall of 2001, a few months after he was hired as the Council for Secular Humanism's Field Director and I'd started volunteering with the campus outreach program. He first became involved in the freethought/skepticism movement through campus grassroots organizing, as I did. As my involvement increased over the years, I had several opportunities to travel to New York City, Amherst, and other cities for events including the CFI Institute summer sessions, debates and seminars in NYC, CFI NYC's grand opening in Rockefeller Center, the 2003 CFI conference in D.C., and more—I even held a work-study position at CFI NYC while a student at Temple University. Over the course of these experiences and many dinners and late-night conversations, I came to know D.J. and other CFI field staff pretty well.
Atlanta, 2001: D.J. demonstrates card magic skills to the gathered students
When I was hired by CFI as a field organizer a few years ago, I was glad to be granted the opportunity to reinvest the knowledge and experience I'd gained over years of volunteering back into the grassroots movement. D.J. was my boss and friend, and while he forged successful CFI branches across North America and directed CFI's international campus outreach program, he also provided personal guidance and opportunities for professional development.
Although D.J.'s employment at CFI ended at the close of 2009, a new door has opened. He's working for a different organization now, but we're all glad to know that he remains deeply involved with the movement, committed to supporting critical thinking, science, and skepticism at the grassroots and beyond. Additionally, his position with JREF opens up exciting new avenues for cooperation between our organizations and new possibilities for advancing our shared values. And on a personal level, I'm sure he and I have many more adventures and late-night conversations in store, perhaps at NECSS in NYC later this semester, maybe at TAM 8 in Vegas over the summer, definitely at Dragon*Con in Atlanta during Labor Day weekend. I'm looking forward to those and am excited to see what the next decade brings.
Express yourself!
Campaign for Free Expression
Essay Contest
The Campaign for Free Expression is a CFI initiative to focus efforts and attention on one of the most crucial components of freethought: the right of individuals to express their viewpoints, opinions, and beliefs about all subjects—especially religion. To encourage free expression and to emphasize the importance of this fundamental right, CFI is sponsoring an essay contest.
Students enrolled in an accredited college or university are invited to submit an essay about "The Importance of Free Expression and Its Limits (If Any)." Each entry must address the question of what limits national governments or recognized international bodies, such as the United Nations, may justifiably place on free expression. First prize is $2,000 (USD). Download contest rules online. Deadline: Midnight, January 31, 2010.
For more information about the Campaign for Free Expression, please email info@centerforinquiry.net.
Massimo Pigliucci Visits Kennesaw State University
by Terry Jorgensen, Student Coalition for Inquiry at KSU
Since history majors Greg Carr (president) and Meagan Diedolf (vice president) founded Kennesaw State University's Student Coalition for Inquiry in Spring 2009, we have had numerous social events, book and video discussions, and guest lecturers in just under a year. This very productive inaugural semester culminated in a keynote address by a champion of science education, rationalism, and skepticism: Dr. Massimo Pigliucci.
Dr. Pigliucci's eventful weekend in Kennesaw began Friday with lunch and a presentation to KSU faculty and SCI officers about the overlapping roles of science and philosophy, followed that night by dining with Atlanta's Skeptics in the Pub. Saturday morning's breakfast with SCI members included a lively discussion of politics, science, and the future of skepticism, after which he presented his lecture to the Atlanta Freethought Society.
Meagan and Greg / A crowd gathers for the keynote address
Dr. Pigliucci delivered his keynote address at KSU on Saturday evening, filling 140 seats (a surprising and rewarding turnout for our first big event), and many attendees joined him afterward for more casual conversation over dinner and drinks.
Dinner was followed by an award ceremony. Dr. Pigliucci was presented with SCI's Bertrand Russell Award, and helpful contributors to the event were presented with Golden Sasquatch awards (Sassies):
Dr. Pigliucci with the Bertrand Russell Award / Golden Sasquatch award winners
Ryan McGee helped notify various like-minded groups in the community and coordinated the sale of skeptical merchandise to help raise money and the distribution of free literature (generously provided by CFI) to spread awareness of our cause.
Shiny things for sale and educational materials for free on the merchandise tables
Terry Jorgensen organized a weekly book discussion of Dr. Pigliucci's Denying Evolution, during which it was discovered that a copy of the book in KSU's library had been defaced by having pages torn out. Not one to be deterred by the repression of ideas, I turned the vandalism into a marketing scheme. Flyers and campus emails were sent out asking "Do you know who vandalized this book?", and I wrote an open letter to the vandals, inviting them to attend the SCI event for an open discourse. (The letter appeared as a guest column in KSU's newspaper, The Sentinel, and also appears on our blog).
Perhaps the greatest contribution came from American Atheists president Ed Buckner, who graciously provided Dr. Pigliucci with accommodations and transportation to all his events. Dr. Buckner also offered future support for SCI by offering to participate in a debate about church-state separation or whether America is a Christian nation, so we have much to look forward to in our near future. The year isn't over yet...
Terry Jorgensen runs the Psychology Laboratory at Kennesaw State University, and is currently pursuing a Master's degree in Applied Statistics. He plans to become a professor and devote his life to education and the popularization of science, in part by encouraging students to start organizations like SCI.
Creationism and Stork Theory: Yale's Response to Ray Comfort
by Stork Storkman (Michael Wright), Yale University
On a brisk November morning, my shower was interrupted by a screaming Yale student. "Gather the flock! The Creationists are here!" The unexpected news spun my head like a navy commander at Pearl Harbor. I sprung out of the shower. "Damn it all," I said, fumbling with my towel, "they weren't supposed to hit till tomorrow!" Brow furrowed with intense concentration, I sent out a rallying cry to the Yale Students for Stork Acknowledgement. Our time had come.
Some months earlier, Ray Comfort—a near-prophetic Creationist minister and YouTube semi-star—hatched an ingenious plot to bring the nation's brightest students into the Creationist fold. He would publish a 150th anniversary copy of On the Origin of Species, the evolutionist bible. This special edition would feature an introduction from Mr. Comfort himself, revealing the obvious flaws in evolutionary theory and Darwin's link to the Nazis. He would raise piles of money to print thousands of books, and give them away at America's top universities. Brilliant!
When Yale's chapter of the Secular Student Alliance got wind of Mr. Comfort's devious plan, we were paralyzed with fear. The minister's masterfully articulated criticism of evolutionary theory was sure to be so conclusive that students exposed to it would fall to their knees in a deluge of collective repentance. Our only hope was to distract the students with another equally compelling scientific theory: Stork Theory.
Stork Theory is a little-known but well-documented scientific tradition that evidences the truth of human conception and infant delivery. Noting the complete lack of evidence for vaginal birth and the large size of human infants compared to the female "birth canal", Stork Theory presents a more accurate and common sense explanation, positing that babies are delivered by a fleet of well-trained storks based in Tampa Bay, FL.
That night we began preparations to distribute stork materials to counter Mr. Comfort's mass book giveaway. We ordered "Students for Stork Acknowledgment" shirts, channeled the comprehensive Stork Theory treatise from heaven for printing, and gathered support from students on campus. In all our calculations, however, we overlooked a critical characteristic of our Creationist adversary.
SSA group members ready to go with counter-handouts
Deceit! Ray Comfort, in his wily way, told his ministries to distribute the books a day early. When my shower was interrupted with word that the Creationists had struck early, I should not have been surprised: what does the religious establishment do best if not deceive?
All was not lost. The SSA—Students for Stork Acknowledgment, mind you—responded to my call with the swiftness and grace of a flock of storks. Within minutes each Creationist was flanked by two of our own, one distributing straightforward information showing students that their copy of Darwin's Origin was prefaced with Creationist silliness, and the other madly professing Stork Theory.
The typical passer-by's experience went something like this:
Creationist: Would you like a copy of Origin of Species?
Student: Sure.
SSA Member: Hey, here's a bookmark to separate the secret Creationist intro from the actual book.
Student: Wow, really? Those guys are Creationists? Haha, that's golden!
Stork Fanatic: HEED THE TRUTH! BABIES COME FROM THE STORK!
We hope to have sent Ray Comfort's ministries a clear message: promote ludicrous pseudoscience at an institution of higher learning, and you'll be laughed off campus.
May the stork be with you!
– Stork Storkman
Stork Storkman (Michael Wright) is a junior Cognitive Science major at Yale College and president of the University's Secular Student Alliance chapter.
Joe Nickell: Objective Search for Paranormal Phenomena
by Joel Guttormson, Metro State Atheists, and Sara Diaz, UCD Atheists
Dr. Joe Nickell has investigated nearly all fringe-science and paranormal claims. After 40 years he hasn't found anything—yet. He has taken and continues to take an open-minded approach into investigations, the central point of his talk at the University of Colorado Denver and at Metropolitan State College of Denver on December 3. The event had a fair attendance, given the school's advertising policy and restrictions. The Metro State Crypto Science Society cosponsored the event with Metro State/UCD Atheists, so they brought many of their members to listen to Joe's approach and philosophy. If anyone was there to hear about groundbreaking evidence that ghosts, orbs or paranormal energy exist or have a shred of scientific credibility, they were disappointed. Most, however, weren't there for that; they were there with an open mind, there to be challenged by the skeptics (who made up most of the audience), there to see what methodology the world's only full-time paranormal investigator uses and what his findings have been.
"Triptych": Dr. Nickell's office and lab. (Photo by Andrew A. Skolnick)
Joe's talk was nothing short of spectacular. His explanation of his methods and philosophy about investigations would lead only the most ardent believer to criticize his neutrality. He said the best way to objectively investigate is to avoid preconceptions, a mistake he says is often made by skeptic and believer alike. Joe told his secret of objectivity to the audience: willful suspension of disbelief. Of course, in the case of the believer, this would be the willful suspension of belief. Whatever the case, Joe showed several examples of his work that captivated the audience. The examples he presented ranged from ghosts to cattle mutilation to spontaneous human combustion: interestingly, topics also investigated by the Metro State Crypto Science Society.
Joel enjoys the speaker / Joe Nickell expounds pointedly on skeptical investigation
In all, the event was fantastic. It was capped with a long, engaging, and informative question and answer session during which some interesting topics were discussed, including Therapeutic Touch (TT), which was easily explained by resident TT expert and UCD student Emily Rosa. If you don't know, Emily Rosa holds the Guinness World Record for being the youngest person—at age 9—to have research published in a major medical journal. Joe also made it a point, during the Q&A, to teach skeptics how to handle claims of the paranormal in a more productive and respectful manner.
Joe also did two radio interviews while in Colorado. The first was done with Rational Alchemy, with guest co-host Joel Guttormson. The second was done with a group called Rocky Mountain Paranormal, a local skeptics group with a podcast.
Joel Guttormson is an undergraduate at Metropolitan State College of Denver currently double-majoring in theoretical mathematics and linguistics. He is President of Metro State Atheists and volunteers for CFI as a campus regional coordinator and as a member of the Publications and Activism Committees.
Sara Diaz is an undergraduate at the University of Colorado Denver. She is currently majoring in secondary education with a focus on English Literature and minoring in philosophy. She is President of UCD Atheists.
Celebrate Darwin Day!
All over the world, freethinkers and supporters of science are getting together to celebrate Darwin Day. Held every year on or near the anniversary of Charles Darwin's birth on February 12th, CFI's Darwin Day events celebrate human understanding and knowledge and promote public education in science. Colleges, universities, museums, campus and community groups, and science enthusiasts in hundreds of locations will host events, ranging from lectures and readings of Darwin's On the Origin of Species, to multi-day conferences.
What is your campus group doing to celebrate Darwin Day? Let us know by e-mailing driley@centerforinquiry.net. If you're hosting a major event that's open to the public, we'll list it on the CFI On Campus Events Calendar and send out an event invitation to contacts in your region. Resources and suggestions can also be found at http://www.darwinday.org.
Video Contests and Film Festivals for Students & Freethinkers
There are several active and upcoming video contests out there, some which are looking specifically for freethought-themed submissions from students. Take a look at the three contests below, and go to their websites for more information. (These contests are not being sponsored by CFI.)
Patheos "Faith on Campus" Video Contest
From the website: "Patheos.com is the premier online destination to engage in the global dialogue about religion and spirituality and to explore and experience the world's beliefs." Videos must be between 30 seconds and 5 minutes and fall into one of these three categories: "Why I Am A _______ " (Christian, Jew, Muslim, Atheist, etc.); "How I Live My Faith On Campus"; and "Rituals & Practices Of My Faith". Top prize: $2,000; Deadline: January 31, 2010.
Freethought Film Festival Foundation Now Calling for Submissions
FFFF is hosting a first-of-its-kind International Freethought Film Festival in Tampa, FL in November 2010. Guidelines for submissions are on the FFFF website. Regular deadline: April 30; late deadline: August 18; WAB extended deadline: September 1.
The Reason Project Video Contest
From the website: "The primary goal of The Reason Project is to spread scientific thinking and secular values. We invite you to help us further our work by submitting a short video that conveys the message of the foundation." For the contest rules, go to the website. First prize = $10,000; Second prize = $4,000; Third prize = $1,000. Deadline: February 28, 2010.
Help support the student movement!
The Center for Inquiry's campus outreach supports over 200 campus groups around the world. CFI's student initiative provides leadership training, promotional and educational materials, volunteer and activism opportunities, and more. Student leaders learn the skills they need to:
- Manage successful groups on their campuses
- Organize major events that have far-reaching impact at their colleges and in their communities
- Get other students and faculty involved in key issues, including free inquiry, church/state separation, secularism, skepticism, science advocacy, and humanistic ethics
Paul Kurtz with attendees of the 2009 CFI Leadership Conference
We need your help to continue this. Please donate as generously as you can so that we can continue to invest in the leaders of tomorrow, securing the future of science, reason, and freedom of inquiry.
Student Volunteer Opportunities with the Center for Inquiry
Get involved with the campus freethought movement on the international scale! You can contribute your knowledge and wisdom as an experienced campus group leader, or donate your design or writing skills.
CFI is looking for student volunteers to advance reason, science, and freedom of inquiry on campuses at the national or international level. Below are brief descriptions of the volunteer committees:
Digital Media Outreach: assists in creating multimedia resources for the CFI On Campus website and viral videos for outreach.
Promotions: designs campus promotional materials including stickers, buttons, brochures, flyers, and posters.
Podcast: contributes to the Course of Reason, CFI's new podcast highlighting campus freethought activism.
Publications: helps coordinate revisions of CFI's Campus Group Organizing Guide and contributes to the Campus Inquirer, the Secular Humanist Bulletin, and other publications at CFI.
To get involved with a committee or for more information about the committees, e-mail Debbie Goddard at dgoddard [at] centerforinquiry.net.
Digital Resources
