ASSEMBLY is ONLINE THIS MONTH

We all hope we are all staying healthy and away from CV-19.

AHA’s September is about: Students Ethics & Rights

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 12th at 10:30 am

MONTHLY ASSEMBLY PRESENTATION:
Online on our HWF Friends PG private group, a talk not a video.
Considering students, our chapter could use a few more. Some more younger people. But we love our seniors for sure. So we are showing this month a talk from the AHA Center for Education. Titled, “Finding Unicorns-attracting younger people to your group.” By Dr. James Croft, the Leader at the Ethical Society of St. Louis – one of the largest Humanist congregations in the world. A graduate of Cambridge and Harvard Universities, James is an in-demand public speaker, an engaging teacher, and a passionate activist for human rights. James was raised on William Shakespeare, Carl Sagan and Star Trek, and lives in St. Louis with his fabulous drag queen husband Kolten. We hope some of us can find some ideas here.

The Mission of HWF- a chapter of the American Humanist Assn.
The Mission of the Humanists of West Florida is to facilitate the advancement of humanist thought and action in Pensacola and surrounding areas by interconnecting groups of humanists, atheists, agnostics and non-religious.

We will strive for equal participation in government and societal life through building strategic partnerships with other humanist and freethought organizations and with our religious neighbors to advance the greater good of humanity.
*** See the AHA mission below–

Announcements:
The missions of AHA an HWF are always in this newsletter. The AHA follows our chapter presidents letter.

Nothing else major coming, but we are hoping for a big party hopefully late October for Halloween with of course mandatory mask wearing.

Our Annual Calendar is now available and shown at the bottom of this newsletter, and is also posted on our Facebook Friends page as well.

And an election is coming. This is from our Secular Coalition.
https://secular.org/actions/tell-your-elected-officials-that-youre-a-secular-values-voter/?mc_cid=47bed61c2a&mc_eid=2d26abcf98

PRESIDENTS MESSAGE:

Greetings, all.
Here’s what’s been happening since our last assembly:

HWF received a donation of lumber to help with our Little Free Library Project. In case you forgot, prior to COVID we built and/or repaired 3 free libraries and we plan to add 3 more by June 2021. Interested in helping? Reach out to any BOD member via phone or email. Many hands make light work.

Your president spoke at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Pensacola on Sunday Aug 30 via ZOOM conference during which she briefly discussed HWFs Little Free Library Project and received donations from them to build a library. Win win win win. The community gets free books, Open Books donates excess books, UUCP saves money on the cost of a library, HWF gets a bit of seed money for future projects. We all get some publicity. That’s a lot of winning.

On Monday, August 31st members of HWF joined with members of dozens of faith based groups as JUST Pensacola held it’s first Nehemiah Action Assembly during which we asked public officials for specific action to improve early learning in Pensacola and to increase civil citation use for both juvenile offenders and adults facing misdemeanor charges. The BOD thanks everyone who attended this ZOOM event. In you missed it, there will be future meetings in this ongoing community effort to hold officials accountable for changes we, the people, want to see.

UPCOMING:

Saturday, September 12th assembly will be live streaming from Ever’mans Education Center beginning at 1030AM. Up to 12 can attend or you may choose to stay at home to view the assembly in our Facebook Friends group. The topic is Looking for Unicorns for Humanism.

Thinking ahead:

November we will hold our Third Annual Shoe Drive to benefit Alfred-Washburn Homeless Daycare Center. Please begin gathering men and women’s new or lightly used shoes. Clients could use socks, sweaters, scarves, and gloves, too.

We are still in the grip of COVID and, thus, we are adapting monthly. I look forward to the day we can meet together once again. As of this posting, October’s assembly will again be a joint in-person and live streamed event.

Sincerely,
Betty Myers, President

BOARD of DIRECTORS
Next regular meeting is October 10th, 9:30 am @ Ever’mans EC

*** The American Humanist Association has stood as the voice of humanism in the United States for over 75 years. We strive to bring about a progressive society where being good without a god is an accepted and respected way to live life. We are accomplishing this through our defense of civil liberties and secular governance, by our outreach to the growing number of people without traditional religious faith, and through a continued refinement and advancement of the humanist worldview.

Humanism is a nontheistic worldview with ethical values informed by scientific knowledge and driven by a desire to meet the needs of people in the here and now. At the foundation of those values is an affirmation of the dignity of every human being.

We count humanists and other nontheists as the core of our movement but are always willing to work with friends and allies on issues of common concern. The positions we hold and the actions we take are not simply for our own benefit, but for the betterment of all of society and the world in which we live.

AHA Monthly THEME: Youth in Science and Humanism

The HUMANIST MAGAZINE: Go here to the website and you will find the current bi-monthly magazine. https://thehumanist.com

From the AHAs’ upcoming activities:

AHA announces the Humanist Action Headquarters for Grassroots Advocacy. https://americanhumanist.org/actionhq/

AHA Center for Education to learn more about us–
https://americanhumanistcenterforeducation.org/
As an AHA member you have access to the Zoom presentations they are offering plus other activities as well.

Do you have a legal question you would like answered?
Legal Tuesdays

Watch the most recent Legal Tuesdays video with our Legal Director and Senior Counsel Monica Miller. Be sure to tune in or send an email if you have a question!

DONATE TO THE WORLD: Want to help people suffering from national or global catastrophes? Do it here as a Humanist to the Foundation Beyond Belief-FBB. This is the AHAs’ disaster relief partner organization.
https://foundationbeyondbelief.org

HUMANIST CORNER August 2020

“Courage is the most important of all values because without courage you can’t practice any other virtue consistently.” Maya Angelou

“Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow; it empties today of its strength.” Corrie Ten Boom

August 6th marked the 75th anniversary of a B-29 dropping that single bomb over the city of Hiroshima, and in a blinding flash 80,000 people were evaporated from the planet! You might think that would have dropped the whole concept of war and violence as an option dealing with the world’s problems. Clearly it didn’t. There are more countries than ever flexing nuclear muscle, with many more times the force seen on that Hiroshima morning. Homo sapien, the power of the universe at his fingertips still linked to a bow and arrow mentality. Violence, physical, economic and religious, still the coin of the realm.

I had a piece in the Mensa Bulletin years ago titled “Upper Body Strength” in its own way relevant to the “bomb.” Male humans are physically stronger than their female counterparts physically from the waste up. Not so much now, but women may still be drawn to such a physical attribute. Less burly, or even girly men, may yetl encounter an uphill climb.

Among Homo sapien physical strength was a valuable asset in digging crops, driving off intruders endangering the gene pool. Over the centuries raw physical strength morphed into other desirables, such as wealth and social status. An obvious point gazing at pictures hanging in Europe’s palacial residences. In fact as a Canadian child “God Save the King” (now queen) rang from my lips constantly.

Raising children and learning compliance was the principle role delegated to females century after century, although occasionally stuck out of the way on pedestals. So, violence then and now, was the domain of manhood! Of course, women are capable of violence as well, although there are few cases of crazed women shooting up Walmart or McDonalds! Their homicides are few and usually reserved for tormentors. Female violence can also be experienced if you run across a bear cub in the woods.

Nonetheless there are a few societies, even now, with women in charge. Not so with elephants and bonobos who are led by alpha females. Humans are now face a rising and scary nemesis of autocratic “strong men.” Iran to India, Turkey to Brazil, Poland to China. Certainly on our own shores. All riding a tide of “populist” nationalism, protecting faith and keeping us safe from the OTHER! The arc of history may be bending toward something besides justice when we can least afford it-

As Einstein commented, doing the same action over and over each time expecting a different result is, well, insane. Facing such diverse and difficult threats as planetary destruction, nuclear and climate issues, job security, universal health – clearly daily change on evolutionary scales is demanded of us. No Hiroshima nor the cavalry to save the day.

Time for what slang has labelled “our better halves.” to step in. That Homo sapien half with their brains virtually shelved for ages. Still on the shelf in far too many places. Even though, in general terms, women seem to display more characteristics vital to our very survival!

She often communicates more easily, then there’s the compassion thing, cooperation and most importantly – pragmatism! Less scripted, she’s usually willing to do “whatever needs to be done.” Things perhaps out of the comfort zone of we, more competitive, males. Still, look around! Growing numbers of them have filtered into our governments, boardrooms and other halls of power. Look for them out in the streets too. Moms in the streets – while an estimated 250,000 bikers rally for nine days (mask less) in Sturgis, South Dakota.

We may be on our way to new super heroes. In fact, they’re here. Just as strong, from the shoulders up!

Thank you for your writings Bill.

HWF ANNUAL CALENDAR:
July 2020 thru June 2021

Q 1 Summer

Q 2 Fall

October 10th Assembly – Homeless and Hungry Theme

BOD meets:

Q 3 Winter

January 9th Assembly – A New Start Theme

BOD meets:

Q 4 Spring

April 10th Assembly – Earth Ethics Theme

BOD meets: Directorship nominees due by 4/30 and presented to chapter

SUGGESTIONS?
Contact us with your ideas-

Email
info@hwfl.org

Humanists of West Florida
P.O. Box 11930
Pensacola, Florida 32524
Phone: (850) 366-3410

***The American Humanist Association is a non-profit 501(c)(3) charitable educational organization, as well is the Humanists of West Florida. Donations to the Humanists of West Florida , a chapter of the American Humanist Association, are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law.

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