clark

Yes. Both the FFRF and Atheist Alliance were founded due to problems with Madalyn. FWIW, FFRF's membership is about double with American Atheists' is (5,000 versus 2,200 according to the most recent numbers I've seen). With Madalyn gone, many, including myself, are hoping that organizations like AA, FFRF and AAI will work together on projects as many did at the Godless March.

FWIW, most of the current godless groups in the US have their roots in either American Atheists or the American Humanist Association. As noted above, American Atheists "begat" FFRF and AAI. AHA "begat" the Council for Secular Humanism and CSICOP when Kurtz broke away. The Council "begat" the Secular Student Alliance when they split from the CSH controlled Campus Freethought Alliance. I believe the AHA also formed the National Center for Science Education.

So, the "geneaology" of US freethought groups looks like this:

AA -> FFRF & AAI
AHA -> NSCE, CSICOP, CSH -> SSA

THOUGHTfully Yours,
Clark

Secular Pinoy

I am a card-carrying member of AHA, since they seem to be the most inclusivist of all the secular groups. They are ok with religious humanists, something the CSH would not accept, and I like that. I would call myself a secular humanist, lower caps.

EverLastingGodStopper

I became a dues-paying member of American Atheists on April 1st: a day after they invited me to be their South Jersey Regional Director. So yes, I'm AA Staff, but I am very very new to it.

I apologize for being too busy to really reply. First I want to say that I personally support AA, AU, FFRF, FSGP, AAI, CSH, and mant of the other wonderful groups out there that work for First Amendment rights, such as the ACLU, PFAW, and the HRC.

Some of you know that I host an atheist chat on MSN and that we post links.

FSGP and AA (basically, me, Ellen, and AA-Maryland's Dave Condo), as well as some of my friends from the Atheists MeetUp are going to attend the National Constitution Center Grand Opening tomorrow (July 4th) in Philadelphia.

Look for us on C-SPAN (hehehe) and email me at jrael@atheists.org right away for details, I was looking for a thread here about it (so as not to make a double post) but this caught my eye. American Atheists Staff is almost all volunteer. As to the Philadelphia and South Jersey area, if I, personally, do not physically DO something, then it doesn't get done. In my local area, I am AA.

Oh! I have NEWS to share about this same subject. And about why I didn't join until they recruited me, how they seek new ideas and new lifeblood, how they are open to activists like me... I mean, I'm not your typical suburban housewife. But I digress.

People who reply to this thread, PLEASE DO go into detail about your problems with the group. Be honest. If you knew me personally, you'd know my mantra. "Change from within."

Much more later.
-Janice

Bill

OK, then, lets begin with something very simple. Please have Ellen Johnson return phone calls from Bobbie Kirkhart (President of Atheist Alliance, International). Bobbie is seeking a compromise on the competing Easter conventions. She has made a standing offer to have AAI and AA go on alternate years with the other organization using some mutually-negotiated alternative date (or date range; Bobbie is really open on that one).

So far, in spite of repeated requests, Ellen refuses to talk to Bobbie at all.

Now, Bobbie happens to be out of the country at the moment (note that AAI is an International organization), but if Ellen would kindly dial, toll free, 1-866-HERETIC, and leave a message for Bobbie on how to reach her (and anything about a reaction to the offer other than "no way"), then when Bobbie is back in touch, I'm sure that she will pick up her cell phone and call Ellen.

The AA position to date has been that AA established the Easter date in the first place, and thus it "belongs" to AA, in spite of the fact that when AAI started having its conventions on Easter weekend, AA had abandonded the idea (for a few years). AAI started on Easter precisely because it was such a good idea (and such a good deal, financially) and because AA had abandoned the idea. Thus, I feel that both organizations have some legitimacy to their positions and a compromise is warranted.

== Bill

(Disclaimer: I am on the AAI Board, so yes, I have a partisan interest in this; but like many others, I feel it would be a good thing if we can get these two organizations to stop shooting each other, and themselves, in the foot and start battling our real enemies, rather than each other!)

EverLastingGodStopper

My agenda is atheist unity and I'm in a position to relay this idea and find out more about this topic. I thought it was sort of cool that all the different groups had conventions all over on that weekend. Of course, I thought it was uncool that there were so many damn other groups. -Janice

Quote:

(Disclaimer: I am on the AAI Board, so yes, I have a partisan interest in this; but like many others, I feel it would be a good thing if we can get these two organizations to stop shooting each other, and themselves, in the foot and start battling our real enemies, rather than each other!)

*winks* "Amen," Bill, lol. More later. -Janice

dangin

Personally I think we should all have our conventions on Easter. Not competing, but in unison. We could even add a video conferencing aspect and jumbo screens to them so that all the "main events" could be united over live video. It's not even that expensive for like a 2 hour gala. Then we could all be united for a select group of speakers, and then each sub group could have their own events at their locations after the video conferencing was over. The video conference could also be webcast, and that many atheists acting in unison, plus the video aspect, might attract a little more media.

Internet Infidels Easter Convention Kansas City 2004?????

DonaldW112

These guys are in the next town over and are really working hard. They have 5 paid staff and are working the New York Legislature hard for humanist causes. They work the local media for positive Humanist coverage (they even got me on TV as an athiest who puts up a Christmas tree -- FOX will run anything). They are also prime movers in the Coalition for Reason which I understand the American Atheist will not even attend (I could be wrong) and the Council for Secular Humanism attends but won't commit to do anything with other Humanist groups. I believe II is a member of the Coalition????

Donald

LogicMage

That is actually a pretty good idea...

Apocolips

Hola!

AA helped me quit drinking.

Bless them.

SENOR:boohoo:

Secular Pinoy

That would be Alcoholics Anonymous, I believe. Not American Atheists, the AA that we're discussing here.