Re: probably on the list (suggesting a strategy)
Doug Greer
Judging from the encounters that I've had with Libertarian/"financial Conservative"/"Market Fundamentalists"/CATO institute acolytes, they seem to believe that they are better at thinking skeptically than the people who disagree with them. To me, they seem guilty of extreme hubris and psychological projection. Also, their point of views are supported by "think" tanks like the CATO Institute, the Heritage Foundation, and other well funded propaganda organizations. These people only talk about factoids that support their point of view.
Check out the CATO Institute's page on "Energy and Environment". They KNOW how it all works and they are going to educate you. I don't see much difference between the CATO Institute and evangelical Christian institutions. They all just want to preach at people.
Check out this SourceWatch page on CATO: http://sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Cato.
SourceWatch is a project from the Center for Media and Democracy. They keep track of where the money comes from to fund these "think" tanks. Cato gets a lot of money from big Oil and big Tobacco. They also get money from more mainstream big corporations.
Here's the SourceWatch wiki page on Global warming skeptics.
I think it is interesting to compare the way that Right-Wingers use information technology and social networking technology with how real scientists or real journalists and/or bloggers use that technology.
The Right-Wingers have created their own version of SourceWatch called the Media Research Center. Right-wingers are consistently less competent at social networking web technology than liberal/progressive organizations. I think this is because they don't care about having a discussion with dissenting points of view or even unapproved facts. They just want to broadcast their "facts" at people and attack, attack, attack. Here's the SourceWatch page on the MRC: http://sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Media_Research_Center. I couldn't find the MRC page on SourceWatch or the Center for Media and Democracy. A quick search just yielded a bunch of articles referring to the Center for Media and Democracy as a "far-left advocacy group". I also couldn't find any funding information at the MRC website. If you want to know where the funding for Center for Media and Democracy comes from, it is here.
I'm not sure if it is useful to debate the true-believing Global Warming "skeptics". I usually just respond to them with a link to the FAQ page of the latest IPCC report (AR4 FAQ) and the Real Climate blog. I also usually point out that I'm not an expert and neither are they. I have far more confidence in the ability of the scientists involved with the IPCC than any political operative with corporate funding laundered through "think" tanks. What do you think?
Sincerely,
Doug Greer
Most likely Jack Cashill, local writer & gadabout, who, in addition to claiming on film that he 'taught the ID people' (Ken, do I have that right?) told me at a party there were '70,000 climate scientists who think global warming is bogus'! (It wasn't 70,000 climate scientists, let alone scientists, who signed the climate denier letter. His is a political agenda, and the object is to stop Obama-sponsored climate legislation).Unfortunately, Jack is connected with influentials in banking and Visitation church. I wouldn't underestimate the influence of people like him, but I will suggest that we think seriously about sitting down with him and a few high-end, well-respected people who understand evolution. And then having HIM talk with these folks.Just like Martin Luther King did with the president of the Mormon church the evening before the 'prophet' received a 'revelation' that blacks could now hold the priesthood.Otherwise, we'll just be publicly debating these ignoramouses forever.JillOn Wed, Sep 23, 2009 at 12:50 PM, Schmitz, Kenneth S. <Schm...@umkc.edu> wrote:
The following is from Liz Craig, member of EVOLVE. There is a plan to distribute “bogus” Darwin Origins.
It's tough when you outgrow your childhood acting talent. But good grief! This is ridiculous! Wonder who's on his mailing list? ID students?
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/09/22/kirk-camerons-origin-of-s_n_294349.
html <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/09/22/kirk-camerons-origin-of-s_n_294349.%0Ahtml>
Kirk Cameron, best known for his role in the 1980s sitcom Growing Pains, now spends much of his time advocating for far-right Christian evangelical causes.
In a video posted recently to YouTube, Cameron lays out a plan to subvert 'Darwin Day' on November 22, 2009 -- a date marking the 150th anniversary of the publishing of Charles Darwin's "Origin of Species." Cameron says that he and like-minded activists plan to deliver 50,000 copies of an altered version of Darwin's book to students at dozens of U.S. universities.
Cameron explains that this "very special" edition of the "Origin of Species"
will include an introduction explaining "Adolf Hitler's undeniable connection" to the theory of evolution, and highlighting "Darwin's racism"
and "his disdain for women." Cameron's edition also exposes the "many hoaxes" of evolutionary theory, while presenting a "balanced view of Creationism."
Read more at:
http://www.huffingtonpost..com/2009/09/22/kirk-camerons-origin-of-s_n_294349.
html <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/09/22/kirk-camerons-origin-of-s_n_294349.%0Ahtml>
Liz Craig, Writer <http://lizcraigwriter.com/blog> • 913-236-7595
Even the soft and furry
Must be approached
With caution
Zen Kitty by Vanessa Sorensen
From: cor_m...@googlegroups.com [mailto:cor_m...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Doug Greer
Sent: Wednesday, September 23, 2009 11:20 AM
To: KC-Midtown-Fre...@meetup.com
Cc: cor_m...@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: [KC-Midtown-FreeThinkers] Read Me! Freethought Day Idea :)
Hey all,
Has anyone pointed out that the 150th anniversary of the publication of On the Origin of Species is this November? This could make the Free-thought Day easier to organize. Also, there's a new movie about Darwin coming out soon.
Review of the new movie about Charles Darwin:
http://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/2009/09/tiff_4_darwin_walks_out_on_gen.html
Official Site for Creation the Movie: http://creationthemovie.com
Later,
DougOn Mon, Sep 21, 2009 at 12:42 AM, Jessica Ice <jessi...@gmail.com> wrote:
Here is the email I sent out regarding our idea to have a Freethought Day event! Please read, and give any feedback you have!
Hello!
So the Midtown Freethinkers here in K.C (a new Meetup.com group) is doing quite well and we had an idea at the last meeting. The idea is to set up a "Freethought Day" in Kansas City, Topeka, Lawrence, and Manhattan to get people involved and to educate these communities on the Freethought movement happening now in the U.S! This day would be an event a few hours long where groups tied to KCFREETHINKERS.ORG, Topeka Atheists, S.O.M.A at K.U and Individuals for Freethought at K-State could have some of the following:
1. Movie Screening of films related to their cause such as: movies on evolution/creation debate, freethought as a movement, science and reason, education in the U.S, etc...
2. Sell food and merchandise such as Individuals for Freethought's wonderful "Smile! There is No Hell!" shirts, coffee mugs, and/or Darwin fish stickers
3. Pass out info fliers/booklets on issues that are important to groups
4. Have open forums where students and citizens can discuss topics such as "What do we want as freethinkers?" What is our goal? What needs to be done? What is Freethought/Non-Theism/Agnosticism, What are the problems with systemic dogma placed on people in religion or in ideologies? How to do advertisements such as the billboard that said "Imagine No Religion" in Topeka, which was funded by the national organization, Freedom from Religion Foundation.
5. Workshops with group leaders or experienced activists in the Freethought movement on how to run a group, write congress members, or how to approach and/or talk with people that may be opposed to the movement and educate those that may be ignorant of our goals, etc...
6. Bring in speakers to give lectures (such as when I.F brought in Dan Barker to lecture on "Can We be Good Without God?" in April 2009), or other movement organizers to talk
7. Of course, we could bring in musicians and D.J's to have a little ho-down as well!
These are just a few ideas. Please let us know what ya think! Join the Midtown Freethinkers Meetup here http://www.meetup.com/KC-Midtown-FreeThinkers/ and other Kansas City groups here http://kcfreethinkers.org/ to get involved or to just see whats happening in K.C!
Here is the website for Atheist Community of Topeka http://www.atheistcommunity.net/
The website for Individuals for Freethought is here http://www.k-state.edu/freethought/
And the Society of Open Minded Atheists and Agnostics (S.O.M.A) in Lawrence at K.U. http://groups.ku.edu/~soma/
This could be done on the same day in all 4 communities, or during the same weekend!
I would like to have these communities thriving even more and communicating so that we can have an impact on future generations to come. Communication between student groups and city groups is great because it brings diversity of new ideas!
I was the president of I.F when I was at K-State (I graduated in May 2009) and think they could use some help from the non-student crowd. As we could use ideas from students!
Cheers,
Jessica
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