Ethical Humanist Society of the Triangle

After the Storm: Effects of Florence and Michael on Livestock and Farms in North Carolina
2019-02-10 08:30 - 10:30 (America/New_York) | NC
In September 2018, Hurricane Florence, closely followed by Hurricane Michael, had a devastating impact on livestock and the environment in North Carolina. Dr. Doug Meckes heads the Veterinary Division of the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, and will speak to us about the effects of these storms.
Dr. Meckes currently serves as the Commissioner of Agriculture’s lead subject matter expert on all animal health issues. He designs and administers programs that monitor and protect the state’s livestock, poultry, and equine industries as well as other species of interest. He works in coordination with the USDA, APHIS, and Veterinary Services’ district office in the administration of federal cooperative agreement programs and funding. Previous to this, under the administration of President Obama, Dr. Meckes led the Office of Health Affairs’ responsibilities to provide oversight and management of the Department’s implementation of Homeland Security Presidential Directive-9 Defense of United States Agriculture and Food.

State Abortion Restrictions - What You Need to Know
2019-02-03 08:30 - 10:30 | Extraordinary Ventures, 200 S. Elliott Rd, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, United States
Many states have passed restrictions on the conditions under which a woman may have an abortion. The restrictions have closed many clinics which provided not only abortions, but also other reproductive and women’s health services. What are some of the most egregious of the restrictions? Whom do these restrictions affect? Stan Henshaw, formerly with the Guttmacher Institute, will bring us up to date on the state of abortion in the U.S.

Fighting for Justice in the South
2019-01-27 08:30 - 10:30 | NC
Dr. Kareem Crayton of the Southern Coalition for Social Justice will speak to us about the coalition’s programs, which include Criminal Justice, Voting Rights, Environmental Justice, and Human Rights.
Kareem Crayton is a widely cited and internationally respected scholar, expert, and consultant whose work centers on the intersection of law, politics, and race. He is the only academic in the United States with formal training in law and political science whose primary work explores the relationship between race and politics in representative institutions. The insights and analyses from his research have distinguished him as a leading voice in academia and a key player in public policy debates. His commentary, insight, and analyses regularly appear both in highly-ranked academic publications along with major media outlets, including The New York Times, PBS, and Fox News.
http://www.southerncoalition.org/portfolio-item/kareem-crayton/
More details to follow.

EHST Annual Meeting of Members - 2019
2019-01-20 08:30 - 10:30 | NC
EHST will hold its annual meeting of members. This is a business meeting where the members will (re-)elect board members, and pass a budget for 2019. We will also seek suggestions from members for our priorities for 2019. Visitors and friends are welcome to attend, but they will not be eligible to vote. Members who can not be present must submit proxies to the EHST secretary if they wish to have their interests/votes counted at the meeting. Submission of proxies by email is acceptable.

Civilizing Torture: An American Tradition
2019-01-13 08:30 - 10:30 | NC
UNC Professor W. Fitzhugh Brundage will talk about his recent book, “Civilizing Torture: An American Tradition.”

Most Americans believe that a civilized state does not resort to torture, and yet, as W. Fitzhugh Brundage reveals in this essential and disturbing study, there is a long American tradition of excusing as well as decrying its use.

The pilgrims and merchants who first came to America from Europe professed an intention to create a society free of the barbarism of Old World tyranny and New World savagery. But over the centuries Americans have turned to torture during moments of crisis at home and abroad and have debated its legitimacy in defense of law and order.

From the Indian wars to Civil War POW prisons and early penitentiaries, from “the third degree” in police stations and racial lynchings to the War on Terror, U.S. institutions have proven to be far more amenable to torture than the nation’s professed commitment to liberty would suggest. Legal and racial inequality fostered many opportunities for state agents to wield excessive power, which they justified as essential for American safety and well-being.

Reconciling state violence with the aspirations of Americans for social and political justice is an enduring challenge. By tracing the historical debates about the efficacy of torture and the attempt to adapt it to democratic values, Civilizing Torture reveals the recurring struggle to decide what limits Americans are willing to impose on the power of the state. At a time of escalating rhetoric aimed at cleansing the nation of the undeserving, as well as ongoing military involvement in conflicts around the world, the debate over torture remains a critical and unresolved part of America’s tradition.

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According to Prof. Brundage, his book “attempts to place the controversy around ‘enhanced interrogation tactics’ that dominated the national conversation during the War on Terror and in a larger context throughout American history. The work underscores that Americans have reconciled themselves to the use of torture during ’emergencies’ far more often than the national conscience acknowledges.”

Amazon.com has the book for sale, and here is a quote from one of the reviewers:
“That Americans as a people and a nation-state are violent is indisputable. That we are also torturers, domestically and internationally, is not so well established. The myth that we are not torturers will persist, but Civilizing Torture will remain a powerful antidote in confronting it.” ―Lawrence Wilkerson, Distinguished Adjunct Professor of Government and Public Policy, The College of William and Mary, and former Chief of Staff to Secretary of State Colin Powell, 2002–2005

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William Fitzhugh Brundage is an American historian. He is the William B. Umstead Professor of History at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and the author of five books.

End of Year Reflections, New Year Predictions
2018-12-30 08:30 - 10:30 | Extraordinary Ventures, 200 S. Elliott Rd, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, United States
EHST will have a discussion focusing on end-of-year final thoughts, and what we fear and/or hope for in 2019. Come share with others to celebrate and commiserate!

EHST Holiday - No Meeting
2018-12-23 08:30 - 10:30 | NC
EHST will be taking a holiday this Sunday. There will be no meeting.

Winter Solstice Celebration
2018-12-16 08:30 - 10:30 | NC
EHST celebrates the ancient tradition of Winter Solstice with a humanist flavor. Members, friends, and visitors, will share their reflections on the season, such as how do humanists find meaning during this time of year, as well as sharing memories of seasons past. We also plan to have other goodies for our members, friends, and visitors!

EHST Program Cancellation
2018-12-09 08:30 - 10:30 | Extraordinary Ventures, 200 S. Elliott Rd, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, United States
EHST has cancelled its regular meeting scheduled for this Sunday the 9th of December. There will be NO meeting of EHST on Sunday due to the weather. The talk on Eugenics will be rescheduled for 2019.

Orange County Justice United
2018-12-02 08:30 - 10:30 | Extraordinary Ventures, 200 S. Elliott Rd, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, United States
Devin Ross, of Orange County Justice United (OCJU), will tell us about the work of OCJU. The organization is a broad based community power organization that develops civil sector leaders with the capacity to organize. In 2018 its focus has been on solutions for affordable housing, immigration, and jobs. Member institutions range from various churches to the Chapel Hill/Carrboro NAACP, El Centro Hispano, Habitat for Humanity of Orange County, and the Interfaith Council for Social Services. Come and learn how this organization fights for a better life for Orange County residents.

Good Intentions are Simply Not Enough
2018-11-25 08:30 - 10:30 | Extraordinary Ventures, 200 S. Elliott Rd, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, United States
Randy Best, leader of the Northern Virginia Ethical Society, will speak about “good intentions.” Here is a sneak preview of his talk:
“There was a time when I thought that having good intentions was enough. Lately, I have realized that good intentions, in and of themselves, are simply not good enough. Good intentions do not guarantee good outcomes. What is more important is the impact your actions have on others and what you do about it. Through examples and musings, I will elaborate on this idea.”

Stone Soup 2018 Celebration
2018-11-18 08:30 - 10:30 | NC
EHST will hold its annual “Stone Soup” celebration. We will tell the story of Stone Soup, and then we will each be given an opportunity to express what we can be thankful for in our lives. (Please note that being “thankful” does not require theism; nontheists can be thankful too!) We will make our own soup using precooked ingredients. We will have both a veggie and a meat based soup. Please do NOT bring raw ingredients; there is not enough time to cook them. After heating the broth with the precooked ingredients, we will all sit down to enjoy our “stone soup” and fellowship.
Since this is a public event, alcoholic beverages are not permitted. You may bring bread or rolls and/or juice to accompany the soup if you are unable to bring something to put into the soup. Desserts are also welcome!

Brothers and Sisters in Conversation
2018-11-11 08:30 - 10:30 | Extraordinary Ventures, 200 S. Elliott Rd, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, United States
Doug Mabe of Brothers and Sisters in Conversation (BASIC) will speak to us about this organization which was founded to promote constructive dialog among people of diverse backgrounds. This Person County program is over three years old, so it has found sustainability in our polarized social and political climate. According to an article in the Courier-Times, “The goals and objectives of BASIC are to engage in open, honest and respectful dialogue with persons of other races and cultures in an effort to better understand their perspectives, struggles, biases, fears and desires for the future; to strive to find common ground; to understand, accept, and celebrate our differences; to discover areas in which we are more alike than different; and to cultivate an atmosphere of mutual respect and understanding.”

Ethics: Science and the Scientist
2018-11-04 08:30 - 10:30 | Extraordinary Ventures, 200 S. Elliott Rd, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, United States
The role of science in our society has changed dramatically during the past 100 years. This new role has elevated ethical issues linked to science to a new and very complex level. Obviously this has presented scientists and our society with a new set of challenges. EHST members Atish Sen and Vlodek Gabara will engage each other in a discussion/debate about this topic. Mr. Gabara notes “The two of us would never dream to undertake a comprehensive effort to elucidate these issue but we will try to engage you in a discussion based on few examples which are close to our personal experiences.”

How Are We Doing?
2018-10-28 09:30 - 11:30 | Extraordinary Ventures, 200 S. Elliott Rd, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, United States
Each fall, EHST has a meeting of members, friends, and visitors to discuss what has transpired (good, bad, and ugly) for the society, and what looms ahead for us. Our programs, budget, board activity, and needs are reviewed during the meeting. Questions are encouraged, which we will attempt to answer, to allow members and prospective members to understand our “state of the union.” We also will kick off our pledge campaign for 2019. Come get the real facts about our humanist congregation!

Jews and Arabs in Israel: From Friendly Neighbors to Iron-Fisted Rule
2018-10-21 09:30 - 11:30 | NC
Dan Tadmor was born in 1943 in British Mandate Palestine. He is a lifelong Zionist, who loves his country intensely, and served proudly in the Israel Defense Forces, believing in the ideology on which Israel was founded. He fought for the legitimate defense of Israel during the Six-Day War in June of 1967 against the Arab forces to overtake Palestine.
Dan believes in the need for a two-state solution, and that Israel should be ejected from the West Bank by force if an end to the occupation cannot be agreed upon peacefully. He is a strong proponent of BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions) to force the end of the occupation, and he and his wife are supporters of MachsomWatch, a group of Israeli women who monitor and document violations of human rights perpetrated by soldiers and police at checkpoints in the West Bank.
Dan will speak to us about the country he grew up in, and how it has changed to how it defines itself today.

Poetry for Humanists and Humanity
2018-10-14 09:30 - 11:30 | Extraordinary Ventures, 200 S. Elliott Rd, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, United States
Hugh Giblin will provide his own poetry, as well as the writings of others, as we seek to enjoy poetry as an expression of our common humanity and of our own roots in humanism. Also participating in the poetry reading will be Jay Niver and Pam Baggett.
Here’s more information about our presenters:
Pam Baggett is the author of Wild Horses, chosen as a runner-up for the 2017 Cathy Smith Bowers Chapbook contest and published in 2018 by Main Street Rag. Her work appears or is forthcoming in Cold Mountain Review, Crab Orchard Review, Nimrod, Spillway, and Tar River Poetry. Pam is a recipient of an Ella Fountain Pratt Emerging Artists grant from the Durham Arts Council and two Artist Project grants from the Orange County Arts Commission. She co-hosts the Second Thursday Poetry Reading series at Flyleaf Books, and hosts readings and teaches free writing workshops at the Orange County Main Library in Hillsborough. She lives in rural Cedar Grove, NC.
Jay Niver is an award-winning, career journalist and public-relations specialist who sometimes dabbles in poetry and creative writing. He was a reporter and editor of weekly newspapers in suburban Cleveland, Ohio; Charleston, South Carolina; and Topsail Island and Beaufort County in North Carolina. He also worked as a copy-desk editor for the daily papers in Wilmington and Jacksonville. Jay spent 30 years in the Carolinas before moving to western Canada in 2009, and has just returned here, he claims, in order to join EHST.
Hugh Giblin is a Humanist, a sometime activist, a writer of sorts, with two produced plays, one non-fiction piece, and some published poetry to his credit — mostly “minor league stuff,” as he calls it, but he enjoys it. He is an unreformed, unrepentant biblioholic with five library cards; he would rather read than do anything else in life. He hopes to die reading a book on “The Best Way to Die.”

Democracy in Chains
2018-10-07 09:30 - 11:30 | Extraordinary Ventures, 200 S. Elliott Rd, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, United States
Nancy MacLean, Professor of History at Duke University, has written a book titled “Democracy in Chains: The Deep History of the Radical Right’s Stealth Plan for America,” which has received wide reviews from supportive to critical. We will play a segment of an interview with her by Dan Licata, and then share our reactions.
You may view the entire interview here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFrMretkUeI

Community Day: Civic Engagement
2018-09-30 09:30 - 11:30 | Extraordinary Ventures, 200 S. Elliott Rd, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, United States
Our Community Day programs are presented as an opportunity to explore a subject or issue in depth, bringing our own feelings and experiences to the fore in small group settings. We get to know each other on a more personal level before sharing our views with the larger membership. Out of these diverse opinions common aims or actions might emerge.
This week’s topic is civic engagement. We are engaged with the ethical humanist community through membership or interest, with the community we live in, with the state that governs us. How do we define our involvement? What are our responsibilities? Can we make a difference, or what effect have we had in these communities? These are some questions to start the discussion.

Following the meeting, our book club will be meeting at 3:30 p.m. at the Chapel Hill Library, Meeting Room C. The book selection is Sophie and the Rising Sun, by Augusta Trobaugh.

An Approach to Redistricting
2018-09-23 09:30 - 11:30 | Extraordinary Ventures, 200 S. Elliott Rd, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, United States
Dr. Jennifer Bremer, Statewide Coordinator for Fair Elections with the League of Women Voters of North Carolina, will give a presentation on creating fair maps through reform of our state’s redistricting process. The current maps that have been declared unconstitutional numerous times, costing our state millions of dollars. The League believes that elected officials should not choose their voters, but, rather, that the voters should choose their elected officials.
Dr. Jennifer Bremer is a policy analyst specializing in public governance reform, and directs the NC League’s Fair Elections Action Team.
The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan political organization which encourages informed and active participation in government. It does not support candidates or political parties. It influences public policy through education and advocacy.

Sex and Gender: What's The Difference?
2018-09-16 09:30 - 11:30 | Extraordinary Ventures, 200 S. Elliott Rd, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, United States
Ken Haslam, a retired professor of anesthesiology from UNC Chapel Hill, will speak about sex and gender. He has taught courses on this subject at Osher Lifelong Learning at Duke University. He is also an advocate for polyamory and open relationships for couples. Science has shown us that gender, sexual identity, and sexual preferences are not simple one-to-one matters. Scientific American reviewed this topic in 2017. If you want to learn more prior to or after Professor Haslam’s talk, check it out: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-new-science-of-sex-and-gender/.

How Science Fiction Helps Us Understand the Problems Confronting North Carolina
2018-09-09 09:30 - 11:30 | Extraordinary Ventures, 200 S. Elliott Rd, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, United States
Valerie Johnson, Distinguished Professor of Women’s Studies at Bennett College, will speak on “How Science Fiction Helps Us Understand the Problems Confronting North Carolina.” You may think this is a crazy idea, but Valerie Johnson has the credentials to make this work. Dr. Valerie Johnson is the only black woman on the North Carolina Historical Commission, which oversees the removal or altering of historical monuments on State property. She is a professor of women’s studies and director of Africana Women’s Studies at Bennett College. She is chair of the North Carolina African American Heritage Commission.

Bennett College had its beginning in 1873 in the un-plastered basement of the Warnersville Methodist Episcopal Church (now known as St. Matthews United Methodist Church), when 70 young men and women started elementary and secondary level studies. In 1874 the Freedmen’s Aid Society took over the school, which remained under its auspices for 50 years. Here is more about the history and work of Bennett College: http://www.bennett.edu/about/

Does Inmate Labor Equate to Slavery?
2018-09-02 09:30 - 11:30 | NC
Labor Day often brings cheers to the “labor movement” for all of its accomplishments. These days there does not seem to be much to cheer about, and this issue is no exception. In fact, use of inmate labor as “slavery” and “indentured servitude” is permitted by the 13th Amendment to the Constitution. Or is it? Kudos to the NPR radio program, 1A, by Joshua Johnson, for raising this issue recently! We will play the first half of his show from Monday, August 27th, “Is Inmate Labor Modern-Day Slavery?” and we will then discuss the issue. You may listen to his show via this link: https://the1a.org/shows/2018-08-27/prison-strike.

Also, please remember to bring non-perishable items for our food pantry collection on September, September 2nd.

Follow-Up Surveillance
2018-08-26 09:30 - 11:30 | NC
Is Facebook as dangerous as some believe?

What about the Internet itself?

EHST friend and frequent contributor Solomon Gibson will present a brief exploration of the overall problem, whether/why privacy is important to us, and addressing the concerns and posing possible solutions for what Professor Tufekci discussed in her interview on C-Span which we viewed on August 19.

Are Social Media Companies "Surveillance Machines"?
2018-08-19 09:30 - 11:30 | NC
On Sunday, August 19, EHST’s program will feature a pre-recorded interview on C-Span with UNC Professor Zeynep Tufekci about how social media companies have stored reams of data about us, and why we should be concerned about this. Following the 30-minute video, we will share our reactions to the points she raises. You may view the interview here: https://www.c-span.org/video/?444153-1/communicators-zeynep-tufekci.

The 2018 American Ethical Union General Assembly
2018-08-12 09:30 - 11:30 | NC
Each year the American Ethical Union (AEU) convenes a general assembly composed of representatives of all member Ethical Culture-Humanist Societies for the purpose of learning more about some of today’s most pressing ethical problems, and to share insights and ideas with other societies in the U.S. Dorothy Dale, our President, and Jan Broughton, former AEU President, will present a review of what took place at this year’s general assembly in Albuquerque, NM.

Bail Bonds: What You Need To Know and To Do
2018-08-05 09:30 - 11:30 | NC
Sara Gillooly of the North Carolina branch of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) will speak about the bail bonds system in the U.S. and why it needs reforming. According to Ms. Gillooly:
“Money shouldn’t determine anyone’s freedom. But in North Carolina, our shameful system of cash bail has created a two-tiered justice system that treats people differently not because of the crime they’ve committed but because of the color of their skin and the size of their bank account.
That’s why we are launching a statewide, multiyear effort to overhaul our broken criminal justice system. We are focusing on the unjust for-profit bail system that strips people of their rights, targets poor people and people of color, and hurts families and communities. And we need your help.”
If you want to take action to help them stop, come to our program and/or sign this petition: https://action.aclu.org/petition/nc-endcashbail

Me, The Mafia and Ethics
2018-07-29 09:30 - 11:30 | NC
Hugh Giblin, a longtime EHST supporter, will tell of his experience in a labor union controlled by the Chicago Mafia and his work as a whistle-blower with the government. He will also discuss the current legal status of whistle-blowers and ethical considerations. He believes we all can be whistle-blowers.

Memorial Service for James P. Coley, II
2018-07-22 09:30 - 11:30 | NC
EHST will host a memorial service for James P. Coley, II. James was a longtime member of the society (20+ years), had served as President, gave numerous lectures, and held many discussions with our members, friends and visitors. He was for several years host of the WCOM radio program Ethics Matters and more recently hosted Radio Free Association on that station.
James wrote many blog posts for EHST, and travelled to several Ethical Humanist Societies to give talks. In 2015 James wrote a summary of his philosophical views…
“I am a metaphysical naturalist, empiricist and scientific realist, with an epistemology that blends elements of foundationalism and coherentism. Circular chains of epistemic justification are allowed as long as they pass through a quasi-foundation of beliefs there is no good reason to doubt.
“My view on free will I call firm determinism. There are conflicting ordinary language concepts of free will; my Control Theory of Freedom offers autonomous control as a successor. There are variations of the concept, and most but not all of them are incompatible with determinism.
“In ethics, I have a prescriptivist view. There are no objective values, but that is no reason for me not to act on my Humanist value system. I believe in reason, but it is only instrumental with respect to a value system.
“I am an atheist. There is no purpose for human life ordained by the Universe, evolution or anything else. We give life significance and purpose through our values, and most importantly our actions. The way to find meaning in life is to find meaningful things to do — and then do them.”

All those who knew him will miss his wit, his incisive mind, and his dedication to logical argument and Ethical Humanism.
Donations can be made in his memory to either the CAN-DO Foundation, P.O. Box 6468, Malibu, CA 90264, or to the WCOM-FM radio station, 300-G E. Main St., Carrboro, NC 27510.

What Can You Believe If You Don't Believe in God?
2018-07-15 09:30 - 11:30 | NC
Our guest speaker on July 15 will be Michael Werner.
Many people criticize the “rise of the Nones” for its nihilism. “There is no God,” full stop, is not a useful replacement for the comfort and guidance traditional religion seeks to provide.
Michael Werner’s thoughtful new book, “What Can You Believe When You Don’t Believe in God?” confronts this criticism head-on.
Werner believes in plenty. He believes in the lifestance many call “humanism,” which he puts in compelling historical perspective. He believes in knowledge, and how humankind can attain it, without the benefit of supernatural revelation. He believes in shared human values, and in a thoughtful process for developing them. He believes in “meaning.” Not, as some traditional religionists would have it, meaning found in a happy or tortured afterlife, but meaning in the here and now: Making a difference because you have lived, and lived well.
Humanists who decline to be guided by invisible spirits must decide for themselves how to distinguish right from wrong – not always an easy task, as Werner points out. One of the most valuable facets of his approach is his guided tour through the minefield of ethical systems, and his ultimate settling on an ethical pluralism – “do what works.”
The pinnacle of Werner’s humanist belief system is civilization itself. Not just dry science – though all must start with that – but the full flowering of human emotion as expressed in art in all its exuberance.
