Hemant Mehta is the founder and editor of FriendlyAtheist.com, a YouTube creator, and podcast co-host. He is a former National Board Certified math teacher in the suburbs of Chicago. He has appeared on CNN and FOX News and served on the board of directors for Foundation Beyond Belief and the Secular Student Alliance. He has written multiple books, including I Sold My Soul on eBay and The Young Atheist's Survival Guide. He also edited the book Queer Disbelief.
Ajita Kamal, who founded the Indian science/freethought group Nirmukta, died earlier this week. He was only 33 and the cause of death is unknown. Ajita was an active participant in freethought throughout his years in America, forming ties with freethinkers who would become part of Nirmukta’s extended family. Employing his versatile talents, his contributions towards the cause of reason were manifold: as a prolific and edifying writer, as an insightful interviewer, as an adept podcast host, as an energetic community… Read more
Rick Brattin, a Republican state representative in Missouri, has sponsored a bill (HB 1227) that would require “equal treatment of science instruction regarding evolution and intelligent design.” What would that entail? Course textbooks contain approximately an equal number of pages of relevant material teaching each viewpoint. Textbook materials include text, pictures, illustrations, graphs, tables, questions, discussion items, student exercises, teacher support material and other material supplied with the textbook, with freedom allowed the textbook publishers to arrange, substitute, or size… Read more
After watching American Atheists place a controversial billboard at the foot of the Lincoln Tunnel last month, Bruce Gleason and the Backyard Skeptics group in California have adopted the image, reworded it slightly, and put it up in Westminster: 7 Million Californians know MYTHS when they see them. What myths do you see? Said Gleason: ”It is hard for people who are indoctrinated in a religious belief with many superstitions to look at their beliefs as myths, but it’s amazing… Read more
Back in July, GenerationXeroFilms made a powerful video documenting clip after clip of people arguing that atheists were the scum of the earth. Unfortunately, he’s now back with Part 2. It’s unfortunate only because it suggests there were so many clips he couldn’t get in the first video that a second one had to be made. But if you need any motivation for being an outspoken activist, this is it. (Thanks to Brian for the link!) Read more
(See previous post here for more details.) … Interesting piece of trivia: Judge Ronald Lagueux was appointed to the bench by that liberal activist…. Ronald Reagan. … Jessica Ahlquist has been added to the list of Reason Rally speakers! … Jessica spoke about the ruling this morning: “When [Rhode Island ACLU executive director] Steven Brown called me last night to give me the good news, I cried with happiness and relief. I’m so glad and proud that the right decision… Read more