AHA Annual Conference in Washington, DC

by Roy Speckhart<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

 

This year’s annual conference of the American Humanist Association was held back to back with IHEU General Assembly, and the two events were bridged by a joint AHA/IHEU symposium, Humanism: Engaging the World – Confronting Injustice. Running from 9 to 11 May, 2003, the AHA conference, Making Humanism Count: Unity in Action, focused on a revitalized Humanist activism.The event highlighted the diversity within Humanism, drawing speakers from both openly religious and staunchly atheistic Humanist organizations and with leaders from both local and international Humanism. This diversity highlighted the synergy between all who share the Humanist values of reason, democracy, and social justice.

 

A pre-conference seminar on 8 May, “Making Humanist Ethics Work”, was led by Dr. Arthur Dobrin, leader emeritus of the Ethical Humanist Society of Long Island. A triple track of workshops began on Friday, relating to internal business and to addressing ways for Humanists to become more actively involved in public life. Covering hot button issues like gay rights, women’s rights, the death penalty, and church-state separation, these workshops explored areas of social activism that mirror the AHA’s increasingly public voice. The workshops also gave practical advice on how to make a difference on these issues.

During the membership plenary session it was revealed that AHA membership has broken historic records at over 6,000. Reasons include the improved look and quality of AHA publications, the revamped and vastly expanded Internet presence, and our reclaimed activist heritage – all raising awareness of Humanism among the general public.

 

Awardees and Speakers

On Friday night the AHA’s annual Humanist of the Year award was presented to Rabbi Sherwin Wine. Founder and President of the Society for Humanistic Judaism, among other organizations, Wine was introduced as an outstanding individual who has given over 40 years of leadership, guidance, and care to the Birmingham Temple in Farmington Hills, Michigan. In his acceptance speech, Wine highlighted the need for Humanists to set aside inhibitions and reach out with their beliefs: “People are not their mouths or their intentions but their behaviour...If we don’t have the behaviour, then all the language doesn’t matter”.

 

On Saturday afternoon, the Humanist Distinguished Service Award was presented to Gloria Feldt, president of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America. Helen Thomas accepted the first Religious Liberty Award, presented by Edd Doerr, President of Americans for Religious Liberty. Thomas, the long-time ‘dean’ of the White House press corps and renowned journalist, was chosen because of her candour in speaking against school vouchers and the Bush administration’s efforts to mix religion and politics.

 

The Humanist Heroine award was bestowed upon Kate Michelman, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America. Lester R. Brown, president of the Earth Policy Institute, closed the evening with a fascinating discussion of the economics of environmental protection and highlighted the future importance of wind power.

 

On Sunday, the conference closed with a plenary session featuring long-time consumer advocate Ralph Nader. Humanism: Engaging the World – Confronting Injustice Sunday 11 May saw the joint AHA/IHEU symposium, Humanism: Engaging the World – Confronting Injustice, a rare opportunity to see leaders from the AHA, IHEU, and other Humanist organizations from the US and around the world discuss Humanist issues on a global scale. Roy Brown, the newly elected president of IHEU, announced IHEU support for an international campaign to defend human rights in Islamic countries.

 

The AHA coordinated a Humanist Lobby Day on Monday 13 May to give US legislators a chance to understand better the strength of the AHA’s grassroots membership.

 

The Washington, DC event was a notable success, with hundreds of Humanists participating in its banquets, meetings, workshops, and symposia which addressed Humanism in today’s turbulent environment.

 

 

Humanism and Its Aspirations: Humanist Manifesto III

A milestone of the Humanist movement took place at this conference with the release and signing of Humanism and Its Aspirations, the successor to Humanist Manifestos I and II.

 

This document already has the signatures of 20 Nobel laureates, celebrities such as Oliver Stone, the 'Amazing' Randi, and Kurt Vonnegut; activists like Bill Baird, Werner Fornos, Arun Gandhi, and Vashti McCollum; as well as influential thinkers including Janet Jeppson Asimov, Richard Dawkins, Katha Pollitt, and Edward O. Wilson. This landmark document is now being placed in the hands of individual scholars, writers, publishers, and opinion leaders who can help it reach millions more.

 

Humanism and Its Aspirations marks a distinct evolution of thought, giving more emphasis to compassion as a motivating force and recognizing the emotive and inspirational elements in human life. This new document makes manifest the fullness of what it means to be human, touching on how we understand the world, how the world works, the source and nature of ethics, finding meaning in life, and working towards social justice.

 

Go to www.americanhumanist.org to add your signature to this pathfinding document.

 

Roy Speckhardt is Director of Membership and Programs for the AHA.