Special Guest! Firebrand David Silverman, President, American Atheists
Details
Message from FFRF/VSUN President Anne Mardick:
The Freedom From Religion Valley of the Sun Chapter meeting has changed from Sunday October 13th @ noon to MONDAY October 21st @ 6:00PM!!!! And why, you ask??? In order to hear from the amazing, one-and-only President of the American Atheists, Mr. Dave Silverman!!!! If you’ve ever heard Dave Silverman, you know he isn’t the sort of speaker who plays it ‘safe’. He is in your face, pulls no punches & guaranteed to rock the house! You may not love his firebrand atheism, but you have to admire his passion! Don’t miss it!
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AGENDA:
· Welcome!
· President’s Report
· Special Speaker – Dave Silverman – “Why Firebrand Atheism is Humanistic, Ethical and Downright Nice!”
· General Announcements & Discussion
· Adjourn 8:30PM
The meeting is free & open to the public. No purchase is necessary. We will have chairs set up for those who are not dining with us. However, we hope you will support the restaurant and order an awesome dinner! And maybe Margaritas too! ¡Olé! (For the gringos - the menu has American food options. They even offer a ‘Gluten-Free’ menu!) An automatic gratuity will be added to your check.
Dave appears in Tucson on Sunday October 20th! Check the Freethought AZ website for details @ http://freethoughtarizona.org .
If possible, Dave will try to squeeze in an appearance in one of the northern AZ cities during the day on Monday. Check your freethought group’s website/Facebook page for updates.
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SPEAKER BIO:
David Silverman is President of American Atheists and was the creator and Executive Producer of the 2012 Reason Rally. He attended Brandeis University, where he completed his Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science while honing his debating skills with theists in numerous informal debates. Dave served as a professional inventor at Bell Labs for 8 years (74 issued patents) and a Marketing Director for Natural Microsystems.
Dave became an activist in 1996 and soon became New Jersey State Director. He also founded the Alliance of Lucent and AT&T Atheists and Secularists, the first employee club of its kind. He was tapped to be the National Spokesperson in 2004, and then was named Vice President in 2008. The Board of Directors elected Dave as President in September of 2010.
Mr. Silverman has appeared on most major news programs including The O'Reilly Factor (spawning the famous "WTF meme-face"), Scarborough Country, The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer, CNN's Paula Zahn NOW, Nick News, Hannity and Colmes, FOX and Friends, NPR's All Things Considered, and many more. David hosts the Atheist Viewpoint TV show with co-host Dennis Horvitz.
ABOUT AMERICAN ATHEISTS:
Since 1963, American Atheists has been the premier organization fighting for the civil liberties of atheists and the total, absolute separation of government and religion. American Atheists was born out of a court case begun in 1959 by the Murray family which challenged prayer recitation in the public schools.
That case, Murray v. Curlett, was a landmark in American jurisprudence on behalf of our First Amendment rights. It began:
"Your petitioners are atheists, and they define their lifestyle as follows. An atheist loves himself and his fellow man instead of a god. An atheist accepts that heaven is something for which we should work now – here on earth – for all men together to enjoy. An atheist accepts that he can get no help through prayer, but that he must find in himself the inner conviction and strength to meet life, to grapple with it, to subdue it and to enjoy it. An atheist accepts that only in a knowledge of himself and a knowledge of his fellow man can he find the understanding that will help lead to a life of fulfillment."
Now in its 50th year, American Atheists is dedicated to working for the civil rights of atheists, promoting separation of state and church, and providing information about atheism.
See you Monday October 21st!
Anne Mardick
FFRF Life Member
Founder & President – FFRF Valley of the Sun Chapter (Greater Phoenix Area)
Special Guest! Firebrand David Silverman, President, American Atheists