Name: When Our Heroes Go Off the Rails
Start: 2025-11-23T09:45:00-06:00
End: 2025-11-23T10:45:00-06:00
Location: Ethical Society of St. Louis

What happens when public figures or thinkers we admire—especially those who’ve championed reason, science, or justice—say or do things that seem to betray those very values? How do we respond when the people who shaped our worldview stumble, cause harm, or drift into ideas we can’t support?

Join Hemant Mehta (The Friendly Atheist) for an open discussion on accountability, integrity, and repair within atheist and humanist spaces. Together we’ll explore how communities that prize free thought and open inquiry can also cultivate care, self-reflection, and ethical responsibility. How do we hold space for disagreement without enabling harm? How can we build cultures of critique that strengthen rather than fracture us?
This conversation invites all of us to wrestle with the challenge at the heart of Humanism: living our values, even when it’s uncomfortable.

**The Nick Pacino Speaker Fund**
This event is supported by the **Nick Pacino Speaker Fund**, which honors the legacy of longtime member and past Board President **Nick Pacino**. Nick was passionate about free expression, learning, and the power of ethical ideas — values that continue to shape the Ethical Society today.

**The Cheshire Hotel**
We’re also grateful to **The Cheshire Hotel**, a beloved St. Louis landmark near Forest Park, for making this event possible. With its British-inspired charm, cozy tavern, and inviting guest rooms, The Cheshire offers a uniquely local experience for travelers and staycationers alike. We’re thankful for their partnership and hospitality in hosting our guest for this event — and we encourage you to consider The Cheshire for your next visit, getaway, or special occasion.

Louise Jett

Ethical Society of St. Louis

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