The Humanist Hour #67: Reason Rally

A new episode of the Humanist Hour is available for listening. Keep reading to find out about the guests on this month’s show.

In this month’s podcast, Jes Constantine and Todd Stiefel interview American Atheists’ president, David Silverman, about the largest secular event in world history-Reason Rally. Jes and Todd also discuss a listener comment about the proposed personhood amendment.

Segment 1: Personhood

A constitutional amendment facing voters in Mississippi on Nov. 8, and similar initiatives brewing in half a dozen other states including Florida and Ohio, would declare a fertilized human egg to be a legal person, effectively branding abortion and some forms of birth control as murder.

Further Reading:

  • NPR interview with Keith Mason (Personhood USA), Alexa Kolbi-Molinas (an attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union’s Reproductive Freedom Project), and Dan Grossman (an obstetrician/gynecologist at the University of California, San Francisco).
  • Rationally Speaking, A monthly e-column by Massimo Pigliucci: Abortion, a philosophical approach
  • Ask Richard, the atheist advice columnist. Send your questions for Richard to . Richard says: Please keep your letters concise. They may be edited. There is a very large number of letters, so Richard apologizes if he is unable to respond in a timely manner.

Segment 2: Reason Rally

The Reason Rally is an event sponsored by many of the country’s largest and most influential secular organizations. It will be free to attend and will take place in Washington, D.C. on March 24th, 2012 from 10:00AM – 4:00PM at the National Mall. There will be music, comedy, speakers, and so much more. We hope you can join us!

 Speakers include:

Richard Dawkins

Author of The Selfish Gene, The Blind Watchmaker, The God Delusion, The Greatest Show on Earth, and more;  Founder of the Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science.

PZ Myers

Blogger at Pharyngula; Professor of Biology at the University of Minnesota Morris.

Taslima Nasrin

Author of more than thirty books, including Lajja (“Shame”); Prolific activist for gender equality, free thought, and human rights.

James Randi

Founder of the James Randi Educational Foundation; Creator of The One Million Dollar Paranormal Challenge; Magician (known as “The Amazing Randi”).

Bad Religion

Legendary rock band fronted by singer/songwriter Greg Graffin.

David Silverman

David Silverman is President of American Atheists has been an atheist since he was 6 years old. Dave became an activist in 1996, and soon became [American Atheists] NJ 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.

David has appeared on most major news programs including The O’Reilly Factor, Scarborough Country, The Situation with Wolf Blitzer, CNN’ Paula Zahn NOW, Nick News, Hannity and Colmes, Fox and Friends, CN8’s It’s Your Call, and NPR’s All Things Considered. David runs the NoGodBlog and hosts the Atheist Viewpoint TV show.

Links from this month’s episode:

Music from this month’s episode (in order of appearance):

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