Author: Wayne Wilson

Why is Violent Racism Still a Surprise?

“That’s not a chip on my shoulder, that’s your foot on my neck.”

—Malcolm X

It is difficult to imagine someone more privileged than I am.

Male, white, American, college educated, baby boomer, born at the right time, late enough to miss the Vietnam War and early enough to take the internet revolution more or less in my stride. Pursuing a profession that allows me to sit out the coronavirus lockdown without having to make a choice between my money and my life.

I can also claim, when it suits my purposes, to be an Honorary Black Man.

Or I could, if the title were hereditary.

My father earned it, back about the early 1970s, for just showing up to work. The local chapter of the NAACP needed a parade permit, or a park reservation, or something, for their local Juneteenth celebration. The chapter’s members hadn’t realized the paperwork was necessary and ran down to City Hall at the last minute to seek help.

My father, who was in charge of such officiousness, filled out the necessary form and stamped it or signed it or whatever was needed. A minimal effort for a person who had been doing such things for many years.

The applicants were grateful, and more than a little bit surprised. They had half expected the grizzled old white guy, who grew up on a farm in Kansas and probably hadn’t seen a black person until he went to college, to put up some resistance. To think up some bureaucratic reason why they couldn’t have the permit they wanted because they had made their application after 4 p.m. on a Friday.

And the old man was just a little bit offended that the applicants had made an assumption about the content of his character based on the color of his skin.

As I said, the title is not hereditary. But one thing I do carry on is a privileged blindness that continues to leave me surprised when yet another example of violent racism is splashed across the national media.

Aren’t we finished with this yet?

Can’t people of all skin colors get a parade permit, go bird watching in Central Park, get picked up for a minor criminal offense, play with a toy gun, have a barbecue in a public park, go jogging, go to the store for some Skittles and any number of other normal things without worrying that they will be turned away, have the police called on them, get shot, get their windpipes crushed?

Apparently not.

That woman in Central Park who called the police when the black man told her that she was in an area where her dog should be on a leash. She lives in New York City, for crikey sake. She sees black people—and Puerto Ricans and Asians and Indians—all the time. Why isn’t that just normal? Why does she think she should call the police, when she must have known on some level that the result could very easily be that this inoffensive stranger could die in front of her?

White people see black people on TV, buy their music, root for them to score a touchdown or a three-pointer, emulate their style and their figures of speech. We even elected a black man president of the United States. Twice.

But in real life, it is a relationship still guided in large part by fear. It can’t just be dislike or discomfort or even feelings of superiority. This much violence and acceptance of violence can only rise from white people being afraid of black people.

Police officers, particularly, are these days trained in techniques of de-escalation that, at least officially, honor officers for resolving situations without resorting to violence. But there is obviously just too much Wyatt Earp in too many cops—and, especially, in self-appointed vigilantes—that is triggered by a belief that a black man who writes bad checks or sells untaxed cigarettes is not just a miscreant but a clear and present danger.

The result, of course, is police brutality and self-deputized acts of violence that the black community tolerates for as long as it can, plus a little, before erupting in burn-down-the-police-station rage.

Which only serves to prove to the bigots among us, particularly the one in the Oval Office, that their fear was always well placed, and their violent acts of self-defense always justified.

Of course, white people are afraid of black people. We know if we were treated the way blacks are treated in our society, we might be pretty angry, too.

So it goes.

—George Pyle, editorial page editor of The Salt Lake Tribune, thinks white people might catch a very tiny hint of what it’s like to be a minority by, as he did, riding public transit in Buffalo, N.Y., for four years. Though, because nothing bad ever happened, it’s not really the same.

Reprinted from the May 31, 2020 edition of the Salt Lake Tribune with permission from the author

I’m Back, Mostly…

I am having a personal battle with anxiety. I must admit that its kind of blind-sided me, or maybe it just crept up on me. Either way, anxiety got the best of me when this epidemic kept getting worse and worse. I was isolating in a serious way because I am one of those 70+ year-olds with other health issues that makes me high-risk individuals who are most likely to die from the Novel Coronavirus. I was also watching too much news and seeing how everything was being made even worse by the horrifying incompetence of the man in the White House. Then, on Easter Sunday I was having a toast with a shot of scotch with friends online, which was quite enjoyable except, that I drank it with an empty stomach.

My gut did not like it and it made me sick for some days and increased my anxiety. I worried that I had awakened my gall stone that I had dealt with several months earlier. But the anxiety got worse as I thought about having to go out in public and go to the hospital to get checked out. By this time, it was out of control to the point that it took some prodding to get me to go to the V.A. emergency room. At the hospital they found all my blood work normal and diagnosed me to be experiencing a severe anxiety episode. I never realized how anxiety can make you sick—and not just mentally but physically as well. Those neurotransmitters can cause a lot of problems when they are out of whack.

I have always thought of myself a person who thinks rationally and logically. I have always researched the various illnesses I have had to understand what’s going on, symptoms, side effects, and what treatments are available. But I never gave anxiety this same scrutiny. I have had varying amounts of anxiety over the years, especially when being a full-time caregiver, but nothing like this.

Anyway, with the proper meds and some self- help (mindfulness, yoga, etc.) I am back, mostly.

I am still worried about COVID-19, but I must tell myself that no matter how long I have left, I am not going to let anxiety capture my mind and keep me from enjoying life.

Next month I hope to talk about the rush to reopen, and to get “back to normal”. I understand the world can’t stand still forever but being reckless could cause a spike that could affect the holidays which would be devastating at a time when commerce is usually at a peak.

I also have a lot to say about some notions out there about “culling the herd” and some sort of recent eugenics/social Darwinism/who knows what to call it. It is a slippery slope when you start offering up the sick and elderly, not to mention those in poverty to ease the burden on society. People are not wildebeests on a migration, where the old, sick, and injured are mindlessly left behind to be dealt with by predators. We take care of each other because we can, and it is the right thing to do. Otherwise, why have medicine or doctors or hospitals at all? Just let anyone who is sick get well on their own or die? That is not what a society does.

I obviously have a lot to say in this area and hope to revisit it for the next newsletter.

I hope this has not been too much information about me, but I hope that you and your families and loved ones are all safe and well. Please keep your distance and wear a mask for the good of yourself and others.

—Bob Lane

Today is the Day!

We truly are living in unprecedented times. There is not one area of all of our lives that is not impacted by outside stresses, chaos, uncertainty and in many cases fear. We are all adapting on the fly to daily updates to the world around us and we are witnessing pivotal moments of change right before our eyes. We are in the midst of a worldwide pandemic, political chaos, and systemic brokenness. It is almost too much to bear. During all of this, there is a resurgence of greatness happening. An awakening in us all. One that has been spoken for decades and from the mouths of leaders and fellow humans who call for us to be better.

We must BE the change. What is it to BE the change? It is so obvious that people are hurting. We suffer in many different ways and it is closing in on many. How can we BE the change in something like a pandemic? How can we BE the change in something like cities in chaos due to protest and riot? How can we BE the change in our everyday lives where things feel out of control? The true answer is to go inward and reflect on yourself and what you have to give. Whether it is time, resources, finances, support, a kind word, or more importantly stopping a broken cycle that continues to move forward. We can BE any of those things.

It is important to recognize that any movement forward, no matter how small, is a step in the right direction. The biggest step is to figure out what that looks like for you, in your lives, in your space, in your community, in your family and in your hearts. We are all human. We are all in this together. We really are. We do not have all to be frontline responders to initiate change. But I will tell you this, frontline responders are fighting for everyone. We want others to thrive. We want peace. We want equality for everyone, no more, no less. The time is now for change. Our world is in crisis and it is up to ALL OF US to step up, whatever that looks like for you.

Jeff and I participated in the protests this past weekend. Of course, we were peaceful and trying to facilitate change, but we held ground and were ready to root in should the need arise. We witnessed palpable angst. We smelled things burn burning, we heard and screamed at the top of our lungs to be heard with our brothers and sisters who are sick of inequality. We will not stop until change is made. The media will show so many aspects of what is happening and of course there is slant to it all. But raw truth is this: not all humans are treated fairly.

The time is now to not allow this anymore. I am calling you and your beautiful humanist beliefs to action. No one can stand by and not do anything. Not now, not anymore. Vote, support, talk about it constructively, figure out what ways you were taught to subconsciously keep others “place.” We all do it because it has been this way for too long and these behaviors are intrinsic in our cultures. There is no room anymore for racism, in any form, in our society. I ask to you to love your neighbors and others and to live our humanist principles and share them with everyone. This is how we will BE the change. Today is the Day!

—With kindest regards always
Melanie White-Curtis
Vice-President, HoU

Pictures from the protest:

Barbara Tanner
1917 ~ 2020

Barbara Tanner, one of the first members of Humanists of Utah has died. She was a philanthropist, who also supported the Utah Symphony and opera, said the humanities could make someone a better person.

“Barbara’s a radical,” her friend Mary Dickson, a retired executive at public television station KUER, said in a 2018 video tribute made by the University of Utah when Tanner received an honorary doctorate. She was 101 then. “She believes in radical kindness; she believes in radical goodness and radical change.”

Humanists of Utah is a strong organization do in no small part to Barbara and her husband Norman’s support over the years.

Click link below to see

Barbara’s official Obituary

President’s Report

Hello, humanists! These are strange times indeed and I hope that you are making the best of this new reality. I wanted to share a few thoughts on crisis perception in a historical context.

Historically, mass pandemics have been noted primarily for the sickness, suffering and deaths. This is understandable for obvious reasons. But positive outcomes have been produced in the aftermath of these scourges, transformations that altered history in major ways. An example of this is the arrival of the Black Death in Italy in 1347 CE, where between one third and one half of Europe would succumb. For most people at this time, it seemed the end of the world was near. In addition to climate challenges and geopolitical upheaval, the Black Death upended religious authority, catalyzed xenophobia, racism and anti-Semitism, and disrupted demographics—quite simply, the bonds of society fell apart in a frenzied storm of panic to avoid contagion. And yet, a rebirth emerged from the ashes that would push the continent toward the Renaissance and emergence of humanist ideals. With about half the labor force gone, the remaining workers became more valuable and were able to negotiate not only higher wages, but decreased rent and keeping more livestock and crops for themselves to sell and use. Lifespans increased, women entered the workforce in larger numbers, and the resulting disposable income influenced everything from fashion to food to crafts and mercantile.

Right now, there are hopeful changes occurring as well. Stay-at-home orders, social distancing and the glaring absence of effective national leadership and medical supply chain contingencies have bought time for us to reflect on our society and what we want to make it. We have time to take walks, to check in on loved ones, to finish that book on the shelf, and so forth. And when we have time to truly look at our world, we see wonderful things happening right now. The canals of Venice are crystal clear for the first time in decades, with swans and porpoises returning to them. Pollution has plummeted in hotspots all over the world, giving people blue skies for the first time in a long time. Pakistan just hired 63,000 people to plant 10 billion trees in an effort to merge nature and employment needs. Leatherback turtles are making a swift comeback after beaches in Thailand and Florida were shut down. Friends and families are connecting in more meaningful names and embracing technology en masse to do so. The old adage “Nature abhors a vacuum” has proven immutable—and it is up to us to determine what will fill that vacuum.

The events of COVID-19 have changed the lenses through which many people view their lives. Depending with whom you talk, the future may seem dystopian, chaotic and fearful or it may seem utopian, hopeful and resolute—with the vast majority of people on a sliding scale between these. But it is the fact that we are visual creatures that enables us to see not only through our eyes, but also in our minds. And here is where we will determine our future, not by observing but by playing an active role in choosing the colors, determining the brushstrokes and finally painting our desires in society. Every crisis has two sides and the opportunism of humanists for the good will play a pivotal part in keeping the momentum of change for the positive moving forward. Stay positive and look for the silver lining during these touch times!

—Jeff Curtis
President, Hou

Meaning of Freedom

Originally published in July 1998 as that month’s Discussion Group Report.

“When I became convinced that the universe is natural–that all the ghosts and gods are myths, there entered into my brain, into my soul, into every drop of my blood, the sense, the feeling, the joy of freedom. The walls of my prison crumbled and fell, the dungeon was flooded with light, and all the bolts and bars and manacles became dust. I was no longer a servant, a serf, or a slave. There was for me no master in all the wide world–not even in infinite space. I was free–free to think, to express my thoughts–free to live with my own ideal–free to live for myself and those I loved–free to use all my faculties, all my senses–free to spread imagination’s wings–free to investigate, to guess and dream and hope–free to judge and determine for myself–free to reject all ignorant and cruel creeds, all the “inspired” books that savages have produced, and all the barbarous legends of the past–free from sanctified mistakes and holy lies–free from the fear of eternal pain–free from the winged monsters of the night–free from devils, ghosts, and gods. For the first time I was free. There were no prohibited places in all the realms of thought–no air, no space, where fancy could not spread her painted wings–no chains for my limbs–no lashes for my back–no fires for my flesh–no master’s frown or threat–no following another’s steps–no need to bow, or cringe, or crawl or utter lying words. I was free. I stood erect and fearlessly, joyously faced all worlds.

“And then my heart was filled with gratitude, with thankfulness, and went out in love to all the heroes, the thinkers who gave their lives for the liberty of hand and brain–for the freedom of labor and thought–to those who fell on the fierce fields of war, to those who died in dungeons bound in chains–to those by fire consumed–to all the wise, the good, the brave of every land, whose thoughts and deeds have given freedom to the sons of men. And then I vowed to grasp the torch that they had held, and hold it high, that light might conquer darkness still.”

–Robert Green Ingersoll

“Rarely will a high-school student of today encounter the name of Robert G. Ingersoll,” says Gordon Stein, editor of the Encyclopedia of Unbelief. Nor will most college history students. Yet during the latter part of his lifetime, he was perhaps the best-known and most listened to American alive. From about 1880 to his death in 1899, he probably spoke to more Americans in person than anyone before or since. He had audiences of as many as 3,000 people a night several months a year while he was on tour. In those days it was very rare for an unbeliever to be allowed to speak publicly; yet he lectured nightly to thousands of people against organized religion and received front-page coverage. This situation struck fear in the hearts of many clergymen. They struck back with mud-slinging, but he led such a “squeaky clean” life that no mud would stick. He was a close friend of U.S. presidents.

He believed that nothing was “sacred” or immune to discussion. He felt that mild satire often could make people consider the error of their views when straight discussion could not. He attacked the idea of the literal truth of the Bible relentlessly. He showed how the Bible was largely responsible for the prevailing attitudes toward slavery, women’s inferior position, and much of the hypocrisy and injustice of the world. He decried the idea that belief in the Bible or religion was necessary to morality or worthiness as a human being. He pointed out what he thought was wrong with the design of the world; he said that if he were designing the world, he “would make good health catching instead of disease.” He advocated equal rights for women and all races, civil liberties, and responsible care of the natural environment. He opposed any limitation on freedom of speech, including criticizing religion. He called science “the only possible savior of mankind.”

His view of life was, “Happiness is the only good. The place to be happy is here. The time to be happy is now. The way to be happy is to make others so.”

—Richard Layton

Chaplin’s Corner

It is NOT Social Distancing

When I was young, I wanted to be a wizard, and this was years before Harry Potter; although I had devoured all the fantasy I could find. I have therefore been delighted to learn that I can cast spells! We are all wizards, wizards with our words. Words matter. The way we think about things and the way we describe them literally changes the way our bodies experience them. To shift the metaphor, with words we program our minds, our bodies, our relationships, and even the world.

Therefore, it is important to be as precise, clear, and accurate with the words we use. And why I recommend that we stop using the term “Social Distancing” and start calling it “Physical Distancing.”

Physical distancing is hard, no doubt about it. I am sure even the most introverted among us are aching for hugs. I was completely alone for over a month, and I would have been so happy just to have a cat! I love cats and am a big believer in the healing power of animals. I visited my children at their mom’s, and it was so hard not to be able to hug them. I was so relieved a few weeks later when we had a proper visit, and when they were able to come to my house.

I attended a training on “Grief in the Time of COVID” and the grief counselor made the painfully accurate point that physical distancing compromises the core ways we manage grief as humans. When we grieve, we spend time together. We hug each other. We gather together and we share meals. We cry together. Touch is so important. It takes a twenty second hug to release oxytocin, which lowers stress hormones and increases health. This is definitely a time to appreciate safe sources of physical contact. And we are all grieving how difficult and rare simple touch has become.

As difficult as Physical Distancing is, it is not Social Distancing. True Social Distancing would isolate us. I have found that physical distancing requirements has actually INCREASED my social reaches, and I imagine that is true of many of you as well. I have been far more consistent about reading my children bedtime stories via FaceTime and the Echo Dot than when they were in the same house with me! One of the great blessings and curses of being human is our ability to adapt quickly to pretty much anything; known as “habituation.” Therefore, we only appreciate things when they are gone, or at least at risk. Change and disruption wake us up.

I hope we can be as responsible as possible when it comes to Physical Distancing. And may we stop using the term Social Distancing. May we instead use every method at our disposal to reach out to those we love, to connect and care for each other in safe ways. One of the blessings of this pandemic is that we will never take closeness for granted again. And until we can once again hug each other, we will nurture and strengthen relationships from a distance.

—Jared Anderson (MA, BCC) is endorsed by the AHA Humanist Society as a Chaplain, Celebrant, and Lay Leader. He provides rituals across the life span for birth, coming of age, and divorce, as well as weddings and funerals. He specializes in designing personalized ceremonies that integrate ideas from art, history and popular culture. Contact him at jared@humanistsofutah.org

Humanism 101

I want to introduce a new monthly column, Humanism 101. Each column will address different aspects and approaches to humanism. My favorite definition of humanism is “A human-centered approach to life”, in case any of your friends ask you to explain it. I have found that this human-centered approach to life is a powerful approach in every way: personal, relational, and professional. I will broadly organize content into Humanism Past, Humanism Present, Humanism Future. I look forward to exploring the human experience together with you.

Humanism Past will explore the history of Humanism. We will look at the rise of modern explicit Humanism which began with the French Revolution, as well as

Humanism Present will focus on ways that we can integrate humanism to enrich our everyday lives, but it will also discuss the ways that humanism impacts our world, mostly implicitly. You can tell others that we are ALL humanists, because the modern world is humanist.

Humanism Future will highlight present issues and approaches our world faces, and how humanism is and might address them.

I will also be sharing helpful resources to continue your own learning quest. Here a few recommended books to get you started:

• · Stephen Law, Humanism: A Very Short Introduction (New York: Oxford University Press, 2011).
• · Dale McGowan and Anthony Pinn, eds. Everyday Humanism (Bristol: Equinox, 2014).
• · Greg Epstein, Good without God (New York: HarperCollins, 2009)
• · Anthony Pinn, ed. What is Humanism and Why Does it Matter? (Bristol: Acumen, 2013).

I also cannot recommend highly enough Huval Harari’s trilogy of the human experience:

• · Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind (New York: Harper, 2015)
• · 21 Lessons for the 21 Century (New York: Spiegel & Grau, 2018)
• · Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow (New York: HarperCollins, 2017)

—Jared Anderson

Elle the Humanist

An aspiring 9-year-old local author recently published a book about humanism titled Elle the Humanist! She was interviewed on channel 4’s Good Things Utah show to talk about it.

Click on the picture below to see the four and half minute YouTube video.

COVID-19 Statement

The board and officers of the Humanists of Utah are not unaware of the challenges we are facing in the world right now with regard to COVID-19 and its impact on our lives. We are adapting to the changes around us but still moving forward with our support and promotion of human-centered life responsibility and reason. With the safety of our members at the forefront of our mind, we have taken some actions to mitigate the impact.

1. Monthly meetings and attendance at major events will be postponed indefinitely as per public health recommendations. We will notify you when this changes.

2. Board meetings have moved to videoconferencing so that we may continue providing guidance, content and support for our members and community.

3. We are launching a support option for those of you who may need assistance with shopping or may need critical supplies and cannot leave the house. If you find yourself in need, please send an email to board@humanistsofutah.org or text 385-495-3786 and provide us with the details. We will arrange assistance.

In the meantime, we are producing great new Humanist content for you to enjoy in many ways:

· Read current and past issues of The Humanist, our monthly newsletter. We will be adding additional content and writers starting next month so you will not want to miss a single issue.

· Check us out on Facebook, where we have a community of over 1100 people who share thoughts and conversations around Humanism and contribute your own insights.

· On YouTube, see presentations by past featured speakers in our Humanist Speaker Series.

· Like Twitter? We now have a channel where you can stay in touch and retweet HoU information.

· We are working on a podcast series starring Jared Anderson, our resident celebrant, in which he discusses subjects that will be sure to fascinate you.

The Humanists of Utah strongly denounces attempts to cast blame or incite vile racist or similar dehumanization against fellow humans for the virus. It is critical that reason, empathy and mutual assistance rise above the tide of lazy and ineffective efforts to create an enemy out of “others”. We encourage a defense against the toxic appearance of nationalism and tribalism wherever found.

Thank you for your support of the HoU community. If you are not a member, please consider joining and enjoy all the many benefits mentioned above. Annual memberships start at just $35 ($20 for students) and we welcome all with open arms.

—Yours in Humanism
The Board of Directors

President’s Report

Over the last year the Humanists of Utah have worked diligently to build our brand, promote practical Humanism in our daily lives, and broaden the content offerings for our members. We refer to this as HoU 2.0 and is it part of our larger stratagem of bringing the visibility and appeal of Humanism to the Beehive State. Most recently, we have overhauled our marketing and promotional trade dress to reflect a consistent and striking visual arsenal of colors, symbols and messaging that will unite our efforts and let us be more recognizable, thus strengthening our brand.

I am thrilled to announce that the board of directors has recently approved the adoption and immediate usage of a new striking organizational logo that we think is worthy of HoU 2.0. It brings a fresh and vibrant pulse to the group while still honoring our philosophies and aspirational aims. But underneath it all is a rich set of symbology that we feel unites and energizes Humanism in Utah. We hope you like it!

LOGO

The eight Happy Humanists form a circle that represents global forward progress and also represents a sun of enlightenment. Their arms are outstretched in hope, potential and joy.

The white space surrounding the beehive is in the shape of both an atom and a flower, representing an emphasis on science, reason and naturalism.

The beehive represents the state of Utah and HoU’s cooperation with and involvement in bettering our society through Humanist ideals and action.

The star in the beehive represents unity and direction through Humanism, a north star of sorts, as well as representing a state in the American Humanist Association.

—Jeff Curtis
President, HoU

Chaplin’s Corner

Reality, Response, Invitation

I know things feel crazy, and scary, and upside down right now. Many if not most of us are worried about our health and the health of our loved ones. We are worried about our jobs. We are worried about our future. We are even worried about toilet paper. You aren’t overreacting. This is a matter of life and death at a global scale. The best thing most of us can do is stay home and check in with ourselves and our loved ones.

I want to share a few thoughts about reality, response, and invitation.

Reality. The reality is that life is always this vulnerable, always this uncertain. Life is always this precious. Science teaches us that we are not selves or individuals the way we think we are. We are complex systems, both internal and external. Our internal systems are fighting World War III with a new virus. Our external systems are fighting World War III with the consequences of that virus. Covid-19 functions as a systems check, and most of our systems are falling short. At the same time, we are seeing the noble and beautiful in human nature as we care for each other. Italians sing to each other. China sent medical masks to Italy and put on the crates a poem by the ancient Roman philosopher Seneca: “We are waves from the same sea, leaves from the same tree, flowers from the same garden”. Japan donated supplies to China and put on the boxes a Buddhist poem: “We have different mountains and rivers, but we share the same sun, moon, and sky.” And our heroic medical workers risk themselves during long shifts.

Response. Our initial response is likely fear and grief, and that is ok. Whatever your initial response is, that is ok. Grief is the other side of love, and we aren’t used to sitting with it. Grief researcher David Kessler said, “We feel the world has changed, and it has. We know this is temporary, but it doesn’t feel that way, and we realize things will be different. Just as going to the airport is forever different from how it was before 9/11, things will change and this is the point at which they changed. The loss of normalcy; the fear of economic toll; the loss of connection. This is hitting us and we’re grieving. Collectively. We are not used to this kind of collective grief in the air.” (https://hbr.org/2020/03/that-discomfort-youre-feeling-is-grief) So what do we do with this fear and grief? We feel it. We breathe through it. And we ground ourselves in the present moment. This mindful presence is an emotional workout, and you will be stronger because you do it.

Invitation. The reality is that everything that happens in our lives is an invitation. As a rule, we are as good as we are incentivized and empowered to be, and this moment invites with world shaking power. This challenge invites the best of us. Grief invites gratitude. Risk invites perspective. Distance invites connection.

I hope that we will check in with and care for ourselves. I am completely alone during quarantine, and grateful for the work I have done to be a friend to myself. Relationships, closeness, touch… I hope we will never again take these for granted. Last night I read bedtime stories to my two youngest children via video chat. My cautious hope is that this global challenge, by showing us how vulnerable and interconnected we are, by showing us how flawed our systems are, will catalyze some real improvements. Because however noble our individual responses are, change must happen at the national and global level to be sustainable.

But as we wait and work for that change, we can hold still, be grateful, and connect as we can.

History will remember when the world stopped
And the flights stayed on the ground.
And the cars parked in the street.
And the trains didn’t run.

History will remember when the schools closed
And the children stayed indoors
And the medical staff walked towards the fire
And they didn’t run.

History will remember when the people sang
On their balconies, in isolation
But so very much together
In courage and song.

History will remember when the people fought
For their old and their weak
Protected the vulnerable
By doing nothing at all.

History will remember when the virus left
And the houses opened
And the people came out
And hugged and kissed
And started again
Kinder than before

—Donna Ashworth

Jared Anderson (MA, BCC) is endorsed by the AHA Humanist Society as a Chaplain, Celebrant, and Lay Leader. He provides rituals across the life span for birth, coming of age, and divorce, as well as weddings and funerals. He specializes in designing personalized ceremonies that integrate ideas from art, history and popular culture. Contact him at jared@humanistsofutah.org

Staying Focused at Home

We are currently in a very peculiar time. Our deliberate choices will have impacts that can change the course of history. Whether it be in how we are going to vote, Whether we are practicing social distancing ( I prefer the term physical distancing), and for many of us, a complete change of daily lifestyle by either self-quarantining or working remotely from home.

These changes can be overwhelming and stressful to some. The most important thing during this time on our planet is to find peace of mind and comfort while navigating the chaos around us. The best way to do this is to create a plan. What do you want your days to include? What do you need to do? What do you want to do? How can you make it happen? When will I rest? This is an important part of each day. Here are five ways to help you create your plan. These are helpful for those of you who are new to working from home but can be modified to any aspect of your lives.

1. Double down on your daily ritual

2. Lean on your most important Big Three focus items

3. Find a focus spot, where you can be that will provide the best source of staying focused

4. Agree on a signal to tell people in your home that you are in “deep work” and now is not the time to interrupt, setting the boundaries

5. Be flexible, being at home is new for your family too

We are making history. We are living history. You are so important and so very valuable to the world we all live in. Hang in there, make smart choices and think outside of the box—you will be amazed at the beautiful things that await you!

Kindest regards,
Melanie White-Curtis
HoU Vice President

Socialism
Evil, Wicked, Mean & Nasty?

The following is a reprint of an HoU meeting report from April 2009. Here is a link to the original report

Did you know that socialists have held public office even in Utah? This is just one of the juicy tidbits that history professor and historian John McCormick Ph.D., shared in his fascinating presentation at the March 2009 meeting of Humanists of Utah.

History is not only a study of the past McCormick began, but is a selective history since not everything can be included. War, diplomacy, politics, and stories of great people, that usually means men, usually white men, are the exclusive subjects.

A fun way to illustrate how narrow history is to ask
students to list who they remember from their history classes. Typically, the
list is 90% male, mostly white, many of them presidents, generals, and
inventors. Few women and non-whites are mentioned.

McCormick has worked toward being more inclusive and
expansive in his teaching and writing, particularly in showing how history is about
many peoples, ideas, experiences, and cultural traditions. Thus, in looking at
any event in history, he will explore a range of individuals and groups that
might have been involved and affected an event. A group usually left out that
McCormick has learned to appreciate centers on the ordinary person in everyday
life–history isn’t limited only to influential, great, and important people.
For instance, what was the experience of women in the Civil War? What was the
experience of an ordinary soldier or person at the battlefront or home front?

McCormick recounted a lecture he gave earlier that
day. Given the current economic downturn, the subject chosen for him was the
Great Depression. How did the Depression affect ordinary people in their
everyday lives?

Nationwide the unemployment rate was about 25%. Utah
had an average 26%, but in 1933, it soared to 36%. In1940, ten years into the
Depression, Utah still had 18%. There was widespread, growing unemployment and
underemployment with lost homes and apartments.

Showing how the Depression affected ordinary people,
McCormick shared the story of his family. In 1930, his grandfather at age 46
lost his job, never again to obtain a full-time, permanent job. He died
thirteen years later.

Born and raised on a farm near Price, his mother, youngest of seven children and the first of her siblings to graduate from high school, entered the University of Utah in 1929 intending to be a teacher. A month later, the stock market crashed, and she managed to stay at school for the rest of the year but was financially unable to complete her degree. So, she returned to Price where at least there was food and a place to live rent-free. That is, until her parents lost the farm because they couldn’t pay the mortgage.

What was the impact of these circumstances for
McCormick’s parents? They delayed getting married until eight years after
they’d met, which meant fewer children–only two–his sister and himself: money
and age the determinants. Wanting security, his father stayed in a job he hated.
Since it didn’t pay well, his mother who had wanted to stay home and raise her
family had to work. These events exacerbated the challenges in their marriage.

Noteworthy from the Depression is that our
government, under Franklin Delano Roosevelt, changed in unprecedented ways that
remains to this day.

In addition to exploring how ordinary people affect
history, McCormick also explores the radical tradition, radical people, radical
movements. After all, this country originated from an act of revolution.

McCormick defines radicalism as a fundamental
restructuring or changes in the way society is arranged or organized–not mere
adjustments. He is particularly interested in radical changes that involve
inclusion rather than exclusion: inclusion expands rights and opportunities.
e.g. Ku Klux Klan is a radical group, and is interested in fundamental changes,
but they restrict opportunities and rights.

Here McCormick referred to a relevant book: The
Radical Reader: A Documentary History Of The American Radical Tradition. It
is a collection of 155 primary sources of those people who changed history
through what then was considered radical. It includes notables like Jefferson,
Paine, Thoreau, Friedan, Ginsberg, Carson, etc.

Referring back to Utah’s 36% unemployment, McCormick
related an incident of radicalism–possibly Salt Lake City’s first protest–how
ordinary people in everyday life reacted.

In February 1933, a number of houses and farms were
to be auctioned off at Salt Lake City and County Building. A group of 200-300
Salt Lake City citizens disrupted the auction, saying that people shouldn’t
lose their homes through no fault of their own (sound familiar?). They refused
to allow this sale to go on. In desperation, the sheriff called the Fire
Department, which turned hoses onto the group, flooding the basement of the
County Building; police turned tear gas onto the crowd. Fifteen were actually
convicted of unlawful behavior and served time in jail. After the crowd
dispersed, most of them reassembled and marched up State Street to the Capitol
where the State Legislature was in session. There they held a rally with signs
e.g. organizers starve, we want milk for our children, moratorium on mortgages.

What was going on here? McCormick wondered. Why and
how is it that in Salt Lake City where the majority is conservative that such
an event took place?

Interestingly McCormick discovered that a communist
candidate in Utah got 15% of votes who ran 4th out of seven; another radical
act.

He also discovered that in 1911, Murray City voted
in a Socialist mayor and city council and re-elected them in 1913 so that for
four years, Murray had a Socialist administration. What happened here, he
wondered. How could that have happened?

Of course, he knew that during this period, the US
had its only significant socialist movement, which was a viable part of
American history. Between 1900 and 1912, two Socialists were elected to
Congress, there were over 1500 Socialist mayors and city commissioners, they
had a significant presence in the labor movement, and there were 300-400
socialist publications then, one with a circulation of 750,000.

With further study, McCormick discovered that
between 1900 and 1923, Utah had over 100 Socialists in public office with
Eureka electing the most: 35. For three years, the Utah State Federation of
Labor officially endorsed the Socialist Party.

McCormick said he finds these historical events
extremely interesting, partly because some of it is relatively unknown, but
more importantly, history of this type is critical because of its potential to
fundamentally change our way of thinking about the past, since the way we think
about our past affects the way we think about the present and about the future.
There is not just one way to think about our past.

Concluding with a quote from one of his books, The Gathering Place: an Illustrated History Of Salt Lake City, he asserted that we need to look at the study of history in a new way because the old way is inadequate. Rather than exclusionary and narrow as it has been, we need to move toward a history that is more inclusive, more expansive, more accurately taking into account the diverse society that Utah really is and has been. We need to resist rather than uphold monolithic, one-dimensional, stereotypical representation. A new way of looking at our past could help us overcome longstanding, narrow, restrictive, crippling definitions of ourselves and of our society.

—Sarah Smith

FDR proposed a “Second Bill of Rights” in his State of the Union Address. Here are a couple of links:
Wikipedia summary
YouTube

President’s Report

Preparing to Be Prepared

The Boy Scouts have had it right for over 100 years.
Their famous motto “Be Prepared” has helped millions of boys and their families
have the confidence and knowledge to proactively prepare for unknown incidents
and situations in which they may find themselves throughout life. By learning,
planning and executing on preparedness plans, one may weather future storms and
mitigate disaster. As a former Eagle Scout, I have kept this at the forefront
of many of my decisions in my past and current life and understand the strength
in preparation.

We are living in a time of momentous social upheaval
and natural change, one that has often left mankind struggling to keep up
with—much less ahead of—the curve. The news is not always good. The COVID-19
virus has begun its exponential networking across the planet, natural disasters
due to the climate crisis are ramping up in both frequency and strength, social
unrest due to wealth inequality, racism, nationalism and refugees continues to
swell, and tensions between hegemonic global players remain strained. Though we
may not know specifics until the very last moment, the ability to have a plan
and support can alleviate a large part of any potential harm and give us a
sense of direction and protection looking forward.

Author and ocean activist Peter Benchley shrewdly
noted that “Fascination breeds preparedness, and preparedness, survival.” In
order for something to take hold within us, we must first have interest, born
of curiosity and access to information, and secondly, the ability to act on it.
To anticipate. To be prepared. Humanists know well that optimism for the future
is not enough, that there must be action taken upon principles in order to
realize progress. We must DO once we KNOW. The old G.I. Joe public service
announcements stated that “Knowing is half the battle” and in March, we present
a way to increase your knowledge as well as finish the battle with preparation.

This month’s speaker is Linda Milne, 2018 AARP Andrus Award winner and member of S.A.F.E. Neighborhood Task Force. She will be presenting on “Emergency Preparedness”, a timely discussion on strategies, tactics, and information on how to prepare for disasters of all kind—pandemics, civil uprisings, natural upheavals, etc. This information will be critical not only for knowing what to do in these situations but also in how to prepare for them beforehand. This is universal in its application and relevance. I invite you to join us for this free event and invite friends, family and neighbors to this community event. Now Is the time to mitigate the effects of the unknown by thinking like a Boy Scout—and being prepared.

—Jeff Curtis
President, HoU

Chaplin’s Corner

Meet Your Chaplain

I had a column nearly finished about (non) afterlife, when I realized that for my first column should introduce myself! So, it is nice to meet you all (Watch for the oblivion post next month.)I have had the privilege for the past three years of working as an openly Humanist Chaplain. In fact, I was very pleased that during my interview for a hospice position, my now-boss asked me, “How will you meet the needs of the non-religious?” I was thrilled to respond that the non-religious happen to be my specialty! I’ve been honored to present on humanist approaches to ministry at hospice conferences, prison conferences, and even a United Nations conference.

So first, what is a Chaplain? My favorite definition
is a “professional decent human being.” I enjoy stumping my World Religions
students is to ask them, “If I want to become a professional good person…if I
want to get a PhD in goodness…what career is that?” Unfortunately, our culture
has mostly outsourced the question of goodness to religion. And we all know how
well that has turned out. My second favorite description of a chaplain’s work
is “show up where life breaks open.” Too often we get through life through
distraction and avoidance. As a rule, we are as good as we are incentivized and
empowered to be (I’ll unpack that in another column.) We usually only come
fully alive during tragedy. Or tragically, only come fully alive as we are
about to die. One of the greatest benefits of my work is that I don’t take that
for granted, and I hope to pass that along to you.

I joke that I can reach pretty much anyone because I
was raised Latter-day Saint (to this day I have a Sunday School podcast,
without a single truth claim), I did PhD work in Biblical Studies, taught World
Religions for seven years, and now I am a Humanist Minister.

I
look forward to discussing important topics with you each month, and you can
always feel free to email me to continue the conversation.

Jared Anderson (MA, BCC) is endorsed by the AHA Humanist Society as a Chaplain, Celebrant, and Lay Leader. He provides rituals across the life span for birth, coming of age, and divorce, as well as weddings and funerals. He specializes in designing personalized ceremonies that integrate ideas from art, history and popular culture. Contact him at jared@humanistsofutah.org

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