Category: 2020

Please note: There was NOT a November issue of this newsletter published

Got Polio?

This piece was published in the Salt Lake Tribune Letters to the Editor section on December 3, 2020.

On May 8, 1980, the World Health Assembly officially declared that smallpox had been eradicated! This was arguably one of the greatest scientific achievements of humankind. Since then a significant number of other infectious diseases are disappearing; think polio, measles, mumps, chicken pox, several flavors of hepatitis, meningitis, pertussis, tetanus, etc. have been eliminated in modern countries. Public Health constraints and Vaccinations are the two most effectively used weapons to defeat scourges of microbial mayhem.

It appears likely that several COVID-19 vaccines will become available soon. One thing that has not been widely discussed yet is the fact that immunity does not happen the instant you roll up your sleeve after receiving your jab. In fact, immunity does not happen for several weeks and includes a booster shot three to four weeks after the original jab. This means we will all be under Pandemic Procedures for several months once the new vaccines are approved for distribution.

Bottom line: buckle (er, mask) up, get in line for your immunizations as soon as your demographic is eligible, maintain social distancing, and follow good public health hygiene practices until further notice. Party Time will come, we just need to be diligent and patient for a few more months.

—Wayne Wilson

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An Experiment in Gratitude

Awareness of gratitude will allow you to savor and, above all, appreciate your life with renewed grace.

Sometimes we forget to take the time to recognize the richness that defines our lives. This may be because many of the messages we encounter as we go about our affairs prompt us to think about what we do not have rather than all the abundance we do enjoy. Consequently, our gratitude exists in perpetual conflict with our desire for more, whether we crave time, convenience, wealth, or enlightenment. Yet understanding and genuinely appreciating our blessings can be as simple as walking a mile in another’s shoes for a short period of time. Because many of us lead comparatively insular lives, we may not comprehend the full scope of our prosperity that is relative to our sisters and brothers in humanity.

If you find taking an inventory of your life’s blessings difficult, consider the ease with which you nourish your body and mind, feed your family, move from place to place, and attend to tasks at hand. For a large number of people, activities you may take for granted, such as attaining an education, buying healthy food, commuting to work, or keeping a clean house, represent great challenges. To experience firsthand the complex tests others face as a matter of course in their daily lives, try living without the amenities you most often take for granted. This can be a great experiment to undertake with your entire family or a classroom. Understanding working poverty can be as easy as endeavoring to buy nutritious foods with a budget of $100 for the week. If you own a car, relying on public transportation for even just a day can help you see the true value of the comfort and conveniences others do without. As you explore a life without things you may normally take for granted, ask yourself for how long you could endure.

The compassionate gratitude that floods your heart when you come to fully realize your abundance may awaken pangs of guilt in your heart. Be aware, however, that the purpose of such an experiment is to open your heart further in gratitude and compassion. This awareness can help you attain a deeper level of gratitude that will allow you to savor and, above all, appreciate your life with renewed grace.

Have a blessed day.
Kindest regards,

—Melanie White-Curtis

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Ending the Year From Hell on a Good Note

No one will dispute that 2020 has been rough. Let us end this year on a positive note.

I send you love, kindness and hope for your holiday season and a solemn wish for safety and renewal going into a new year.

We are ending a rough year, trying to breathe during a pandemic that is running rampant on this planet and especially in our country and facing a new year with hope and many possibilities. We are all having to face our belief systems, our courage and how each of us fit into this human condition and how to help.

We are social creatures by nature. With the holidays upon us, please be mindful of wearing your masks, social distancing but more specifically staying safe for yourself and others—even if this means paring down your celebrations this year so that we can get a grip on this virus as a community so that we all will be able to enjoy many years to come.

2021 is going to be a new year of change, of hope, of a new leadership in our country and of renewal. The Humanists of Utah Board have been working diligently to move to a safe online environment until it is safe to meet in person again, and we will be much more visible in the new year. This year has been a year of adjustment, reflection, and flexibility.

Have a beautiful holiday season and stay safe!

With Much love,

—Melanie White-Curtis

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Seeing Good in All

There is a perceptible energetic shift that takes place when we choose to see the good in all.

Our perception shapes the lives we lead because the universe adjusts itself almost instantly to our expectations. When we look for negativity, we are bound to come across it in abundance. Conversely, we create positive energy when we endeavor to see the goodness around us. As easy as it is to criticize the people and situations that frustrate or hurt us, we do ourselves a disservice in the process. It is important to see the good in all as there are blessings hiding in every aspect of our outer-world reality, and the potential for grace exists in all human beings. When our lives are flooded with challenges, grief, and pain, we may be tempted to believe that some individuals or incidents are simply bad. But if we look for the good in all, good reveals itself to us, easing our doubts and reminding us that the universe is a place of balance.

There is a perceptible energetic shift that takes place when we choose to see the good in all. The unnecessary tension that came into being when we dwelled on negativity fades away and is replaced by sympathetic tolerance. We can forgive those that have wronged us because we recognize in them traits we admire, and we may even discover that we can bring out the good in one another. Though loss still grieves us, we recognize the beginning of a new phase of existence that abounds with fresh opportunities. Each new challenge becomes another chance to prove ourselves, and we learn to show great patience in the face of difficulty. There are few pleasures greater than gazing outward and seeing beauty, wisdom, and harmony. These are the attributes of the universe that help us to cope when we encounter their opposing forces.

Since you create your own reality, you make your world a better place each time you acknowledge the good in your circumstances and in the people you encounter. As you draw attention to the positive aspects of the world around you, your understanding of the affirmative nature of all existence will grow. There are few lessons you will learn in this life that will prove as instrumental to your happiness and satisfaction. In appreciating the all-pervasive goodness that exists in the universe, you internalize it, making it a lasting part of your life.

—Melanie White-Curtis

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It Is Hard

I began this article in late October, just before the election. Now that it is over, I am thankful that Joe Biden was elected. I find that his asking for 100 days of mask wearing and the announcement that vaccines will soon be launched is cause for hope that things are changing for the better. We need to remember that there is still a long, hard road ahead. I hope that these changes will allow us to get together in the coming year to enjoy each other’s company—something I think we have all missed.

As of this writing, the pandemic is at its worst since it began, and the inept and incompetent government response continues.

I would like to share something I have been doing as part of my “mindfulness exercises.” Carl Sagan is one of the most influential people in my life, along with the late Dr. Donald R. Currey of the University of Utah Geography Department. Professor Currey’s teachings helped me gain a deeply satisfying knowledge of the planet Earth. To this day, I take pleasure when viewing the landscape and understanding how it got that way. Studying with Professor Currey while he was mapping the shorelines of Lake Bonneville and while doing my own studies of Alpine and Periglacial geomorphology has left me with knowledge I cherish to this day.

While I never met Carl Sagan, he made the cosmos come alive for me, and his statement in his series ‘Cosmos’ “we are a way for the cosmos to know itself” was inspiring for me. It made me think that it was cool to think of myself as a piece of the consciousness of the cosmos—we make it self-aware. It also gave me a feeling of awe that I exist at all in the cosmos, let alone exist at a time on Earth when we can understand and observe a great deal of the universe.

Several years ago, I was fortunate enough to meet Ann Druyan ,Carl’s widow, at a Center for Inquiry Humanist Conference in Amhurst, New York. During an open house for the Center’s new building, I had the delightful experience of “rubbing elbows” with Richard Dawkins, Lawrence Krauss, astronomer Jean-Claude Pecker, and Sam Harris. During a moment with Ann, I apologized for being one of those who must ask her about Carl a lot and told her that many people probably do not know of her own accomplished life. She laughed, thanked me, and said that she was happy continuing Carl’s efforts to popularize science. She also said that if he were still around, he would have been there at the conference; that we were “his kind of people.” I savor that moment to this day.

It has been awhile since I have opened any of Carl’s books, but I am starting to now. They are a great way to take my mind off of stressful goings on. His book, The Demon-Haunted World (clickable link to book review), while published in 1996, is still spot on about the dangers of anti-science and pseudoscience. It is worth reading or re-reading.

In closing, the recent news that the Salt Lake Tribune is ending its daily printed edition really bummed me out. I have always enjoyed the morning paper with a cup of coffee. Checking out the editorial page, smiling over the funnies, and doing the puzzles with a pencil has been a nice morning routine. Going to have to get used to seeing it on a screen, I guess. Hope to see you as soon as we can be safe.

—Bob Lane

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Solstice

Originally published in January 1996

Imagine our ancestors sometime between 30,000 and 200,000 years ago gazing at the sky considering the solstice. Then, as now, there must have been two basic approaches to nature: fear and wonder. Unfortunately, fear is the stronger emotion. Its legacies include myth, superstition, religion, and authoritarian governments and rulers.

Those who stood in wonder were able, through empirical observations, to explain the natural phenomenon of the solstice. The progeny of wonder are the arts, the sciences, and the humanities.

It is unlikely that most people approach the unknown exclusively with either fear or wonder. We all have a different mixture of these two basic emotions. Our challenge is to try to suppress the fears, and then experience and explain the wonders.

—Wayne Wilson

Joyce Barnes
1930 ~ 2020

Joyce Barnes was a longtime member of Humanists of Utah who served on the Board of Directors for several years. Joyce grew up in Colorado. On graduation from high school, she went to the University of Northern Colorado on a piano scholarship and played for spending money at weddings and funerals. She married John in 1951 and moved to Clovis, New Mexico, in 1952 where she student-taught while John was in the army; then to Laramie in 1953, where she couldn’t teach because she was married to a “transient,” i.e., a student, but earned her own degree in Colorado; then to Denver, where she taught third grade for three years; and finally to Salt Lake City in 1961, where she worked for the Granite School District until her retirement in 1993. She taught music at Central Junior High for three years and then requested to work in special education with the disabled. While working and raising two daughters, she earned an M.S. in special education from Utah State University, after which she was soon transferred to the district office where she developed the curriculum for special ed. A few years later she became Granite School District Director of Student Support Services with a staff of 500 and a budget of $30,000,000. She soon earned an Ed.D in public school administration in a new program at BYU, where she had the novel experience as a Unitarian of signing the student code and living in a dorm, but slipping off campus for a cup of coffee.

Upon retirement, she became a mediator privately and for court adjudicated divorce and family conflicts. She was a volunteer mediator for Juvenile Court. She served as adjunct faculty for special ed at the U., USU, and SLCC. She has served as chair of the Legislative Coalition for People with Disabilities and serves as a member of the East Valley Advisory Board for Salt Lake County Parks and Recreation. As a self-professed political junkie, she served as Voter Service Chair for the League of Women Voters, arranging debates and preparing voter guides and finding it hard to remain nonpartisan, and as the Utah representative for the Children’s Advocacy Network, advocating to state and federal legislators for both gifted and disabled youth and adults.

There is a lovely tribute to Joyce published on-line at: https://www.jbarnesmemorial.com/

Most of this biographical information was written by Earl Wunderli

Octobers Past

This issue looks back to Octobers in 2015, 2010, and 1995

Debating the Constitution in Philadelphia

October 2015

Would our Constitution have been written in 1787 if Institutional Slavery did not exist?

Professor Jeremy Pope from the Political Science Department of BYU presented our Founders Day lecture. He started by discussing George Washington’s “first farewell” which was titled Circular to the States, the third sentence reads, “if their Citizens should not be completely free and happy, the fault will be entirely their own.” In the end the loose federation of the states proved to be too little to guarantee the safety and prosperity of group so a Constitutional Convention was convened. This was not an easy thing to do, why did they establish the government that they did? On February 21, 1787, the Continental Congress resolved that “…it is expedient that on the second Monday in May next a Convention of delegates who shall have been appointed by the several States be held at Philadelphia for the sole and express purpose of revising the Articles of Confederation.”

Some of the main players included William Paterson of New Jersey who was a successful advocate for the rights of the small states. James Wilson from Pennsylvania advocated a strong and independently elective executive. Roger Sherman from Connecticut who had helped with the drafting of the Declaration of Independence, proposed the Great Compromise. Gouverneur Morris from Pennsylvania did the actual drafting of the constitution. Alexander Hamilton was a powerful friend of stronger government. George Mason from Virginia, while a major player, did not sign the final document as it lacked a bill of rights. John Rutledge from South Carolina strongly defended slavery at the convention. Benjamin Franklin from Pennsylvania, while his age prevented as much participation as some, endorsed the constitution and backed it with his prestige. George Washington left retirement to risk his reputation on the enterprise. He only made two speeches, but he presided over the convention and consistently supported the document.

Socializing was an important aspect of getting the document completed. The delegates spent a lot of time at taverns and eating together. An actual surviving bill from City Tavern shows that they ordered about two and a quarter containers of alcohol per delegate for one evening; wines, claret, whiskey, porter, hard cider, beer, and alcoholic punch were all listed. These conversations were less formal than the ones in Constitution Hall but were the source of many significant compromises. Among the significant agreements were Proportional Representation, Federalism, and Executive Independence. There were roughly three groups of states: the (physically) Small States which wanted little if any reform but favored a stronger executive. The Deep South, who wanted to change federalism and representation to favor slave-holding states, but did not want to make a powerful executive. Finally the Core Reform States who wanted to change everything, but they didn’t all agree on exactly how and what.

They set an example that could help us today. Slavery was of paramount importance, much that is good in the Constitution came about because of the slave interest. The founders did NOT agree on everything but they were able to compromise and forge one of the greatest political documents in history. Two statements from participants illustrate this:

“On the whole sir, I cannot help expressing a wish that every member of the Convention who may still have objections to it, would with me on this occasion doubt a little of his own infallibility, and to make manifest our unanimity, put his name to this instrument.”

—Benjamin Franklin

“It has been frequently remarked, that it seems to have been reserved to the people of this country to decide, bytheir conduct and example, the important question, whether societies of men are really capable or not, of establishing good government from reflection and choice, or whether they are forever destined to depend, for their political constitutions, on accident and force.”

—Alexander Hamilton

The most thought provoking and challenging concept of this lecture was that without slavery the Constitution likely would not have been written. It is ironic indeed that so much good could be spawned by something as heinous and revolting as slavery.

—Wayne Wilson

Women’s Influence in Humanism and Society

October 2010

Beverley Earls said, “One day I would like to write a book about the contributions humanist women have made not only to humanism but to modern civilization.” Those words of Ms. Earles, professor of Religious Studies from Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand inspired me to prepare this presentation tonight.

I spent the summer thinking, reading, and writing about the women in the humanist movement and the influence they have had in expanding public knowledge about our philosophy and the impact they have made on the advancements improving our lives and our society. Of the hundreds of women who have made significant contributions I have chosen fourteen to share their influence with you.

First, I would like to mention that my LDS excommunication hearing was a personal experience of how women and children have been treated as second class citizens. The presiding male at the hearing asked me if I wanted my wife and children included in my excommunication? I replied, “No, I cannot speak for my wife and children.”

Dora Russell, a British humanist and the second wife of philosopher Bertrand Russell, wrote, “At conferences of humanist organizations one notices that the head table often bears a remarkable resemblance to the Politburo, all males within a certain age group.” She went on to say, “Something that women have to say is being left out of everything in the world and there can be no humanist world without it.” BBC broadcast a television documentary naming her as one of the six great women of our century.

Annie Laurie Gaylor, cofounder of the Freedom From Religion Foundation, has authored several books exposing sexual abuse of children by religious leaders. In 1977 she let a protest against praying at the University of Wisconsin graduation ceremony. She has an unceasing devotion to recording the convictions of women who have challenged the efforts of religions to dominate society.

Mary Wellstonecraft (1759-1797) was a free thinking deist and the first influential women to write about the need for gender equality and recognizing reason and rationality as the highest human virtue. She published two major books that influenced the struggle for human equal rights.

Frances Wright (1795-1852) Pioneered anti-slavery and was an early advocate of free public schools. The clergy of her day portrayed her as “The red hot harlot of infidelity, a bold blasphemer, and a voluptuous preacher of licentiousness.”

Margret Knight (1903-1983) authored three books on humanism and delivered humanist lectures on BBC. During her broadcast she said, “…there is no ground for the common claim that Christianity is the source of all that is best in our culture. The true roots of our civilization lie in the classical Greece and Rome.” Following her broadcast a London newspaper wrote, “Woman psychologist makes remarkable radio attack on religion for children.” Another British newspaper wrote: “Don’t let this woman fool you. She looks just like the typical housewife; cool, comfortable, harmless. But Mrs. Margaret Knight is a menace, a dangerous woman. Make no mistake about that.”

Vashti McCollum, it was her lawsuit to stop religious instruction on public school property that led to the landmark Supreme Court decision in 1948 to halt religious indoctrination in public schools.

Mary Morain co-authored Humanism as the Next Step in 1988, a book that clarifies the humanist philosophy that there is intrinsic, inalienable value in every human being. She was named “Humanist of the Year” by the American Humanist Association in 1994.

Lisa Kalverlage, immigrated to the United States from Germany after World War Two with a mission to bring greater understanding of the horrors of wars. In 1966 she participated in an anti-Vietnam war demonstration, was arrested and sentenced to 90-days in jail. She is currently a leader of the humanist chapter in San Jose, California.

Barbara Wooten, British Feminist humanist, vocal opponent of Christianity and Communism, refers to both as two of the greatest superstitions of the western world.

Margret Sanger, humanist leader credited with making a major contribution to the sexual freedom of women. She filed the lawsuit that led to the overturning of the Comstock laws that give women the right to birth control information. She was recognized as “Women of the Century” in 1966.

Sonia Johnson, following her excommunication from the Mormon church for her leadership role in supporting the Equal Rights Amendment was asked by a reporter if she had acquired any non-Mormon habits she replied, “Yes, I have acquired the habit of free thought.”

Barbara Walker, Honored by the AHA as “Humanist Heroine of the Year” 1973. In her acceptance speech said, “Violence can be controlled by bringing us all down to earth in the practice of enlightened humanism.”

Bette Chambers, was a board member of the American Humanist Association for several years and served at President of Board during a crucial period of turmoil. Her leadership calmed the dissension, restored a respectful atmosphere, and began a period of healthy membership growth.

The examples of feminist humanist leaders I have shared with you tonight illustrate the significant contributions women have made to the social and cultural progress of society in general, the humanist movement in particular, and the validity of the world wide feminist movement.

—Flo Wineriter

Fables, Fantasies, and Fairy-tales

October 1995

So now the Emperor walked under his high canopy in the middle of the procession right through the streets of his capital city. And all the people standing by and those at the window cried out, “Oh, how beautiful are our Emperor’s new clothes! What a magnificent train. And how gracefully the scarf hangs!” In fact, no one would admit that he could not see these clothes which everyone seemed to think so beautiful for fear he would be called a simpleton or unfit for office.

Never before had any of the Emperor’s clothes caused so much excitement as these.

“But the Emperor has nothing on at all!” said a little child.

“The child tells the truth,” said the father.

And so it was that what the child said was whispered from one to another until all knew and they cried out altogether, “BUT HE HAS NOTHING ON AT ALL!”

The Emperor felt very silly, for he knew that the people were right, but he thought, “The procession has started and it must go on now!”

Hans Christian Andersen’s famous fairytale, The Emperor’s New Clothes, is as appealing and applicable today as it was in Denmark in the 1850’s. Somehow, we mortals get a sense of satisfaction seeing an arrogant leader exposed as a result of his own vanity.

Andersen had a knack for seeing through people and getting to the heart of matters, and his talent is reflected in his children’s stories, many of which teach valuable lessons that when learned early are able to stay as habits of the heart throughout life. For example, in the Emperor’s tale, he unveils the human susceptibility to be easily deceived, and our predisposition to social conformity. If we learn to recognize our inclinations early in life, then we will be able to catch and correct them sooner.

Andersen delightfully presents the innocence of a child as being an essential human quality for telling the truth. If we can learn to always reserve part of “our child within” for those times when we need to be open and honest, then perhaps we’d have a bit more integrity.

Another lesson pertains to the Emperor’s denial of being caught unattired, and proceeding on as if nothing had happened. We admire him for trying to maintain his dignity, but his facade is a reminder of some leaders today who refuse to face the truth out of fear, so they continue on with their own procession of myopic myths in order to maintain their positions of power and authority. From this we can learn to have periodic “reality checks” to see if we want to be part of a mythological problem, or be part of a different kind of solution.

What is it that attracts people of all ages to fables, fantasies, and fairytales? Feminist author Clarissa Estes believes, “Back in the recesses of our mind is a secret desire for life to arrange itself as a fairytale.” That’s probably why the movie, Sleepless in Seattle, became so popular. Stories with happy endings meet a human need–the need for hope, and the need to feel that the world can sometimes be a congenial place where everything works out well. Good stories also provide an indirect way to learn some of life’s lessons, because when we identify with certain characters, we get to discover our own truths, which can lead to positive changes. Reading tales can also compensate for our particular feelings of inadequacy and make us feel whole. We tend to fill in our own gaps with the good qualities of story characters when we identify with them. Who couldn’t identify with the charming spunk of Ann of Green Gables, or the unwavering integrity of Atticus in To Kill a Mockingbird.

Reading tales with challenges and noble ideas can also have a curative effect on us.

“Stories are the simplest and most accessible ingredient for healing.” (Estes) By vicariously stepping into a story character’s role, there’s a possibility of curing our own ailments, because we gain insight on how to change our own behavior. In a sense, reading can become “bibliotherapy.” Whether its learning to be more assertive, to control one’s temper, or to show respect for people’s feelings, we can still change our behavior.

Joseph Campbell, renowned professor of mythology, believed stories offer people of all ages models for living a good life, but that the models must be meaningful to have any positive effect. He felt our present moral order had to catch up with the moral necessities of life in the here and now. “The old time religion belongs to another age, another people, another set of human values, another universe. We need myths that will identify the individual not with his local group, but with the planet.” A good myth, or story, then, must not be provincial in nature, such as reflected in the belief of being “one of the chosen people,” or belonging to the “one and only true church” but must speak to the unity of all people and the wellness of the earth. The tales can be old or new, just so the plots have unifying motives and/or a global message.

Without developing an active imagination and hopeful fantasies, people of all ages might not have the strength to meet the dragons of life. “Good tales give our anxieties form and show us the ways to overcome our monsters. If our fear of being devoured takes the tangible form of a witch, it can be gotten rid of by burning her in the oven,” said child psychologist Bruno Bettelheim. In other words, a child can learn to deal with the mean-spirited people in life by symbolically shutting them away until he or she can learn, through experience, more and productive ways to deal with troublesome characters.

Fairytales and other stories bridge the gap between childhood and adulthood. “Before a child can come to grips with reality, he must have some frame of reference to evaluate it.” (Bettelheim) Good books speak to a child’s mind, and in such a way he or she can understand. Stories offer beneficial emotional lessons which can shape brain circuits in more productive ways. Research also verifies that “adult brain circuits can change just as well as children’s.” (Daniel Goleman, 1995)

Childhood is especially a time when fantasies need to be nurtured because that’s when the creative venture begins. It’s also a time when life can be overpowering for some little ones. Good stories can be a respite for tenuous circumstances because they help reassure a child about a just and happy outcome. For example, a selfish Emperor (who might represent father) is publicly humbled; the wicked witch (mother?) gets shoved into an oven; The Wizard of Oz (an authority figure) is exposed as a charlatan; the ugly duckling (an insecure child) turns out to be attractive; and the sky in Chicken Little’s scary world really can’t fall.

Good tales can help people of all ages become mentally healthier and happier human beings, but childhood is the ideal time to begin telling or reading stories because that’s the time when children learn the most. Caregivers can facilitate the process early by creating an emotionally stable foundation which includes choosing good stories, and by asking the right questions about the stories. Bettelheim said, “Asking , ‘Is it true?’ is not as important as wondering with a child, ‘Do you think the monster was good or was he wicked?” This type of questioning will promote self-discovery and self-confidence. Leisurely helping children to think for themselves will eventually guide them toward a sense of reality and a mature adulthood which just might help them to “live happily ever after” or at least reasonably so.

—Nancy Moore

Editor’s Note: Nancy Moore was one of our chapter’s early leaders. Much of what our chapter is, is a direct result of her efforts and influence.

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.