COHA Members and Guests,
As we warm up in terms of weather, the other executive members and I have decided to warm things up socially. This Tuesday, April the 19th we will be having a cafe get together. 7PM at William’s Fresh Cafe at the south end of Barrie on Bryne’s Drive. Please reply to this message if you plan to come buy so I can get a big enough table, or if you want to but can’t so we can gauge how many people are interested in this sort of activity for the future.
Also, a call to action: Over the summer I plan to personally redesign our website. Please take a moment and visit a few pages on our websites that are about our organization and about Humanism and see if you detect any errors, omissions or things that just plain need updating. I would love to have any suggestions, comments and criticism you have.
This month: Humanist Perspectives on Social Issues
After discussing with people who were and were not at last month’s meeting, everyone seems to want a continuation of last month’s discussion. We didn’t get to half of the items on the discussion list. We will continue where we left off and get more discussion on the issues.
So, again, for our meeting on Thursday, April 28th we will discussion social issues form a Humanist perspective. If any of you have videos, readings, or quotes pertaining to the topics below please email them to me by Earth Hour on March 26th. I encourage anyone who wants to give a 3 minute presentation on their views of their reading to contact me.
Here are the topics we are considering. I hope and expect some of these to be controversial with people having different opinions on the subject.
Justice System
- What should it look like?
- Non-violent crime
- Sex industry: Prohibition/Legalization
- Recreational drugs: Prohibition/Legalization
- Restorative justice
Political
- Patriotism
- Change “O Canada” to be more inclusive
- Limits of free speech
Doors open at 6:30, and the presentation starts promptly at 7 PM. As is our tradition, we will be meeting for dinner and discussion at 5 PM at Swiss Chalet on Bayfield St. Anyone is welcome to come. If you have any questions about our pre-meeting dinner, please email me and ask.
President’s Message
In a democracy a vote is power. We have an election coming up in the next few weeks and I suggest we make the most of it. ”Vote Early. Vote Often.” With voter turn out continuing to hit record lows your vote practically counts for double. (Vote often.) When you go to vote bring some neighbors or friends. (Vote often.) And why wait in line to vote? The advance polls are open on the 20th (Good Friday) and the 25th (Easter Monday). Beat the lines. (Vote early.) With power come responsibility. Do what people around the world are literally dying to do: vote.
Ponderāre
“To define twentieth-century humanism briefly, I would say that it is a philosophy of joyous service for the greater good of all humanity in this natural world and advocating the methods of reason, science, and democracy.”
~ Corliss Lamont
(Do you have a quote we can use in a future newsletter? Submit your quotes online. It can even be a quote that is disagreeable, so long as it’s thought provoking.)
