Prof. James S. Fishkin
May 6, 2012
All over the world, democratic reforms have brought power to the people, but under conditions where the people have little opportunity to think about the power that they exercise. Stanford Professor James S. Fishkin will discuss his book whose title is the title of this talk. In this book, he combines a new theory of democracy with actual practice and shows how an idea that harks back to ancient Athenians and their use of the Kleroterion machine can be used to revive our modern democracies. Professor Fishkin is a Professor of Communication and Professor of Political Science at Stanford. He is also Director of Stanford’s Center for Deliberative Democracy and Chair of the Dept. of Communication. For more information on this critical subject see his web site: cdd.stanford.edu.
Humanist Community Forum (2012-05-06): When the People Speak – Deliberative Democracy and Public Consultation from Humanist Community-SiliconValley on Vimeo.
Sex and religion are constantly in the news this election year—typically in ways quite aggravating to humanists. With razor-sharp wit and 30 years of clinical experience, Dr. Marty Klein will analyze the news, describing what he calls America’s War On Sex (www.WarOnSex.com). “The Religious Right is using the issue of sexual regulation to undermine secular democracy,” he says. “Its War On Sex uses phony categories, dangerism, and a broad Sexual Disaster Industry. It is successfully re-conceptualizing private sexual expression into public behavior, which is therefore subject to public control.” The subject of sexuality is currently missing from much of humanist thought. But a humanist approach to sexuality, says Dr. Klein, would address people’s fear of their own–and others’–sexuality without supporting their ignorance, superstition, narrow categories, and anxiety about not being “normal.” What a great way to attract people to humanism, he says—and what a great way to make supernatural religion obsolete. Dr. Marty Klein is a Palo Alto-based psychotherapist, sex therapist, and international lecturer in sexuality and public policy. He has been an expert witness or invited plaintiff in many important state and federal obscenity and anti-censorship cases. His landmark book America’s War On Sex, with a foreword by the ACLU’s Nadine Strossen, was honored as Book of the Year by AASECT, and will be re-released on April 30. Join us for a creative, thought-provoking, and entertaining talk.
Sunday April 15, 2012 Michael Eisenscher will discuss the economic consequences of a militarized foreign policy and economy. He will describe how a decade of militarism and war has contributed to the economic crisis and how continuing to prosecute the “war on terror” will prolong and deepen that crisis, while actually undermining national security. He will report on the emerging Bay Area and national movement for “new priorities” – which seeks to redirect revenue from the bloated military budget to create jobs, repair the social safety net, protect the environment and meet a host of other urgent social needs – and will suggest what is required for a transition to a peace economy.
numerous books and articles. But what ideas have national governments already agreed to? And what progress have they made so far? Using information from the United Nations and national governments related to this goal, Humanists Tim Lee, Alex Havasy, Sena Havasy, Dianne Jacobsen, and Bob Gauntt will discuss the World Peace Education Project (founded by Bob in 2010 — see