Nazi Town, USA

German American Bund rally New York, Madison Square Garden, 1939

11 a.m., December 8, 2024

Join us this Sunday, either in person or online, as we watch and discuss “Nazi Town, USA”, an episode of the PBS series “American Experience”.

It tells the story of the German American Bund, a pro-Nazi group which in the 1930s had scores of chapters across the country, representing what many believe was a real threat of fascist subversion in the United States. They held joint rallies with the KKK and ran summer camps for children centered around Nazi ideology and imagery, melding patriotic values with virulent anti-Semitism.

You can watch the trailer at:
https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/nazi-town-usa-trailer/

Attend in Person:
This Sunday, you can attend our forum in person with fellow humanists in the Orchard Room at the Los Altos Library, 13 S. San Antonio Road, Los Altos, CA 94022. (On the first and third Sunday of the month, you can continue to attend our forum at the Mountain View Senior Center.)

If you would like, join us afterwards for lunch at Pompeii Ristorante, 100 State St, Los Altos, CA 94022, a five-minute walk from the library.

If you can join us in person, please email vp@humanists.org to help us make sure we have room for you. COVID protocols will be followed. If you have symptoms that may be COVID, kindly attend on Zoom.

———-

Also, we will continue to present our forums on Zoom. To join and be able to ask questions and make comments, click here.
No password is needed — our host will admit you from the waiting room. Joining the meeting via the link will download and install the Zoom app on your desktop computer (if it’s not already installed), and then take you to the meeting. You can also install the Zoom app on your computer or smartphone, and then enter:
Meeting ID: 816 5389 0712
Passcode: 250634

You can also call any of the following phone numbers and then enter the above Meeting ID and the Passcode in order to join the meeting by phone.
+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
+1 408 638 0968 US (San Jose)
+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
+1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
+1 646 876 9923 US (New York)
You can find international phone numbers to call here.

———-

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Click the Interested button or share on Patch:
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ACSJ Presents: The Stone Age Brain Meets the Disinformation Age

Bertha Vazquez

3:30 p.m., November 10, 2024

The Atheist Community of San Jose invites the Humanist Community to an in-person presentation by Bertha Vazquez. Here is the description from their announcement at: https://www.meetup.com/acofsj/events/304311948/

We all like to think we’re rational and logical, but the truth is that our brains are riddled with cognitive biases and shortcuts that can lead us astray. These mental shortcuts, once essential for our survival, now make us vulnerable to misinformation and disinformation. The abundance of information in the digital age exacerbates this problem, as we’re constantly bombarded with claims and counterclaims. To navigate this complex landscape, we must cultivate a healthy dose of skepticism and critical thinking. By recognizing our cognitive biases, questioning assumptions, and seeking credible sources, we can better protect ourselves from the dangers of misinformation and make informed decisions. Let’s explore together how we are successfully overcoming the shortcomings of our modern human brains as they have evolved over eons.

Bio:
Bertha Vazquez is a retired science teacher who taught middle school for 34 years in Miami-Dade County Public Schools. She is the Education Director and the Director of the Teacher Institute for Evolutionary Science at The Center for Inquiry, an international nonprofit organization that promotes reason and science. She runs a teacher-led network of over 100 teachers who have presented over 400 professional development sessions for their fellow teachers in all 50 US States. Her multi-faceted approach to teaching climate science has been featured in the New York Times, NPR, Earth magazine, and in a book and film series by Lynne Cherry titled, Empowering Young Voices for the Planet. Her efforts awarded her the 2008 National Environmental Education Charles C Bartlett Award, among others. She is the editor and contributing author of the book, On Teaching Evolution, published in 2021 and lead author of Corwin Press’ What Teachers Want to Know About Teaching Climate Change (February 2025). Ms. Vazquez has also worked in several translation projects, including the translation of Maria Jinich’s book into English, A Brief History of Four Billion Years of Evolution: Understanding Darwin. A regular contributor to Skeptical Inquirer magazine and speaker at skeptical and humanist conferences, Bertha is a Fellow of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry.

Bertha Vazquez has presented several times at CSICon (including CSICon 2024) and the following review was published in the Skeptical Inquirer Magazine, March/April 2019:
“Watching her on stage at CSICon it’s clear that TIES (The Teacher Institute for Evolutionary Science) owes much of its success to the force of her presence and personality. Her enthusiasm for her subject is utterly contagious. Her drive to learn, discover, and share her knowledge is undeniable. She’s a true renaissance woman.”

This event will be held at the Campbell Community Center, 1 W. Campbell Avenue # C-31 in Campbell, California. Go to the Mary Campbell Room number Q84, which is right next to the Community Center’s Campbell Parking Lot just off of Campbell Avenue.

Project 2025: The Religious Right’s Attempt to Dump Democracy

Fish Stark

11 a.m., November 3, 2024

Join us this Sunday, either in person or online, for a conversation with Fish Stark, the American Humanist Association’s new Executive Director. We’ll talk everything Project 2025:
What it is,
what sets it apart as a grave threat,
and how you can get involved to stop it!

Fish Stark is an organizer, educator, social entrepreneur, and lifelong humanist. Fish has spent his career turning big ideas into bold action in service of belonging, flourishing, and social justice for all people.

If you can’t join us Sunday, the Bay Area Humanists (BAH) are hosting Fish on Saturday at 3 pm, on the same topic. Here’s the announcement for the BAH event:
https://www.meetup.com/sfhumanists/events/304066769/
(Remember that US Daylight Saving Time ends this weekend.)

11/03/2024 Project 2025 – Fish Stark from Humanist Community-SiliconValley on Vimeo.

Attend in Person:
On the first and third Sunday of the month, such as this Sunday, you can attend our forum in person with fellow humanists at the Mountain View Senior Center, 266 Escuela Ave., Mountain View, CA 94040. Lunch will be served after the forum. We request a $10 donation for lunch.

If you can join us in person, please email vp@humanists.org to help us make sure we have room for you. If you have symptoms that may be COVID, kindly attend on Zoom.

———-

Also, we will continue to present our forums on Zoom. To join and be able to ask questions and make comments, click here.
No password is needed — our host will admit you from the waiting room. Joining the meeting via the link will download and install the Zoom app on your desktop computer (if it’s not already installed), and then take you to the meeting. You can also install the Zoom app on your computer or smartphone, and then enter:
Meeting ID: 816 5389 0712
Passcode: 250634

You can also call any of the following phone numbers and then enter the above Meeting ID and the Passcode in order to join the meeting by phone.
+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
+1 408 638 0968 US (San Jose)
+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
+1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
+1 646 876 9923 US (New York)
You can find international phone numbers to call here.

———-

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Visit the Humanist Community web site:
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RSVP on Meetup:
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Retweet our announcement on the social-media platform formerly known as Twitter:
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Watch videos of our past Forums: https://vimeo.com/user2798508

Memes

Photo by StagiaireMGIMO – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=36450702

11 a.m., October 27, 2024

Join us this Sunday, either in person or online, as we watch and discuss two videos about memes.

In Dangerous Memes, philosopher Daniel Dennett shows how memes spread and modify our behavior.

In Memes and Temes, Susan Blackmore explains describes “temes,” memes that use technology to spread.

Daniel Clement Dennett III (1942 – 2024) was an American philosopher and cognitive scientist. His research centered on the philosophy of mind, the philosophy of science, and the philosophy of consciousness. His research centered on the philosophy of mind, the philosophy of science, and the the philosophy of biology. He was the co-director of the Center for Cognitive Studies and the Austin B. Fletcher Professor of Philosophy at Tufts University and a co-founder of the Clergy Project.

Susan Jane Blackmore (born 29 July 1951) is a British writer, lecturer, sceptic, broadcaster, and a visiting professor at the University of Plymouth. Her fields of research include memetics, parapsychology, consciousness, and author of the book The Meme Machine. She has written or contributed to over 40 books and 60 scholarly articles and is a contributor to The Guardian Newspaper.

You can preview Daniel’s 15-minute talk, Dangerous Memes, at https://www.ted.com/talks/dan_dennett_dangerous_memes, and Susan’s 19-minute talk, Memes and Temes, at https://www.ted.com/talks/susan_blackmore_memes_and_temes.

Attend in Person:
Join fellow Humanists to consider the propositions in Milpitas Library Group Study Room B, 160 N Main St, Milpitas, CA 95035.
Often after our meeting, we find a nearby inexpensive eatery for a luncheon.
If you can join us in person, please email vp@humanists.org to help us make sure we have room for you. If you have symptoms that may be COVID, kindly attend on Zoom.

———-

Also, we will continue to present our forums on Zoom. To join and be able to ask questions and make comments, click here.
No password is needed — our host will admit you from the waiting room. Joining the meeting via the link will download and install the Zoom app on your desktop computer (if it’s not already installed), and then take you to the meeting. You can also install the Zoom app on your computer or smartphone, and then enter:
Meeting ID: 816 5389 0712
Passcode: 250634

You can also call any of the following phone numbers and then enter the above Meeting ID and the Passcode in order to join the meeting by phone.
+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
+1 408 638 0968 US (San Jose)
+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
+1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
+1 646 876 9923 US (New York)
You can find international phone numbers to call here.

———-

Subscribe to our events in your Apple Calendar:
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Like us on Facebook:
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Visit the Humanist Community web site:
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RSVP on Meetup:
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Retweet our announcement on the social-media platform formerly known as Twitter:
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Watch videos of our past Forums: https://vimeo.com/user2798508

Ron Reagan and Highlights of the Freedom from Religion Convention

Ron Reagan in Denver

11 a.m., October 20, 2024

Join us this Sunday, either in person or online, as members of the Atheist Community of San Jose and local chapters of the Freedom From Religion Foundation tell us about the annual FFRF meeting they attended last month.

This was a very popular event, and for myriad good reasons! FFRF members came from all over the nation to reconnect, celebrate our many successes in 2024, and continue to take the lead against the ongoing theocratic challenges we are facing.

Of course, we are all aware that this month and early next month will be deciding moments for our struggle against the scourge of white Christian nationalism in the U.S. Come learn what more you can do to save our secular democracy in these critical weeks. Much of the FFRF Convention enlightened us about the political incursions into the personal, secular, and religious lives of Americans.

We will review a recording of Ron Reagan’s session, the lifelong unabashed Atheist who, in his words, is “not afraid of burning in hell.” We will hear about FFRF Action, the political arm of FFRF, which is knee-deep in saving our secular Constitution this year.

Those of us who represented our secular organizations will chime in as to the most memorable and inspiring moments were at the Denver Convention. Attendees will convey the splendid panel discussions, authors, speakers, awardees, and the wonderful camaraderie throughout the three busy days.

Dana Treadwell and Judith Banister will lead our wide-ranging discussion. Bring your questions and input–via the in-person gathering in Mountain View or on the Zoom link–for a lively update and discussion.

10/20/2024 Highlights of the Freedom from Religion Convention from Humanist Community-Silicon Valley on Vimeo.

Attend in Person:
On the first and third Sunday of the month, such as this Sunday, you can attend our forum in person with fellow humanists at the Mountain View Senior Center, 266 Escuela Ave., Mountain View, CA 94040. Lunch will be served after the forum. We request a $10 donation for lunch.

If you can join us in person, please email vp@humanists.org to help us make sure we have room for you. If you have symptoms that may be COVID, kindly attend on Zoom.

———-

Also, we will continue to present our forums on Zoom. To join and be able to ask questions and make comments, click here.
No password is needed — our host will admit you from the waiting room. Joining the meeting via the link will download and install the Zoom app on your desktop computer (if it’s not already installed), and then take you to the meeting. You can also install the Zoom app on your computer or smartphone, and then enter:
Meeting ID: 816 5389 0712
Passcode: 250634

You can also call any of the following phone numbers and then enter the above Meeting ID and the Passcode in order to join the meeting by phone.
+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
+1 408 638 0968 US (San Jose)
+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
+1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
+1 646 876 9923 US (New York)
You can find international phone numbers to call here.

———-

Subscribe to our events in your Apple Calendar:
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Add this event to your Google calendar:

Like us on Facebook:
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Visit the Humanist Community web site:
https://www.humanists.org/blog/2024-10-20/

RSVP on Meetup:
https://www.meetup.com/humanistcommunity/events/304016054/

Retweet our announcement on the social-media platform formerly known as Twitter:
https://x.com/HumanistCommSV/status/1845971675923599499

Watch videos of our past Forums: https://vimeo.com/user2798508