Volume 5, Issue 1, January 1, 2013

The name is derived from Janus, the Roman god of Time. The myth portrays him as two-faced, one old, wrinkled, and bearded, the other clean shaved, energetic, and eager. The old face looked back seeking solace and comfort in memories, the other sought a fresh start with the coming of earth's replenishment at the start of each new year.

January is about sowing seeds, pursuing new ideas, goals and resolutions and nurturing them throughout the year. In the northern hemisphere this month sparks a procession of increasing light after the winter solstice, and sunlight lingers longer in the sky and in our views. It is a turning point in time, one to look forward to new beginnings.

Our Ethical Humanist Society celebrates the earth's symbolic renewal every January and commits to undertaking actions, programs, and activities that support its mission throughout the coming year. Our core values generate and maintain the structure we offer for understanding the dynamics of ethical behavior and their impact on the world's people and our earth. We believe every person is important and unique and deserves to be treated fairly and kindly. We learn from everyone, and are part of this earth and cherish all that live within. Senses, mind and feelings teach us of this world in which we live. Cooperation of all people for peace and justice is crucial to a world community. The past is a building block for the future. We are free to learn and choose what we believe and are responsible for these choices. These basic values strengthen and sustain our society and enable members to identify a moral course of action in specific situations, pursue greater self-realization, and understand the essential equality and natural rights of all livings things.

JANUARY 6

"Actions to Prevent Mass Killings"
Group Discussion

What some researchers call a "rampage violence" plays a prominent role in the national consciousness, often touching off debates over gun control laws, shifts in the culture, mental illness, and the role of violent media, particularly video games. Though each act of violence has a distinct context, over the past decade the research community has continued to search for more general frameworks of understanding. Though much speculation is offered in the media and by experts in relevant fields immediately afterward, in spite of the research that has been undertaken, scholars often note the limits of existing knowledge.

In wake of the Newtown massacre, several actions have been proposed to counteract potential mass killings by guns. These include stricter gun laws, police presence at schools, increasing mental health facilities and practitioners, school officials carrying guns, and reducing television shows depicting gun violence. A recent survey was conducted listing some of these solutions, and participants, identified by party, were asked to rank by effectiveness. Increasing police presence at schools had support across the board, followed by increased government spending on mental health (R-35%, D-67%), decreasing gun violence on television (R-55%, D-44%), banning the sale of assault and semi-automatic guns (R-26, D-61%), and school officials to carry guns (R-49%, D-27%).

The results are telling and indicative of the difficulty to institute federal and state actions to counteract the problem. The considerable difference in measuring effectiveness is by party affiliation and reflected in Congressional and state negotiations about legislative action. There are massive fault lines between the parties about banning assault rifles and providing more funding for mental health. These are the central issues in mass killings, and it is vital to implement legislation to deal with both. Whatever the status of a perpetrator's mental health, it is clear these horrendous crimes cannot occur without assault rifles. Given the absurd response the NRA provided five days after the Newtown massacre and the enormous power it wields to promote the sale of guns and influence Congressional legislation, stricter gun laws are not going to happen without an enormous swell of citizen support for restrictions.

This Sunday we will focus on various ways to prevent mass killings like the one in Newtown. Please come with a list of additional actions to discuss, and we will provide you the names of your representatives in Congress and the North Carolina state government so you can add your voice to the demand for action.

IFC Food Pantry

We will be collecting food and sundry items this Sunday for IFC. See the List of Items.The economic recession has resulted in a loss of donations to this important social service agency, and it relies on organizations like ours to help its clients. Please contribute generously.

JANUARY 13

Evolutionary Thinking about Death
By Bob Cathcart

Kiss Me in the Casket

Kiss me in the casket
Before they close the lid.
To say goodbye to a wonderful guy
Who doesn't know he's dead.
Don't be forlorn
My thoughts are gone
There's nothing in my head.
The end has come
And struck me dumb
Never to care again.
Please think of me
Twixt land and sea
Just riding on the wind.

Bob will review and read from his newly published book of poetry and words. He will be available to sign and sell copies of the book for $15.00 each after the meeting.

 

There will be a Board meeting following this program.

 

JANUARY 20

"Annual Meeting"
Speakers: Board Members

Election of 2013 Board and presentation of 2013 budget.

 

JANUARY 25

IFC Cook and Serve

Our scheduled cook and serve project is held on the fourth Thursday each month from 4:00 to 7:15 p.m. Contact Amy Piersma to sign up. The food is donated from the community and anyone who is hungry can eat. Our entire membership participates. It's great fun and a worthy endeavor!

JANUARY 27

"School-to-Prison in the US"
Geraldine Alshamy, Director
Director, Project RESCUE
Director, Family Outreach for Action for Children
Executive Director, Mary Magdalene Ministries, Shaw University

"Criminal justice policy in the United States has for some time now spurned rehabilitation in favor of long and often permanent terms of incarceration, manifesting an overarching belief that there is no need to address root causes of crime and that many people who have committed crimes can never be anything but 'criminals.' These policies have served to isolate and remove a massive number of people, a disproportionately large percentage of who are people of color, from their communities and from participation in civil society. In the last decade, the punitive and overzealous tools and approaches of the modern criminal justice system have seeped into our schools, serving to remove children from mainstream educational environments and funnel them onto a one-way path toward prison. These various policies, collectively referred to as the School-to-Prison Pipeline, push children out of school and hasten their entry into the juvenile, and eventually the criminal, justice system, where prison is the end of the road. Historical inequities, such as segregated education, concentrated poverty, and racial disparities in law enforcement, all feed the pipeline." (NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund.)

"We are not saying get soft on crime," says Geraldine Alshamy. "We're saying for those children that have committed low level offenses, let's stop ruining the rest of those children's lives."

DEEPENING CIRCLES - Date TBA

The group has been formed to create more intimate, personal relationships. The meetings are taking place once a mouth outside our usual meeting times, focus on a given topic, and allow everyone to speak. The purpose is to be able to listen to each other and share experiences, not to discuss or debate. Participants gain insight into other group members and increase common understanding. We encourage you to attend.

Questions? rsbest@fastmail.fm