President: Shellie Brighton
Vice President: Rich Lyons
Secretary: Allison Bond
Treasurer: Liz Frost
Members-at-large:  Ranjan Banerji, Jami Blackann, Mary Keiser, Deanna Joy Lyons, and Jerry Schiffelbein.

The outgoing board congratulates you all, and wishes you the best in the coming year.

Our sincere thanks to the outgoing board for all their hard work: Paul Case, Amanda Banerji, Rebecca Friedman, Jerry Schiffelbein, Randy Rumley, Mike Gillis, Sam Mulvey, Wendy Britton, and Layton Sumpter.

SEATTLE ATHEISTS CONDEMNS DEATH THREATS ON SEATTLE CARTOONIST BY MUSLIM CLERIC

SEATTLE — Seattle Atheists denounces the threats made to Seattle cartoonist Molly Norris by Yemeni-American cleric Anwar Al-Awlaki in the English-language publication affiliated with al-Qaeda.

Al-Awlaki wrote that Norris, who initiated “Everybody Draw Muhammad Day” earlier this year, had earned a place on among other cartoonists, journalists and writers who had offended their religious beliefs and that “the medicine prescribed by the Messenger of Allah is the execution of those involved.”

“We live in a society that guarantees the right to freedom of speech and expression,” says Paul Case, president of Seattle Atheists. “The cost of that freedom is that you’re occasionally going to see or read things that offend you. When that happens, you can respond with free speech of your own. What you can’t do is silence speech you don’t like with threats of violence.”

Seattle Atheists supported Molly Norris and “Everybody Draw Muhammad Day” — not because it singled out Muslims or Islam, but because they should have no special protection against criticism or satire.

The law “wouldn’t tolerate Christian groups using threats to enforce their religion’s laws on people who aren’t members of their faith,” said Case. No religion has any special rights in this respect.

Seattle Atheists is a 501(c)3 organization dedicated to serving the atheist community in the Seattle area. We strive to promote understanding and respect toward all freethinkers by providing information, creating a sense of fellowship, actively opposing discrimination, and above all, emphasizing reason, critical thinking over supernaturalism and the separation of church and state.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Paul Case, President of Seattle Atheists, (206) 826-0770,
president@seattleatheists.org

Are you interested in playing an integral role in Seattle Atheists direction? Do you have a talent for organizing, leading, or getting things done? Are you itching to use that vote that your membership dues get you? This year we will be electing nine Board of Directors positions, and we need you! It’s your organization, and this is how to make sure your voice is heard. Only current members will be permitted to vote or run, so please update your membership.

What’s up for election this year:

There are 4 officer positions: President, Vice President, Treasurer, and Secretary. The President, Vice President, and Treasurer are two-year terms. The Secretary this year is a one-year term. Next year, it will be a two-year term, as we’ve set it up to overlap the other positions to create some organizational continuity.

There are five Member-at-Large positions, each with one-year terms.

We will begin accepting nominations (yes, you can nominate yourself!) by e-mailing us, NOW. As we get them, we will be posting candidate statement here.

Candidates for the officer positions should have business and leadership skills, as well as experience running a business or a non-profit organization. Skills such as public speaking, writing and editing, graphic design, and Secretarial skills are desired. Experience with a board of directors is very useful.

Board meetings are held every other month, and generally run 2 to 3 hours. Board members are expected to attend the membership meetings, which take place on alternate months.

How the voting works:

During the meeting, we will still be accepting nominations (although we encourage you to submit yours early along with a statement). We start with the Presidents position, and move down through there, so that anyone who does not win the position they are hoping for, may run again for a lower position.

The five Member-at-Large positions are all voted on at once, after the Officers have been elected.

Then the new Board will close out the rest of the meeting.

Interested? E-mail us for the job descriptions!

Nominees should submit a statement ASAP!

Sam Harris’ bestselling book The End of Faith ignited a worldwide debate about the validity of religion, and his combustible February presentation at TED is still fueling that fire. Now Harris, author of The Moral Landscape, tears down the wall between scientific facts and human values, showing that we know enough about the human brain and its relationship to events in the world to say that there are right and wrong answers to the most pressing questions of human life. Presented as part of Seattle Science Lectures, with Pacific Science Center and University Book Store. Series sponsored by Microsoft. Series media sponsorship provided by KPLU.

Tickets are $5 through Brown Paper Tickets.

P.S. PZ Meyer is in town tonight (check pharyngula for details).

Harry Gilbert is a science writer, an author, a science teacher, a retired Rocket Engineer. Every month, he holds “science salons,” for about a dozen local regulars, on a variety of science topics. A few weeks of research, buttressed by his own knowledge, and “I can talk about any subject they choose,” he says.

He will speak about dark matter in the universe.

There will be light refreshments and a chance to network after the talk.

Check out the Seattle Times story about Harry!

GENERAL DESIGN GUIDELINES

We are looking for designs that capture our theme for 2011: “Atheists coming out.” We know this is challenging, so here are some things to consider:

Our mission is to make atheism a viable alternative in the Puget Sound. So, you could reflect on the positive aspects of atheism, and focus on ideas if inclusion, community, freedom, knowledge, evolution, science, etc.

You could also focus on specific aspects of atheism in the Puget Sound (but remember, the Space Needle is a trademarked building, so must be used in the context of a cityscape, and not alone).

Our vision is:

• A Puget Sound that accepts atheism as a viable alternative in all areas of public and private life.

Our mission is to:

• Grow, support, and provide community for atheists in the Puget Sound.
• Educate the public about atheism and present it as positive and legitimate.
• Provide information and encourage education in science and critical thought.
• Encourage the public to look for credible evidence rather than superstition, dogma, and the supernatural.
• Support the Constitution of the United States, defend the wall of separation between church and state, and inform the public about policy that infringes on that separation.

We strongly encourage you to use all the humor and creativity you can muster. Rock our world. Be funny. Be clever. Be creative. Most of all, have fun!

DEADLINE: Designs must be submitted by January 31, 2011

Some of the previous designs:

HOW IT WORKS

1. Create your T-shirt design.
2. Submit your design to the Flickr design pool for review.*
3. An internal panel of Seattle Atheists committee members will conduct the first round of judging to select the top five designs.
4. These designs will be posted on SeattleAtheists.org for public voting — you tell us who wins!
5. The winning design will be featured in the Seattle Atheists fair booths throughout 2011 as an exclusive item!

*Flickr is a photo sharing website. Tagging allows you to group similar photos for viewing, Groups are created to form communities of shared interest and goals. Creating an account is free. For more information please visit: www.Flickr.com and make sure to check out the Flickr FAQ if you have more questions.

PRIZES

There will be one first place winner, who will receive intergalactic acclaim for their design of the official Seattle Atheists 2011 T-shirt, two T-shirts with the winning design, and a $50 gift certificate. Four runners-up will receive a free Seattle Atheists T-shirt with the winning design.

DESIGN RULES

• Your design must be created in a Scalable Vector Graphic (SVG) program, such as Adobe Illustrator. If your design is selected, you will be asked to submit your print-ready design file via e-mail to qualify for the second round.
• You can submit more than one design, but only one of your designs may qualify for the second round.
• Your design will be printed on the front of the t-shirt only and must fit within a 10″ x 10″ area. It should not cover the sleeves or any seams.
• Be sure to include the color of the shirt in your design (please, no white shirts!)

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

• Save your file as a JPG or PNG image format and upload it into your Flickr account.
• Join the Seattle Atheists T-Shirt Design Contest Flickr group and add your image to the pool.
• Tag your photo with the phrase “Seattle Atheists t-shirt contest”. This will allow us to search for and pull your photo into a public image
  gallery.
• Make sure your Flickr account has a valid e-mail address, or we won’t be able to contact you! You will have 5 days from the date of first-round selection notification to get back to us so that we can get you moved onto the next round.

JUDGING

First round
Designs will be evaluated using the following criteria:

• Concept and originality
• Effective communication of the theme (“Atheists coming out”)
• Completeness of design (must be ready to send to the printers)
• Must be visible and eye-catching from a distance.
• Must not contain more than three colors, and cannot contain gradients.

Second round

• The top five designers will be contacted through Flickr to submit their high-resolution design files via e-mail.
• The top five designs will be posted on SeattleAtheists.org for public voting.
• The winner and runners-up will be notified by e-mail

GENERAL RULES

• Since this is a fundraiser for Seattle Atheists, the winning artist design will become the exclusive property of Seattle Atheists, and 100% of the proceeds of the sales of the t-shirts will go to Seattle Atheists.
• You can collaborate with a design group, but one person must represent the group in the contest and only one person may submit the design to the Flickr photo pool.
• You may submit more than one design, but only one design per person or group may advance to the second round of judging.
• Designs which attack religion; contain copyrighted material or images, trademarks, or intellectual property; contain explicitly profane or obscene material; endorsement or encouragement of illegal drug use, alcohol abuse or other illegal activity; contain nudity, profanity, violence; any derogatory characterization of any person or group based on religion, political affiliation, or other ethical or unlawful factors will be rejected.
• Anyone in Washington or Oregon, including college students who attend college in Washington or Oregon. The contest is only open to entrants over the age of 18 in the Pacific Northwest.

FAQ

Q: Can I make a new Seattle Atheists logo?
A: No.

Q: Can I include logos from other organizations/companies/entities/people in my design?
A: No (see General Rules).

Q: How are winners notified? How can I claim my prize?
A: First-round winners will be notified via Flickr mail. You have 5 days from the date of notification to respond with the print-ready SVG design file in order to qualify for round two. The second-round winner and the four runners-up will be notified via email with instructions on how to claim their prize.

Q: Will I get credit for my design?
A: Yes! Your name will be displayed with the t-shirts at the street fairs throughout 2011, and on our website! Of course, if you want to stay sooper-seekrit, we can do that too, and give you your kudos in seekrit.

The Northwest Freethought Coalition (NWFC) is celebrating Independence Day and the arrival of summer with its 5th annual potluck picnic. NWFC group members, friends, and area freethinkers are invited to this all-day event on Sunday, July 4, 2010. Last year’s picnic drew about 200 people. The family-friendly picnic begins at 1 pm and runs into the evening. There will be a raffle and games, including bocce. Food served from 1 to 3 pm; cleanup starts at 5 pm. Bring your family, some frisbees, a blanket, sunscreen, and a picnic-friendly dish to share!

NWFC member groups include Humanists of Washington, Seattle Atheists, Tacoma Atheists, Humanists of North Puget Sound, University Unitarian Humanists, Ethical Culture Society of Puget Sound, Secular Jewish Circle of Puget Sound, Freethinkers’ United Network, Eastside Atheists/Agnostics Meetup, and various Atheist, Humanist and Brights Meetup groups.  Humanists of Washington is leading the event planning. Please contact HOW president Jerry Schiffelbein if you would like to volunteer.

Mr. Kagin noted:  “While not illegal (unless the entity is the government), it is bad business to inject the most divisive issue in the world into a work scenario, because it can only lead to a loss of cohesion in a diverse group. Minorities automatically feel like second-class workers because the employer officially recognizes a religion other than theirs, and the religious people immediately see who is religious, and who is not, and are encouraged to ‘save.’ …the chaplain is a minister, not a trained social worker. It is fallacious to think the minister is there to do anything other than that for which he was trained — preach and convert.”

He adds, “Anyone can pray any time they wish. They have cubes, homes, and they have oh-so-many churches in which to do so. They do not need official places to pray when they are working.”

Check local listings and http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032619/