I was a Boy Scout for about two seconds. I liked the toggle and felt there was something swishy about the pseudo-military uniforms, which oscillate wildly between butch and high camp depending on the wearer and the situation. I also liked our school Scout Leader, who was a charming man who always dressed impeccably and [Read More…]
No I Am Not OK
December 2, 2014 by Leave a Comment
In some ways I’m not a stereotypical Englishman. I don’t have that legendary English reserve, or much of a discomfort with feelings. I try to live my life like an open book, and when I’m happy, grateful, excited, or in love I want to share that. I try to be a joyous influence in others’ [Read More…]
Marching through Ferguson
September 1, 2014 by Leave a Comment
It’s strange, perhaps, for an activist to admit they do not enjoy marches. Marches and rallies – so often the go-to response when a community wishes to demonstrate power, generate solidarity, or express outrage – make me deeply uncomfortable. The emotional energy, the collective passion, the chanting and shouting and call-and-response: all of it makes [Read More…]
How to Check Your Privilege in 5 Excruciating Steps
March 24, 2014 by Leave a Comment
Recently, I changed my mind. Challenged over my uncritical reposting of a secular argument against abortion, I was forced to examine my assumptions, reflect on my identity, and consider how my actions might look from a different vantage point – in other words, I “checked my privilege”. The exhortation to “check your privilege” is common in [Read More…]
On the Privilege of Discussing Abortion
March 14, 2014 by Leave a Comment
In April 2012 I was asked by a Secular Student Alliance affiliate to represent the pro-choice side in a debate on the morality of abortion at Bowling Green State University in Ohio. I was wary to accept. As a gay man, I reasoned I was less likely than most to be intimately affected by a [Read More…]
Cosmos – Epistemic, Existential, Ethical, and Aesthetic
March 10, 2014 by Leave a Comment
My bio as a Humanist speaker ends with the words “James was raised on Shakespeare, Sagan, and Star Trek” – and it’s true. When I discovered the works, words, and worlds of Carl Sagan, my world flew open. I’ve written about his unique approach to science, Humanism, and the big questions of life, and I’ve spoken [Read More…]
A Humanist Conception of Evil
February 11, 2014 by Leave a Comment
“Evil” the most powerful term of moral condemnation. Worse than “wrong”, “bad”, or even “wicked”, saying something – an act or an individual – is “evil” is the most forceful negative evaluation we have access to in the ethical sphere. The word carries connotations which makes some atheists and Humanists concerned. Some worry that it [Read More…]
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