AEU Dialogue - Spring 2015
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The document announces an upcoming conference hosted by the Future of Ethical Societies (FES) from May 22-25 in Washington D.C. The conference theme is "Ethics of Action: Do No Harm or Do More Good?" and will explore intersectionality and methods of building solidarity and challenging oppressive systems through service projects, discussions, and a concert called the FEStival. The goal is to critically examine what it means to serve communities and realize a more just world. FES members between 18-35 who are interested in social justice are encouraged to attend.
AEU Dialogue - Spring 2015
- 1. Creating a Sustainable Future: Ethics & Advocacy AEU 100th Assembly Thursday, June 25 - Sunday, June 28, 2015 We invite all members, friends, and guests to join our 100th Assembly in Stamford, Connecticut as we create a more sustainable future for our Movement and for the world. During each Assembly, we gather to experience and celebrate the Movement as we connect with and learn from Ethical Culturists/Ethical Humanists throughout the country. Meet some of our Societies’ Presidents, Ethical Education Directors, Leaders, Ethical Action Chairs, Administrative Staff, and other active members. Our 100th Assembly will include experts on social, environmental, and economic development to educate us on the many ways we can protect our world for the future. Ours is the first generation that can end poverty, and the last that can avoid the worst impacts of climate change. Our pre- conference Ethical Action project will be working with immigrant families at Neighbors Link Stamford, which is only a few miles from our hotel. And we are proud to announce our special guests: Ami Dar, founder and executive director of Idealist Keynote Speaker Ambassador Anwarul K. Chowdhury, founder of the Global Movement for the Culture of Peace National Ethical Service Luncheon Speaker Dr. Sandra Steingraber, climate activist and writer 2015 Elliott-Black Awardee Register online at www.regonline.com/AEU2015 or download a paper registration from www.aeu.org/event/celebrate-aeu-100th-assembly/. Let’s celebrate together this June in Connecticut! In This Issue Creating a Sustainable Future 1 Letter from Executive Dir 2 FES Intros “Ethics of Action” 3 Letter from AEU Board Pres. 4 Ethical Education Committee Moving Forward on All Fronts 5 Wall of Remembrance 5 Notes from Your AEU Board 6 Would Your Society Like a Webinar on Social Media? 7 Report from National Ethical Service 7 From the United Nations: Development Achievements and New Goals 8 Spiritual Treasures of Ethical Culture 9 Ethical Action Feature: Community Capacity Building in El Salvador 10 iChildhood 13 Mid Rivers Society Helps Plan First Pride St. Charles 14 Dialogue Spring 2015 Important Assembly Reminders • Society nominations for Anna Garlin Spencer Award are due before 9am Monday, May 4. • Early bird discount ends May 5. Hotel discount ends June 5. • Reports from Societies, Committees, and Affiliates are due by Monday, May 11. • Resolution submissions are due by Friday, May 15.
- 2. 2 Spring 2015 Dialogue I’ve received numerous communications from people within the Ethical Movement about humanist organizations, campaigns, and events in the past few years, and it seems that efforts of non- theists have been getting ever- increasing media attention—much of it positive. Sunday Assembly, The Clergy Project, American Atheists, Openly Secular, and Harvard Humanist Community have garnered national media coverage including a recent hour-long expose on atheists by CNN. Greg Epstein, the Humanist Chaplain at Harvard University has been featured on the reality show “Married At First Sight” as an “Expert” representing, rather ironically, a “spiritualist” perspective (the other experts are a sociologist, a sexologist and a psychologist). There’s even a 24/7 online television channel, Atheist TV, offered by American Atheists. The increasingly positive press has been accompanied by a near absence of backlash from opponents of atheism—it seems things are looking up for the humanist community in this country. In February, American Ethical Union President Richard Koral and I attended the Secular Leaders’ Summit in Houston, Texas. The summit is an annual event where the heads of humanist, free thought, atheist, and other non-theist organizations gather to talk about what’s happening in our various organizations and to consider ways we might work together. I had heard stories of past meetings about conflicts between some of the organization heads and felt a bit worried that our congregational form of humanism might incite condemnation from some of the representatives of some of the more strident atheist groups. Once in Houston I was pleasantly surprised. I was particularly struck by how congenial this meeting was and how attentive people seemed to be to the varying needs and interests of the participating organizations. I came away feeling that, more than anything, people were looking for ways to work together and to support each other’s efforts. Importantly, most of these conversations were about positive approaches to reaching more people by communicating what humanist organizations have to offer and about ways to organize so that the needs and interests of the people who are reached are met. So, there are many positive things in the works by humanist organizations and that should bode well for us in Ethical Culture, too. We don’t yet have our own TV station and may not have been featured on national TV recently but ethical humanists have much to offer the larger movement at this time. I was struck, during my many conversations at the summit, by how many groups were looking to develop programs that have a lot in common with programs you would find at an Ethical Society, and I found people were very interested in our experience with small group facilitation and humanist education for children. Those two areas—group facilitation and humanist education for children—are very much in our ethical humanist wheelhouse, and our development of programs and materials in those areas is already well underway. The Membership Committee, along with a number of Leaders and lay leaders within the Movement, have been gathering and organizing materials that organizers can use to facilitate meaningful small group sessions based on successful models already in use at Ethical Societies. The Ethical Education Committee has been working on an “Ethical Education in a Box” program for groups to use who are looking to start or rejuvenate an ethical education for children program. They are also developing a program and materials for a K-12 ethical education program that groups can use to provide a full-blooded ethical education program whereby students can earn a certificate of accomplishment by completing the program. The American Ethical Union will be moving ahead with these projects in the near future and I expect our efforts will be found exceptionally helpful for our member Ethical Societies as well as for existing humanist groups and for groups that have not even formed yet. The future looks bright for our Movement and I am anticipating exciting times ahead! Letter from Executive Director Bart Worden “Things are looking up for the humanist community in this country.”
- 3. Spring 2015 Dialogue 3 Save These Dates For details visit www.aeu.org AEU Board Meetings Individual members of Societies are welcome to attend meetings. Saturday, May 9, 9am NYSEC Thu-Sun, June 25-28 Assembly in Stamford, CT Future of Ethical Societies (FES) Conference 2015 May 22-25 Washington, DC “Ethics of Action: Do No Harm or Do More Good?“ Connect with young adults across the Ethical Movement for a great weekend. Details and registration materials are available online. American Ethical Union Assembly 2015 June 25-28 Stamford, CT “Creating a Sustainable Future: Ethics and Advocacy” Celebrate the 100th AEU Assembly in June 2015! Check website for information on speakers, hotel, and registration. FES Introduces “Ethics of Action” Justin Taft-Morales and Christian Hayden Are you between the ages of 18 and 35? Are you interested in making the world a better place? Are you interested in deconstructing and challenging your understanding of what it is to “do good”? If so, FES XII is definitely for you. This Memorial Day Weekend (May 22-25), the Future of Ethical Societies will be hosting our annual conference in Washington DC with the Washington Ethical Society. Black Lives Matter, the Arab Spring, Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS), and Occupy Wall Street have challenged traditional notions of what it means to act, to push for the public good. Powered by a groundswell of FES activity and a sensitivity to worldwide events, FES will explore the theme of “Ethics of Action: Do No Harm or Do More Good?” The conference will connect activists, artists, and humanists in an effort to critically examine, and put into motion, what it means to serve, create, and transform communities toward the ends of realizing a more just world. We will deconstruct intersectionality* and how it connects with concrete methods of building solidarity, while exploring means of challenging broader oppressive systems. During the conference, FES will host the first ever FEStival, a concert and a call to action. The concert will encourage creativity as a path to resistance, as well as providing a space for FES and community members to dance and celebrate. We will also take part in a service project over the weekend, participating in community efforts while looking critically at our methods and roles in doing good. Spread the word to your communities and become a part of the global movement. *Intersectionality is the concept that markers of different identities do not act independent of one another. Instead, our various social identities interrelate to negate the possibility of a unitary or universal experience of any one manifestation of privilege or oppression. Intersectionality (or intersectionalism) is the study of intersections between forms or systems of oppression, domination or discrimination. Photo: FES New Orleans service trip December 2014. We worked on urban farming and discussed other ethical action projects we would like to do in the future. Learn more at FESXII. FES members are: – 18-35 years old – Dedicated to ethical humanist values and social justice – Required to pay dues $20 and complete a minimum of five hours of service to FES annually FES members gain: – A network of young adult humanists – Discounts and/or scholarship opportunities – Voting rights in FES and AEU business – Eligible to be officer or steering committee member – AEU & IHEYO* membership (*coming soon) Become a member by completing the membership form and paying your annual dues on the FES webpage. Individuals may be “Friends” of FES and attend events if unable to complete member requirements.
- 4. 4 Spring 2015 Dialogue Things are getting busy for the American Ethical Union (AEU) and it is gratifying to watch efforts bear fruit in many areas and for activity in other areas to be re- awakening. Having an Executive Director with a plan and an abundance of energy is certainly one important reason. The renaissance of excitement among many members is surely another key reason. Membership in the AEU means member Societies and so the AEU serves the Societies themselves. It is for that reason the new Mission Statement adopted by the AEU Board explains itself this way: “The American Ethical Union creates, nurtures, and inspires ethical humanist communities to foster a world that is democratic, compassionate, just, and sustainable.” The Union’s role is to serve Ethical Humanist communities, i.e., the Societies and Fellowships of Ethical Culture/ Ethical Humanism. One way that this mission is pursued is by gathering people, talent, and (where possible) money to assist a Society through a rough patch. Several times in the last year our Executive Director Bart Worden met with the Boards or the key lay leadership of Societies to help them with growth and organizational issues. From time to time, Bart brought together other people within the Movement to offer assessments and assistance as well. These people have included two Bergen Society members: Paulo Ribeiro, Leader-in-Training and an instructor at the Lay Leadership Summer School, and Elizabeth Collier, who has written on the subject of engaging the millennial generation with the support of the AEU’s Mossler Fellowship. In addition, retired Leader Richard Kiniry has offered consulting assistance and Joy McConnell, a Leader living in North Carolina and former AEU Membership Committee chairperson, has provided mediation services. One important project being undertaken now is taking place in the Riverdale- Yonkers Society in New York. One of the oldest Societies whose building is located opposite the Ethical Culture Fieldston School and Felix Adler’s own apartment house residence, it has seen major demographic changes in its neighborhood and corresponding declines in membership. From a vibrant community of 200 in the 1970’s and 1980’s, it suffered a slow and continuous decline in membership to a level of approximately 30 people today. The once-bustling Sunday School is no longer functioning. Nevertheless, while many of its members died or moved away, there is a large progressive community in the area, which needs to be served. There is great potential for diversity, for encouragement of local Latino/ Latina humanists, as well as for engagement with challenging social concerns such as immigrant integration. After a period of consultation and assessment, a long-term reorganization, renewal, and redirection plan was developed with the help of expertise mobilized across the Ethical Movement. The plan was devised in cooperation with the dedicated core lay leadership of the Riverdale-Yonkers Society and it will be implemented with the support of the Society’s own endowment fund. A team was organized that includes Jone Johnson Lewis, a longtime Ethical Leader with expertise as a professional consultant in organizational development, as their new part-time Leader and Elizabeth Collier for membership development. The team was hired by the Society to begin work in March 2015. A new director of Ethical Education will be hired to build a program from the ground up. It is hoped and expected that these efforts at renewal and growth will show results in about three years. This is only one of the many times that the resources of the national Ethical Movement were mobilized through the AEU on behalf of individual Societies. The AEU has served as the coordinator and conduit for monetary subventions, mediation dispute resolution, visiting Leaders, organizational expertise, and other services. Societies in Chicago, Northern Virginia, Westchester, Northern Westchester, Mid Rivers, Brooklyn, Washington, Silicon Valley, and elsewhere have received support that helped carry them through tough times and without which they may not have survived to pursue their own mission. Our Director of Ethical Education, Dale McGowan, attended nine Societies so far to encourage and support local programs for children’s education. As the mission statement proclaims, the AEU creates, nurtures, and inspires ethical humanist communities. With this help the Societies can fulfill the Ethical Culture/ Ethical Humanist mission to foster a world that is democratic, compassionate, just, and sustainable. Organizationally, we pursue the Ethical Humanist vision together in ways that as single, disparate and uncoordinated communities we could not. To be effective and to fulfill our national mission, we need funding. Riverdale- Yonkers has a significant endowment fund that is capable of underwriting efforts being made on its own behalf. But most Societies are not so well positioned. That is why donations to the Union will help make it possible to assist Societies that are finding their footing and smaller communities that still need to reach that threshold of viability to be self-sustaining. Ethical Culture is the only significant humanist movement that exists through intentional communities meeting regularly. We believe that only through a rich, diverse, committed, and engaged face-to- face community does humankind achieve its greatest potential to bring out the best in ethical, appreciative, supportive, creative, and productive living. Community building requires effort and investment. Only with both will we succeed. Letter from AEU Board President Richard Koral The American Ethical Union - Serving the Societies
- 5. Spring 2015 Dialogue 5 Ethical Education Committee Moving Forward on All Fronts Dale McGowan, National Director of Ethical Education On March 28, I had the privilege of leading a half-day workshop at the Brooklyn Society on raising ethical children. The event was well attended and included lively discussion by parents with children of every age from newborn to 18 and beyond. The workshop was followed by a long-anticipated meeting of the Ethical Education (EE) Committee to plan the coming months. Committee members received specific assignments to work with Societies developing fledgling Sunday school programs and early parent support programs, as well as ongoing efforts to secure a university partner for our planned Ethical Diploma initiative. If all goes well, we can expect to see a transformation in EE across the Movement by the end of 2015, including a number of new family initiatives at individual Societies. The EE Committee meeting coincided with the start of a brief leave of absence for the national director. I will be on hiatus during April and May, during which time EE Committee chair Lea Bender will keep the trains running. The key to success as always is the dedicated effort and enthusiasm of people at every level, from members and families to staff and volunteers to the Movement leadership. Thank you from the EE program for all you’ve done to keep us moving forward! Garnet Blake (St. Louis) – Longtime member Garnet Blake died on March 18 at her home. Garnet turned 100 this past January. Condolences to the Blake family. Ginger Harris requests that in lieu of cards and calls people do something good for others in her mother’s honor. Robert Cathcart (Triangle) – Bob made many valued contributions to the Ethical Humanist Society of the Triangle including serving on various committees and on the Board. He enjoyed presenting opening/closing words at our meetings—which he did frequently. Bob often included some of his poetry in the words that he shared. This was a great way to get to know him better. Bob was a kind and generous member of our Ethical Humanist Society. Janice Rubenstein (Bergen) – Longtime Bergen Society member Janice Rubenstein died at the age of 97. Janice and her husband, Jack Rubenstein, joined the Bergen Society in its founding years and contributed greatly to the robust growth of our community. According to her daughters, Janice and Jack knew immediately that this was the perfect “home” for them. Janice always enjoyed the deep connection to the Society and the lifelong friendships and camaraderie that were not found elsewhere. This was the main focus of their lives along with raising their four daughters in the Ethical Sunday School, all of whom are graduates. She was dedicated to the work of the Society and its members. She taught in the Sunday school, welcomed new members, personally transported members in need to platform meetings and was always willing to help wherever needed. Dee Wallman (Bergen) – Dee Wallman died at the age of 90 after a period of considerable decline. Dee was the beloved mother of Bergen member, David Wallman, and Anne’s mother-in-law as well as the loving grandmother of Jacob and Devon. Wall of Remembrance Compiled from Societies’ newsletters and websites, and newspaper obituraries
- 6. 6 Spring 2015 Dialogue Notes from Your AEU Board Karen Elliott, AEU Board Member The American Ethical Union Board has met twice since the last report, on Saturdays January 10 and March 14, 2015, both times at the New York Society for Ethical Culture. Executive Director Bart Worden started a discussion about how we as a Movement need to respond to changes in the way people live their lives, such as providing activities in addition to our traditional Sunday morning meetings that will fit better into modern lives. Or do we need to restructure what we are doing during those traditional meeting times so as to attract more people? It’s something we as a Movement need to think about, both on the national and Society levels, and the Board expects to receive additional input into this on-going discussion as the result of the work done by Elizabeth Collier at Societies in Brooklyn and Baltimore with support from a Mossler Grant. The AEU Committees are getting some infusions of new talent, and even those without newer members or Chairs are doing some great work. A selection of Committee news: Newly named as chair of the Ethical Education Committee is Lea Bender, from the Brooklyn Society for Ethical Culture. The EEC is working on a certificate or diploma program in ethics for young people and Bart reports they had an in-person meeting in Brooklyn in March with plans for quarterly meetings in the future. There was discussion of possible ways in which the AEU could provide more support for Ethical Education. It is something the Board wants to do if funds become available. Kate LaClair of the Baltimore Ethical Society chairs the Ethical Action Committee and Bart reports that their primary focus for now is climate change, with possibly some additional work on criminal justice reform. Kate is looking for some additional members. The Leadership Committee is chaired by Carol Bartell of St. Louis (also an AEU Board member) and the Committee, including Dean of Leadership Training Susan Rose, continues to actively provide support and guidance to multiple Leaders- in-Training as well as overseeing the certification of new officiants. The Membership Committee, chaired by Laura Steele (Washington), is planning a workshop for the fall as well as looking at ways in which the AEU can better support those who want to start new Societies. Susan Solomon of the Ethical Society of Northern Westchester has joined the Communications Committee, which is co-chaired by Emily Newman and Law’nence Miller. The Board Development Committee, chaired by Philadelphia Society’s Arnold Fishman, is currently putting together the slate for the election to be held at the Assembly in June. If you’re interested in participating on the national level as a member of one of the AEU Committees, see www. aeu.org/who-we-are/staff-board- committees/ for a list of committees and chairs, and check with the AEU Office for contact information. The Assembly Committee and New York metro area Leaders have been working on the program for the AEU’s 100th Assembly in Stamford, CT, with the theme of Sustainability. One of the full days will have presenters from within the Movement (discussing sustaining the future of Ethical Culture) and the other will have presenters from outside the Movement (discussing sustaining the future of our planet). A location has been selected for the 2016 Assembly (St. Louis) and discussion about a location for 2017 has begun. The Board has been looking at ways to deepen the culture of stewardship throughout our Movement. While it is not a short-term project, some of the short-term results are very positive– including many new faces on national committees and the success of the annual year-end fundraising campaign, which generated about the same amount of donations as was received in the entire prior year. Kudos to the team who worked on the year-end campaign: Linda Napoli (Long Island), Carol Bartell (St. Louis), and Hank Gassner (Northern Virginia & Washington), Anne Klaeysen (New York), AEU Communications coordinator Emily Newman (Brooklyn & New York), and AEU Director of Administration Law’nence Miller (New York). One of Executive Director Bart Worden’s primary focuses this year is to develop more connections between the AEU and other groups, and he’s not the only one who is working on putting the face of our Movement on the national stage. The National Leaders Council (NLC) is also being especially mindful and strategic around the Leaders’ participation in national organizations. And our Union will be minor sponsors of the next Reason Rally, in 2016. The long-awaited AEU Songbook will make its debut at the Assembly in Stamford, CT this June. And more good news–FES (Future of Ethical Societies) is growing its membership to include young humanists 18-35 years old. Bart Worden is continuing to look at expanding the number of Ethical college chaplaincies and the NLC is looking into ways to provide additional content for our website at aeu.org. The next AEU Board meetings will be held on Saturday May 9, 2015 in New York City and on Thursday, June 25 and Sunday, June 28, 2015 in Stamford, CT, during the AEU’s Annual Assembly. Members of member Societies are always welcome to attend and your AEU Board especially hopes to see you in June at our 100th Assembly.
- 7. Spring 2015 Dialogue 7 Would Your Society Like a Webinar on Social Media? Do you have questions about how to start or develop your Society’s Facebook page, Twitter account, or Meetup group? The AEU Communications Committee has some ideas. Join a Social Media Webinar so you can learn from us and other Societies this Fall 2015. We are still in the planning stage so email communications@aeu.org to let us know: • your Society, • the social media networks you are interested in, and • how many people would be joining the webinar. Report from National Ethical Service We are proud to announce that the National Ethical Service website, www.nationalserviceaeu.org, is live and better than ever. We will continue to add more information that helps us promote and enhance the highest principles at the United Nations, the American Ethical Union, and the Culture of Peace worldwide. Please visit us online and on Facebook to learn more. We also want to report that with assistance from Natural Investments we have ensured that the Rose L. Walker Fund is now invested with socially responsible stocks and bonds. The Fund provides seed grants to fledgling initiatives that promote Felix Adler’s worldviews on developing a more evolved civilization that is inclusive and equitable. Meet Executive Committee members Emily Newman and Martha Gallahue in person at the National Ethical Service Luncheon on Saturday, June 27 at the AEU Assembly. We will have a brief business meeting with NES members (all AEU members) during lunch and then hear from Ambassador Anwarul Karim Chowdhury, the founder of the Global Movement for the Culture of Peace. Support the American Ethical Union With your generous support members are able to learn, share, grow, and make a difference in our Societies and the world. Donate online, send a check to the AEU at 2 West 64th St, Ste 406, New York, NY, 10023, or call 212-873-6500 with your credit card information. All financial contributions to the AEU are tax-deductible.
- 8. 8 Spring 2015 Dialogue From the United Nations: Development Achievements and New Goals Dr. Sylvain Ehrenfeld, the IHEU and National Ethical Service representative to the UN Dr. Reba Goodman, Ethical Culture Society of Bergen County Surprisingly, given the terrible news we read daily and the barbaric images we see on TV, there is good news. All over the world, extreme abject poverty has decreased sharply. In 1990 almost half the population in developing regions was extremely poor. The rate of poverty has dropped to about 15%. Almost a billion people have been lifted out of extreme poverty. This is an historic achievement from the time when living on the margins of subsistence was the norm. In conjunction with the dramatic fall in extreme poverty there is a rising global middle-class. The Brookings Institution estimates about a billion people in the middle class, expected to grow to 3 billion by the end of the decade and to 5 billion by 2030. For example, in Brazil poverty decreased from almost 40% of the population in 2001 to around 25% in 2009, 31 million joined the middle class. Today 52% in Brazil is middle class. There is also substantial growth in the rest of the emerging world, in Latin America and in Africa. Sales of refrigerators, TV sets, mobile phones, automobiles have surged in many African countries. For example, in Ghana possession of cars and motorcycles has increased by 80% since 2006. The rising middle class can create political problems because of rising expectations which governments may not be able to handle. Also, the middle class is likely to adopt western life styles, which will impact negatively on the environment and climate change. In 2000, one hundred heads of states, the largest meeting of world leaders in history, gathered in New York for the United Nations Millennium Summit to set ambitious goals known as the Millennium Development Goals (MDG). There were eight goals to be achieved by 2015. These Goals, for the world’s well-being, are designed to free a major portion of humanity from the shackles of extreme poverty, hunger, and gender inequality. Also to increase primary education; reduce child mortality; promote maternal health, sanitation, and clean water. These goals have galvanized much public support and have achieved notable successes. For example, Goal 1 was to reduce the rate of extreme poverty in developing countries by half compared to what it was in 1990. This goal was achieved in 2010. Another goal was to halve the portion of the world’s hungry. In 1990, 25% of those living in the developing world were starving. By 2012 this figure had fallen to 12%. It should be noted that feeding the world is not a question of growing more food. The Food and Agricultural Organization has reported that the world produces twice the amount its population needs. Hunger is due to poverty. Even in the US, many go to bed hungry not because there is no food but because they don’t have the money to buy it. The likelihood of a child dying before age 5 has been nearly cut in half over the last two decades. That means about 17,000 are saved from death every day. However one has to be careful with averages. There is wide variation in child mortality. For example children born in Angola are 84 times more likely to die before they turn 5 than children born in Luxembourg. Globally, the maternal mortality rate has dropped, but far too many women still die in childbirth, which is mostly preventable with proper care. Reflecting the prevailing terrible condition of women, nearly half of all pregnant women do not see a doctor during their pregnancy. This goal was not met. The UN is currently discussing the post-2015 development agenda. The MDGs were aimed at improving the well-being of the world’s poorest people. The new agenda aims to be universal. This new agenda referred to as the “sustainable development goals” (SDGs) will be negotiated at a major International Summit in September 2015 to be effective through 2030. The current discussions have led to a list of 17 goals. Some continue the MDGs. Goal 1 is to end poverty altogether. Is this possible? This is very ambitious. One notable fact about poverty nowadays is that well over half of the one billion people with very low income are living in middle- income countries, with the financial and technological means to address their remaining poor, as Brazil and China have done in recent years. It is a political problem. What are new are environmental concerns as well as ensuring sustainable consumption and production patterns. Another important goal is action to deal with climate change.
- 9. Spring 2015 Dialogue 9 The MDGs were reasonably easy to state and fitted well on one poster. The 17 goals will be difficult to market. Where else but the UN could one envision such an ambitious agenda for the well-being of the world’s population. The MDGs have been mostly successful so we can hope. The UN was founded after the devastation of World War 2. One primary aim was to prevent another world war. Such a war has not happened. The UN has often legitimately been accused of being ineffective such as in Syria, the Ukraine, terrorism, the Sudan Congo and Gaza. The political arm of the UN is the Security Council. It often can’t function because of the veto. The right of the veto has enabled the permanent members to reject actions, which go counter their strategic interests. France and Britain both support the idea of limiting the veto power in cases of mass atrocities. This proposal has unfortunately been rejected by China, Russia, and the United States. Is the world a more dangerous place? Surprisingly, the number of armed conflicts is down by more than one third since the end of the cold war. By 2008 high-intensity wars were down by nearly 80%. Since most conflicts since the cold war have been within countries rather than between countries they have been less lethal. However, since the advent of saturation video and media coverage of the news, overall impressions of peace and war can be misleading. The world still faces serious problems…but would we be better off without the UN? Spiritual Treasures of Ethical Culture Janet Rudolph, Longtime Ethical Humanist A religious purpose seeks to help people to see the infinite that underlies our finite relationships. Felix Adler What do Moses and Felix Adler have in common? They both brought the message of “oneness” or the essential unity of humanity. In traditional beliefs, Moses brought to the world the message of a one god. This may have been his exoteric teaching but his esoteric spiritual message was of the oneness of all creation. Felix Adler, founder of Ethical Culture, also speaks quite similarly. Here is a re-phrasing of his quote, which might make this message clearer: A religious purpose seeks to help people to see the divinity (sacredness) that underlies our human (manifest) relationships. To emphasize this point Adler developed the concept of the Ethical Manifold describing how we are each unique amidst our interwoven spiritual essence. Put succinctly, we are unique in our humanity yet we are one in our divinity. This explains why the basic underlying maxim of our Movement is so powerful. When we “act so as to elicit the best in others and in ourselves” we are able to do so because of our deep inter-connections. What I could call a spiritual connection. Or as Adler puts it, “There is a unity of life within life.” One of Alder’s most famous axioms says, “For it is only with the god enthroned in the innermost shrine of the other, that the god hidden in me, will consent to appear.” Since god is a word that is fraught with so much baggage and expectation I am going to rephrase Adler’s quote using the word divinity. “For it is only with the divinity enthroned in the innermost shrine of the other, that the divinity hidden in me, will consent to appear.” The question for Ethical Humanists is: How would our lives be different if we spend our days in awareness of this deep interweaving? How much stronger would our social works be? How much more loving our own personal human relationships? Certainly something to ponder.
- 10. 10 Spring 2015 Dialogue EthicalActionFeature: Community Capacity Building in El Salvador Justin Taft-Morales, Washington Ethical Society & Future of Ethical Societies Note from Hugh Taft-Morales: The Washington Ethical Society approach is particularly appropriate for Ethical Culture given its emphasis on dignity, mutuality, and ethical relationships. Justin, my son and the author of this piece, is also coordinating the Future Ethical Societies Conference (with the theme of Ethical Action) in Washington this spring and invites all members aged 18-35 to attend! The summer after my tenth grade year I had the opportunity to follow my sibling’s footsteps on an annual Washington Ethical Society (WES) solidarity trip to a rural town in El Salvador. Along with other members of WES, they helped establish a sister-city relationship with the village of El Rodeo through a process particularly appropriate to Ethical Culture called Community Capacity Building. As I get ready to return to the village for a fifth year, I’m starting to really understand the benefits of working within this model. El Rodeo, a few miles south of Honduras in the department of Cabañas, is a small farming community of thirty-five families. It’s a half-mile down the road from Santa Marta, a town of a few thousand that was destroyed in the “scorched earth” campaign at the beginning of the decade- long civil war in the 1980’s. Santa Marta and El Rodeo are among the multitude of rural communities that were repopulated after the war forced them into refugee camps in Honduras. El Rodeo faces many challenges that I have been privileged to help address through this WES project. WES formed this program, Global Connections, in an effort to find a sustainable service model. The model they chose, Community Capacity Building, is very different from what we know as “service.” Rather than aiming to complete infrastructural and project-based work, Community Capacity Building (CCB) allows for local communities to be the leaders in their own struggle for development. Through open meetings with the community and its leaders, we’ve used a variety of participative exercises to gain a better understanding of the community’s needs and resources, as well as those of the delegation. The leadership council, or ADESCO, connects Global Connections to the rest of the El Rodeo community, and is responsible for maintaining contact with Global Connections and hosting the annual delegation of usually around 12 people. Our delegation and the ADESCO aim to involve and inform each other throughout the process, making sure that the preparation and execution of each project is truly cooperative. By listening to the voices of the community and building trust, respect, and friendships, the delegation can garner a better understanding of the community’s history, wants, needs, resources, and obstacles. My first experience with this process was during my first trip to El Salvador. The youth in the WES delegation were partnered with local youth to conduct a survey of the community. We hosted community assemblies as a way of gathering information in a more participative manner. In these assemblies, the community worked together to rank their priorities and discuss the steps necessary to address them. We often learned just as much by accident, in activities not specifically designed for learning about the participants. This past summer Maya (Justin’s sister) and Oneida carry supplies
- 11. Spring 2015 Dialogue 11 I interpreted for a fellow WES delegate, Dr. Bill d’Alelio, who was working collaboratively with a local psychology student. The first product of their partnership was a stress reduction workshop, which focused on undemanding ice-breaking activities in an effort to establish a comfortable and trustful environment. One exercise prompted the participants to draw their imagined future homes. To my memory, all of the drawings showed houses very similar to their current homes, close to rows of corn and rolling mountains. In presenting their drawings to the group, the participants called attention to a strong and loving connection to the surrounding nature. The most noticeable difference between the imaginations and reality was that nearly all of the drawings were of houses with running water. Today the top priority is addressing the need for potable water in every house in El Rodeo. El Rodeo is lucky to have three water sources in their community, but those water sources are heavily contaminated, and unsafe for human consumption. Alongside the ADESCO, Global Connections and the whole WES community have already taken a number of steps in the hopes of completing a sustainable, solar- powered water system in the community. Last summer, the delegation and a number of community members traveled to Xachamil II, a town about the size of El Rodeo, where such a system has been implemented. The system, which costs much less than ones that use electrical power from the grid, provides potable water to every household, every day. We were extremely fortunate in being able to learn from the work done in Xachamil II. After the visit, we worked with the ADESCO in El Rodeo to develop a plan of action. The first step was to acquire the largest water source, and enough of the surrounding land for a recharge zone. This winter, WES was able to raise more than enough to fund this crucial step (about $6,000). The next step will be building the water system, and the target date for this project is 2016. As the water project moves along slowly, we are also engaging with a number of other projects. One of the most successful is a dental clinic run annually by WES member Dr. Susan Runner. Every delegation trip, the clinic is set up on a dirt veranda teeming with chickens, kids from the school next door, and flea-ridden dogs. My job as assistant consisted of holding a flashlight over the patient’s mouth, translating, and cleaning and preparing trays of dental tools. Susan worked much harder than her assistants, who all had to work in shifts. All she needed to make it through her time was two fans pointed directly at her and plenty of water. In 2011 I wrote in my journal: “many had access to dental care in the nearby town of Santa Marta, but it all seemed to be done quite poorly. Fillings fell out, or continued to hurt for 6 years in one woman’s case. One woman told us how much pain her teeth were giving her, but she was a hemophiliac and we couldn’t extract any teeth. She told us that during the war she had a tooth taken out and it bled for 10 days.” Many of the youth in the community have extremely poor dental health, due to lack of proper dental care combined with a sugar and carbohydrate-heavy diet. To lower the risk for decay and periodontal disease, fluoride treatments need to be applied every six months to the younger members of the community. We approached the community with an opportunity continued on page 12 Dr. Susan Runner and Justin Taft-Morales at Clinica Dental Sussana
- 12. 12 Spring 2015 Dialogue “Free Trade” Isn’t Free Ross Wells, Washington Ethical Society Inside the World Bank, a secret tribunal is preparing to rule on a lawsuit by Pacific Rim/Oceana Gold–a Canadian/Australian mining company–to force El Salvador to allow cyanide-based gold mining in the headwaters of El Salvador’s major river. Under trade laws promoted by the U.S. government, corporations can use this World Bank tribunal, the International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID), to by-pass national laws and regulations protecting public health, the environment and human rights. Investor State Dispute Settlements (ISDS) are written into nearly every “Free Trade” law. They are a dangerous threat to democracy both here and abroad, yet many of us have never heard of them. How is this possible? The following links shine a light on this theft of democracy and how it came to pass: New York Times – “When Corporations Sue Governments,” by Manuel Perez-Rocha Washington Post – Senator Elizabeth Warren, “The Trans-Pacific Partnership clause everyone should oppose” Remembering the Tokyo “No” to ICSID 50 years later, by American University professor, Robin Broad Nassib Ziadé (deputy secretary- general of ICSID between 2007 and 2011 and acting secretary-general of ICSID between April 2008 and June 2009), says ICSID is heading in wrong direction For more information on international solidarity supporting El Salvador’s struggle vs. mining, go to www.stopesmining.org continued Ethical Action Feature for individuals to learn the basics of how to apply the fluoride varnish, and one of my closest friends, Cesar, responded enthusiastically. Cesar has been organizing annual fluoride treatments for a few years now, as well as assisting at Susan’s clinic during the delegation trips. This past summer, we wanted to involve the community more in the clinic, and trained a local teenager, Amilcar, to assist Susan. He did excellent work, and we’re excited to continue working alongside him, Cesar, and other community members. This kind of collaboration is what makes the partnership so special, and relevant to Ethical Culture. I am now familiar with the following quote from indigenous activist Lila Watson, often brought up in Global Connections meetings: “If you have come here to help me, you are wasting your time. But if you have come because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us work together.” As I seek ways to support the community in a struggle against a system that privileges me, I’ve grown confident in the Community Capacity Building model. Although it takes time, it opens up space for the community to advocate for itself, understanding that it is the most qualified to do so. Even before the introduction of the Community Capacity Building model, the community of El Rodeo has historically been extremely active in the fight to protect their history, way of living, and natural resources. Since the war, El Salvador has been fighting an arduous battle against the various mining companies that seek to extract precious metals from the already largely deforested landscape. Metallic mining uses extremely poisonous chemicals in the extraction process, and has a history of contaminating local water sources. An estimated 80 percent of El Salvador’s water already contains dangerous amounts of biological contaminates, as is the case in El Rodeo. I look forward to returning to El Salvador this summer for more collaborative community work with our friends in El Rodeo. Dr. Bill d’Alelio (Washington Society) and Chepe
- 13. Spring 2015 Dialogue 13 iChildhood Janet Glass, Ethical Culture Society of Bergen County “Mommy, iPad,” I heard a toddler say while on a red-eye flight to San Francisco. She was maybe a year and a half, not yet speaking in full sentences. Her mom was eager to go back to sleep. She pulled the iPad mini out of her bag, turned it on, and handed it over. If I had had any doubt before, this confirmed that we are raising kids in uncharted waters. I thought my experience as a parent of two daughters should be a solid touchstone for how to help raise my grandson, Max. After all, I’m more patient now and I have a bigger bag of tricks to engage a two and a half year old. Children and Screens One advantage experience hasn’t brought me is raising kids in the wired world. It requires a new sort of awareness. As a young parent, I used to look forward to a break, and I would turn on Sesame Street and Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood. Now, when Max gets super cranky, I give him the iPad to play Little Builder. With a touch screen, it’s not that hard for him to move from Little Builder to YouTube videos. Do we sit and watch to monitor every move? Do we keep them away from screens altogether? Can we? That may mean keeping them away from their cousins, playmates, and neighbors. At what age do we allow which screens? For sure, Max will be using computers at school fairly soon. In the school where I taught, second graders presented their stories on PowerPoint, enhanced by their own pictures. When Max can’t find his Dusty Crophopper plane, he asks me to text his mom to see if she knows where it is. When he has a question about the world, I Google it. He visits with his great grandma, who lives in Florida, by Skype, where he routinely sees my mom on the screen and shows her his latest toy. He expects to be able to connect with anyone at any time. Max and his family are not unique in this, but it’s a significant cultural shift in terms of a child’s perspective. Challenges to Healthy and Wholesome It’s no secret that there are fewer boundaries in terms of interactions these days. However, with children this can be both wonderful and very worrisome. We want to protect our kids from seeing harmful things that they will not be able to delete from their minds. We want wholesome. We want to be sure they don’t waste their time, to save them from excessive distraction. We want focused. We want to shield them from the dangers of back-lit tablets, now linked to problems with solid sleep if used near bedtime (www. medicalnewstoday.com/articles/249402. php). We want healthy. We want our kids to be able to socialize face-to-face, enjoy nature without feeling compelled to film it, play outside, and maybe play the cello. We want well rounded. We want them to think deep, original thoughts arrived at through sustained reading. We want them to be able to pause and reflect. Flitting from one screen to another makes it harder. Yet we also wish our kids to enjoy the advantages of playing, creating, and collaborating with their friends and classmates. This now means electronic devices. Their friends, family, teachers and classmates may sustain their relationships through cable, Ethernet, and satellite systems. There’s no turning back, and while there are thousands of opinions written in blogs, there are no prior models for how to parent in this age. As virtual reality becomes more and more a part of our learning experiences, the walls dissolve between real and digital reality. Take practicing a foreign language. In the virtual world of Second Life, your avatar visits a section where natives speak the language you’re learning. In another language, you buy a snack from a vendor, chat with a customer, and ask for directions, all without getting off your couch. Living Ethically in Two Worlds One thing we can do is to admit that childhood is now different, and we need to talk about it with other parents. Having an Ethical Culture Sunday school that provides us with a community of like-minded caretakers helps. Parents and grandparents can air our anxieties and brainstorm with each other. Children’s online activities and digital footprints can be monitored and blocked to some extent with spying and filtering software. This may not seem compatible with Ethical Culture’s call to respect the dignity of the individual. But we also know that different developmental stages require different conditions in order to bring out the best in our children. To that end, many parents set time limits and make choices of games and programs as a family. With research and discussion, it can result in, say, buying Minecraft instead of Grand Theft Auto. Can we fully control what our kids stumble into, what vile hate speech they hear, what perverted videos they may see, what salacious invitations they may receive? Well, we can perhaps try to insulate them by open dialogue, early and often, about what is healthy to feed our minds. We might talk about how to model the kindness and decency we foster in our physical lives and carry those values into our digital lives We could emphasize that being anonymous is an illusion and that bullying, nastiness and indecency are just as egregious online as off. As our digital world begins to feel more and more the same as real life, we might insist that the same rules should apply. Faced with iChildhood, we have no pat formulas. However, the guidelines for living an ethical life have never been more important as we expand our minds to include life also lived in virtual reality.
- 14. 14 Spring 2015 Dialogue American Ethical Union 2 West 64th Street, #406 New York, NY 10023 212-873-6500 office@aeu.org Board of Directors Richard Koral, President Scott Walton, V. President Tom Weishaar, Treasurer Jan Broughton, Secretary Jone Johnson Lewis, NLC Pres Hugh Taft-Morales, NLC V. Pres Anne Klaeysen, NLC Alternate Carol Bartell Karen Elliott Hank Gassner Ken Karp Linda Napoli Xavier Mack, FES Rep Bart Worden, Board ex-officio Staff Bart Worden, Executive Dir. Law’nence Miller, Dir. of Admin. Donna Pang, Admin. Assistant Dale McGowan, Natl Dir. of EE Trish Cowan, YES Coordinator Emily Newman, Comm. Coord. Susan Rose, Dean of Leadership Training Thank you to Richard Reichart, our Dialogue Copy Editor! Write for the Dialogue We are accepting submissions for Summer 2015! Send submissions to communications@aeu.org by Tuesday, June 30, 2015 (right after Assembly). Please include a headshot and relative images with your submission. Mid Rivers Society Helps Plan First Pride St. Charles Thanks to Jill Aul and Beth Finder, St. Charles County, Missouri will have its first Pride event May 30, 2015 from 12-6pm at St. Charles Community College in Cottleville. Visit www.pridestcharles.org for the latest details. Both women are members of the St. Charles chapter of Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG), which Jill founded 10 years ago after her daughter came out as a lesbian in high school. Jill is also President of the Ethical Society Mid Rivers. “In the last census, 7,000 same-sex households were identified in the county,” said Jill. “People in our county need education and exposure. That’s where the idea was born.” Pride St. Charles will focus on entertainment and education, providing an opportunity for gay men and women to celebrate. The ceremony will begin with a processional through the college campus led by a kilted bagpiper. Those expected to participate include college administrators, state Rep. Bill Otto, D-Maryland Heights, and other public officials. Entertainers including bands and dancers, a drag queen and a drag king, will take to the amphitheater stage all day. Over 25 businesses and nonprofit groups will have booths, and seven food trucks are on tap. A large children’s area is also planned. “St. Louis’ first Pride event in 1980 was small by today’s standards—only several hundred people, many of them wearing disguises so their employers and family members would not recognize them,” said Steven Brawley, founder of St. Louis LGBT History Project. “The additions of Metro East Pride in Belleville, Black Pride and now St. Charles Pride are part of the dramatic evolution” of promoting and celebrating gay rights, he said. We wish St. Charles great success with the event! Photo: Planning Committee for Pride St. Charles. Jill is seated in center with her husband Bill seated next to her and Beth is seated far right. Mid Rivers member John Herzberg is far right.