[Sosfbay-discuss] Humanists (was Re: Dems won't try ...)

[Gerry Gras]

Duende wrote:

> I'm uncomfortable with the label of liberal 


"Liberal" became a 4 letter word for me after Gore attacked
Nader in late October, 2000.  Now I have mixed feelings.

> or even progressive anymore. 


I'm still ok with "progressive", but I think I see your point.

> I'm more prone to use the label "humanist". 


I have been a member of the local humanist organization
     http://humanists.org/
and the national organization
     http://www.americanhumanist.org/index.html
for years.  At least 3 other GPSCC members have participated.

> Let me define  
> humanist as someone concerned with the survival of the human race  
> (self) and realizes that this survival requires cooperation as  
> opposed to competition. A humanist recognizes or at least  
> acknowledges the interdependence of all living thing and sees his  
> survival as linked with the survival of others. 


The dictionary says:
     http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/humanist
The local humanist group says:
     http://humanists.org/hum_def.htm
The American Humanist Association says:
     http://www.americanhumanist.org/about/faqs.php
     http://www.americanhumanist.org/3/HumandItsAspirations.php

None of these talk specifically about the survival of the human
race.  (I assume they prefer a more positive approach).  But I
think most humanists are quite concerned with the current state
and do recognize the interdependence.

> Also, the word  
> "humanist" make it pretty hard for the right to attack 


I don't know about that.  The right has vociferously attacked
"secular humanists".  And the American Humanist Association
fights for separation of church and state and does other
things as well that the right would not like.

> and lets the  
> observer know our deepest agenda.  Maybe one day we can have a 2  
> party system. Humanists and Corporatists as opposed to the one party  
> system we now have. I see the Greens as a perfect vehicle for  
> humanists though it doesn't seem to roll very well at times. Ideally  
> humanists will ride up in every "party".
> 
> That said, my take is that no true humanist in the Democratic party  
> would "give in" to pressure at this point or at any point before or  
> after 9-11. There's always been too much on the table. Those that do  
> cave in were never really humanist. They were just posing using the  
> guise of liberal. They may have been deceiving themselves but it's a  
> deception non the less. However it's a deception that most on this  
> list were aware of.  I'm glad that there are a few humanists running  
> around capitol hill, but their voices are muted and their survival as  
> main stream politicians pretty much in jeopardy.
> 
> Why?
> 
> Because the population itself doesn't identify itself as humanist.  
> Far too many in or society think it's perfectly alright to impose our  
> will as a country on another country that is lesser in their minds  
> than were are. We think it's reasonablr for other peoples children to  
> work in sweat shops since their lives are already pathetic and  
> they're used to suffering. This is also done on the individual basis.  
> When we Greens think we're morally superior to a flag waver from the  
> mid west (or Central Valley) we become part of the problem. It  
> happens when we judge any human being, even Cheney and Bush, as being  
> less than human at some level. It happens to everyone. If you've  
> never fallen for this in your life please step forward and announce  
> your self to the crowd.(I'll want to see the holes in your hands  
> ( wrists for the historian)) If you've managed to stop doing this,  
> please share how you did so. If this is a conscious struggle in your  
> life then gOD bless.
> 
> Becoming the change that you want to see is a lot more than just  
> recycling and riding a bike.


For sure!

In fact, I believe in the assumptions held by those who talk
about "The Great Turning", namely that the human race is facing
an unprecedented situation, where things will get either much
worse or much better, there is nothing in between.  And to get
much better requires a lot of changes.
     http://www.joannamacy.net/html/great.html
     http://thegreatturning.net/


Gerry