Secular Coalition for Massachusetts - Conference Call Call

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Secular Coalition for Massachusetts - Conference Call
Call-in number: 530-881-1400 Participant Code: 978895
Thursday, September 5th at 3:00 PM - 3:30 PM ET
(If you do not want to receive Massachusetts Specific materials please update your preference
settings by following this link.)
Welcome Message
Agenda available at the new Massachusetts state site!
Explanation of conference call style and recording.
No one is required to speak up, but there will be opportunities to do so.
Thank you for joining us for the Secular Coalition for Massachusetts conference
call! The Secular Coalition for America is the only 501(c) (4) representing secular
and non-theistic Americans.
The Secular Coalition for America is working to make sure that we are heard on
Capitol Hill. We fight in Washington DC against religious privileging on a federal
level, yet some of the most egregious violations of separation of church and state
are being promoted and passed at a state level. The Secular Coalition for America
is forming state chapters across the country to bring together secular and nontheistic Americans in each state to lobby on secular issues.
Massachusetts Leadership
Executive Committee
Translate
Ellery Schempp (Co-Chair)
Zachary Bos (Co-Chair)
Maria Greene (Tech Chair)
Scott Romanowski (Legislative Chair)
Woody Kaplan
Ronal Madnick
Gabriel McDonald
David Niose
Josiah Van Vliet
Miko Dimov (Communications Intern)
Anyone who is interested in a either a leadership position within the Secular Coalition for
Massachusetts or if you'd like to play an active role by volunteering, email
[email protected] for more information.
Introductions
Who is on the call; what organizations do they represent; what is their interest in working
with SCMA.
Projects
Work with local groups to increase turn-out for the Light the Night Walk
Need a volunteer to coordinate press and social media outreach with local group
walk teams
Need a volunteer to work on our wards-and-districts list, so we have a contact
person / volunteer in all parts of Massachusetts
Need a point person for the SCMA display on Boston Common and in Worcester in
December
Working with, revising, the Boston CoR?
Issue of Focus
As Ellery says: “We don’t have a lot of dragons to slay in Massachusetts”, but… there is
the matter of MGL Part IV. Title I. Chapter 272. Section 36: ("Blasphemy"):
"Whoever wilfully blasphemes the holy name of god by denying, cursing or
contumeliously reproaching god, his creation, government or final judging of the world, or
by cursing or contumeliously reproaching jesus christ or the holy ghost, or by cursing or
contumeliously reproaching or exposing to contempt and ridicule, the holy word of god
contained in the holy scriptures shall be punished by imprisonment in jail for not more
than one year or by a fine of not more than three hundred dollars, and may also be
bound to good behavior."
This statue was determined to be constitutional in the cases Commonwealth v. Kneeland
(1834) and (1838). However, the SOCAS in Burstyn, Inc v. Wilson, (1952) held that
blasphemy law is an unconstitutional prior restraint on freedom of speech. CJS concurs,
holding that the MA statute would today be held as unconstitutional . Though this is not
being enforced, this is still a symbolic burr. Why is it still on the books? It hasn't been
used, therefore it hasn't come up for challenge, and the legislature (like the legislatures
of CO, LA, MD, MI, OK, and RI) hasn't specifically removed it. Both pro-choice activist Bill
Baird and professional skeptic James Randi have made attempts to provoke arrest and
prosecution under this law, but to no avail.
[See also 272 S. 37: "whoever wilfully interrupts or disturbs an assembly of people met
for worship of god shall be punished by imprisonment for not more than one year or by a
fine of not more than one thousand dollars." Non-religious gatherings do not share this
privilege. That’s anti-establishmentarian discimination.]
Summer Report
News of the AHA rally
Niose, Rogers, and Schempp at the AAAlliance convention
Did anyone else attend the AAAlliance convention, who can report?
Report of our visit with the Governor
Report on our visit with the staff of Sen Chang-Diaz
Coming Events
'September Meeting: Paths to Humanism' organized by the Greater Worcester
Humanists on Tuesday, September 10, at 7:00 PM, in the UU Church of Worcester
(90 Holden St, Worcester, MA)
'Hike The Tripyramids' organized by the Boston Secular Thinkers & Scientists
on Saturday, September 28, at 7:45 AM, in the Porter Square Shopping Center
(35 White Street, Cambridge, MA)
'International Blasphemy Day' on September 30.
'Freethought Day' on October 12.
Secular Assembly of the Northeast on October 19
'HumanLight' on December 23.
Spring 2014 March for Reason (committee volunteers needed)
Wrap Up
Our next call is October 3rd
Until the next call…
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Email [email protected] if you are interested in leadership or
volunteerism.
Contact Information (state-church/secular news and events) Secular Coalition for
America offices - (202) 299-1091.
Secular Tax Reform
The Senate Finance and House Ways and Means Committees continues to seek
public comment on Tax Reform issues and have received approximately 900,000
comments. We are asking all supporters to please go to taxreform.gov and file a
comment regarding the need for churches to file 990 disclosure statements with
the IRS, these public comments are limited to 140 characters or less. Not sure of
what to say? Take a look at our tax policy page with information on financial
disclosures, faith-based initiatives subsidies and the parsonage exemption. There
you will find more of our breifing papers, including Secular Tax Reform Lobby
Paper, SecularTax Reform Issue Statement, Comments Submitted to the
Charitable/Exempt Organizations Tax Reform Working Group on April 15, 2013.
Still not sure what to write? Here's one suggestion: "Level the playing field
for secular and religious nonprofits by requiring the same tax forms and rules for
all. http://bit.ly/11PVJO7"
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Announcements
SCA can now lobby on issues of abortion!
See "Resources" above to download Donation Form and
Sign-up Sheet PDFs
Our National Secular Movement Update Call takes
place Every Thursday from 12PM - 12:30PM (ET) Phone
Number: 559-726-1300 Code: 199568
If anyone has any announcements that they would like to
make regarding activities or information pertaining to
Massachusetts please feel free to jump in!
Contact Information (state-church/secular news and events)
Diana Castillo, Lobby Assistant - [email protected] (202) 299-1091 ext: 203
Kelly Damerow, Research and Advocacy Manager - [email protected] (202) 2991091 ext: 204
Edwina Rogers, Executive Director at SCA – [email protected] Cell: (202) 6747800; Office: (202) 299-1091 ext: 207
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1012 14th Street NW, Suite 205, Washington, D.C., 20005-3429
Phone: (202) 299-1091 Fax: (202) 293-0922
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