The American Atheists national Convention will be held at the Newark Liberty Renaissance Hotel and we’re getting a great rate–$84 a night for 1 to 4 in a room, with free parking and free internet, etc.

The speaker list isn’t complete yet but we do have confirmed acceptances from Massimo Pigliucci, Dan Barker, Jeff Sharlet, Indra Zuno (in Spanish and in English), Paul Kurtz, and several others.

Here’s an interesting article on jeff Sharlet, the author of the book The Family: The Secret Fundamentalism at the Heart of American Power, which exposes the religious Right’s powerful “brotherhood’ in Washington.

More details coming soon!

Droste Verlag publishing has halted the printing of a new novel tentatively titled To Whom Honor is Due for fear of Islamic backlash. Felix Droste stated, “After the Mohamed cartoons, one knows that one can’t publish sentences or drawings that defame Islam without expecting a security risk.”

We all remember the backlash from the cartoons that depicted Mohamed, which were published in Denmark in 2005 and intentionally spread across the Islamic world with additional inflammatory cartoons that were not part of the original publication. This was done by Islamic clerics with the intent of fanning the flames and causing violent unrest: and it worked.

Of course, this is not the first thing to fall victim to fears of Islamic retaliation. Random House decided against printing The Jewel of Medina in 2008. A German theater canceled a play in 2006, which showed Mohamed getting beheaded. Yale University refused to reprint the Mohamed cartoons on the anniversary of their publishing in Denmark.

Gabriele Brinkmann, the author of To Whom Honor Is Due stated, “It’s a scandal for a publisher to tuck its tail between its legs. This is anticipatory obedience.”

Obedience to who or what: the fear of Islamic retaliation. Islamists are proving the point that Islam is a violent religion. Critics can say that suicide bombings are more political or cultural-based instead of religious-based, but when it comes to the Islamists’ reactions to the printing of Mohamed or criticism (AKA blasphemy) of Islam, there is no denying that religion is the key player in the violence.

With Muslims rallying in London carrying signs that said “Behead those that mock Islam” and “Slay those that mock Mohamed,” no wonder publishers, playwrights, directors, and politicians are running scared: afraid their building will be blown up, assets destroyed, employees killed, etc.

But wait… Droste is trying to have it both ways. He is worried about the security risk, as evidenced by his statement above, but then he turns around and says he was primarily motivated by a desire to respect all religions. He then goes on to say that he plans on publishing a honor killing book next year and that this particular book will not be published because of a single sentence.

What sentence is that? One of the characters in the book says, “You can shove the Koran up your ass.”

Of course that would offend Muslims, but what wouldn’t? Why should we be worried about offending Muslims and fear their retaliation? Their retaliatory and violent streak simply proves the point of the critics.

Nonie Darwish, who is the author of Cruel and Usual Punishment: The Terrifying Global Implication of Islamic Law said it best, “I am often amazed by Muslims who are offended by criticism of Islam but at the same time curse and encourage jihad and violence against Jews, Christians and non-Muslims. If Muslims want respect from others they must remove the tons of commandments to violence against others.”

After I posted a link to the story on Facebook, Eric Husby said, “For every book like this that gets metaphorically burned by the mob of murderers 10 more should be written. Take every opportunity to blaspheme Islam. Give it the zero respect it deserves. In fact, give it the scorn, ridicule, contempt and derision it deserves.”

I agree Eric. I agree completely.

Posted by Blair Scott

EDIT 10/22/09: The author of the book contacted me to let me know that the sentence I quoted is incorrect:

“The right sentence is: “You can shove the Koran…” then the character is interrupted by another who says: “Shut up! That’s enough!”

She also advises that she found a publisher and the book will be published.

To me, this makes the refusal to print the book even worse, as the insult is insinuated, but never completed.

Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan has filed her long-awaited Brief of the Appellant with the 7th Circuit US Court of Appeals in the Illinois Student Prayer Act mandatory public school “Moment of Silence” case. This is the case in which my daughter, Dawn Sherman, successfully sued to stop Buffalo Grove High School from wasting her time, each morning, by making her stand around and do nothing, during instructional time paid for by the taxpayers, when Dawn wanted to be studying and learning.

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This is a great article by a well-known local activist Rob Sherman, who won this case earlier this year. The State is appealing.

How anyone can see mandatory Moments of Silence as constructive is beyond me. It is not a compromise, it is a cloak — a diversion which forces children to attend a silent prayer session. Some will say these kids need a moment to “reflect”, but this is BS. Any such kid can reflect at home. A required MOS is a means to push kids to pray. Simple and illegal.

The Bill, sponsored by Sens Kerry and Hatch, would make killing children like 11-year-old Madeline Neumann a legal, federally-funded practice as a part of the US Healthcare system.

Of course, this is already a part of Medicare, but if the Kerry/Hatch amendment clears, it will become rampant and more children will die painful needless deaths at the hands of mentally incompetent parents, all on your dime.

I will be on CBS radio’s “Overnight America with John Grayson”, aired nationally, probably tonight. Check local listings for times.

Remember folks, the Kerry/Hatch Amendment would make this kind of “healing” (the kind of healing that actually kills children) paid as real medicine and paid with your tax dollars

WAUSAU, Wis. – A central Wisconsin couple who prayed rather than seek medical care for their 11-year-old dying daughter were sentenced Tuesday to six months in jail and 10 years probation in the girl’s death.

Dale and Leilani Neumann could have received up to 25 years in prison for the March 2008 death of Madeline Neumann, who died of an undiagnosed but treatable form of diabetes. They were convicted of second-degree reckless homicide in separate trials earlier this year.

In sentencing the couple, Marathon County Circuit Court Judge Vincent Howard said the Neumanns were “very good people, raising their family who made a bad decision, a reckless decision.”
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“God probably works through other people,” Howard told the parents, “some of them doctors.”

The case was believed to be the first of its kind in Wisconsin involving faith healing in which someone died and another person was charged with a homicide

Read more of this tripe
I don’t want to say anything here. I’m just too angry. These kid-killers have other children now in danger. Maybe when the second kid dies we can throw the judge in jail too.