Dr. Marty Klein
April 29, 2012
Sex and religion are constantly in the news this election year—typically in ways quite aggravating to humanists. With razor-sharp wit and 30 years of clinical experience, Dr. Marty Klein will analyze the news, describing what he calls America’s War On Sex (www.WarOnSex.com). “The Religious Right is using the issue of sexual regulation to undermine secular democracy,” he says. “Its War On Sex uses phony categories, dangerism, and a broad Sexual Disaster Industry. It is successfully re-conceptualizing private sexual expression into public behavior, which is therefore subject to public control.” The subject of sexuality is currently missing from much of humanist thought. But a humanist approach to sexuality, says Dr. Klein, would address people’s fear of their own–and others’–sexuality without supporting their ignorance, superstition, narrow categories, and anxiety about not being “normal.” What a great way to attract people to humanism, he says—and what a great way to make supernatural religion obsolete. Dr. Marty Klein is a Palo Alto-based psychotherapist, sex therapist, and international lecturer in sexuality and public policy. He has been an expert witness or invited plaintiff in many important state and federal obscenity and anti-censorship cases. His landmark book America’s War On Sex, with a foreword by the ACLU’s Nadine Strossen, was honored as Book of the Year by AASECT, and will be re-released on April 30. Join us for a creative, thought-provoking, and entertaining talk.
Sunday April 15, 2012 Michael Eisenscher will discuss the economic consequences of a militarized foreign policy and economy. He will describe how a decade of militarism and war has contributed to the economic crisis and how continuing to prosecute the “war on terror” will prolong and deepen that crisis, while actually undermining national security. He will report on the emerging Bay Area and national movement for “new priorities” – which seeks to redirect revenue from the bloated military budget to create jobs, repair the social safety net, protect the environment and meet a host of other urgent social needs – and will suggest what is required for a transition to a peace economy.
Dr. Alex Cannara will review the three key reasons for nuclear power, summarize key reactor design choices, and discuss (a) why Thorium is important, (b) key legislation being drafted, and (c) what citizens & groups can do. Dr. Cannara has years of experience as an engineer and professor, and is the lead developer of a proposal on safe nuclear power for the 2011 MIT CoLab Competition now being judged.