If you're an atheist, secular humanist or other freethinker and you can make it to Sacramento this weekend, you're in luck. Sacramento's 10th annual Freethought Day is being held on Oct. 23rd at 3200 Fifth Avenue, near the intersection of Hwy 99 and Hwy 50, across the street from McClatchy Park. There'll be live entertainment, speakers, film screenings, family activities and more. Best of all, registration is free. You just have to visit the Freethought Day web site to do it.
So what is Freethought Day? It's basically an opportunity for freethinkers to come out of the closet and declare themselves, mingle with like-minded others, have fun and maybe learn a thing or two. The formal holiday actually occurs on Oct. 12th, the anniversary of "the day in 1692,{when} Colonial Massachusetts Governor William Phips wrote to the Privy Council of the British monarchs to take a stand against the legal use of "spectral evidence," that is, evidence of a non-objective nature, such as "feelings" and visions. His decision that evidence should be objective and verifiable essentially brought an end to the Salem Witch Trials, saving scores of lives" (from Atheists and Other Freethinkers in Sacramento).
There will be a play, live music, trivia contests and prize drawings. There'll be standup comedy provided by Keith L. Jensen, the resident Atheist of the multi-faith Coexist? Comedy Tour (I saw him perform in Los Angeles in December. I almost split my ribs laughing!). Speakers include Dan Barker, co-president of the Freedom From Religion Foundation, Michael Newdow, attorney and doctor, most famous for his legal efforts to have the "under God" part of the Pledge of Allegiance removed, Fred Edwords, national director of the United Coalition of Reason (they're the folks who coordinate many of the "atheist" billboard and bus ad campaigns), Amanda Knief, government relations manager for the Secular Coalition for America (Amanda made national headlines by confronting President Obama with a question about his pledge to end faith-based discrimination during a live town hall meeting in College Park, Maryland, on July 22, 2011. You can find a video of the incident at left), and others.
For more information on Freethought Day 2011 in Sacramento, visit its webpage here.
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