On the plane, DC to DFW leg. To my surprise, I have free Wifi. I don’t know how that happened. (Then again the Wifi at National refused to connect, so it all comes out even.)
Sarah Moglia and I had a conversation with Ron later in the morning, shortly before I left. I’m not sure how much progress any of us made but at least we had a conversation.
Apart from that whole thing – the conference was amazing. I have so many terrific new friends – Sarah, Monette, Jason, Kim, Miri, Steve – and had so many good conversations with existing ones – Maryam, Melody, Michael DeDora, Debbie, Seanna, Steve W, Ania – oh shut up, I’ll make you all barf at this rate. But our Community is a good Community, don’t let anybody tell you different.
The panel I was on was fun, I thought. Maryam as always rocked the place. We took a solidarity picture with everyone holding a sign in support of the Bangladesh atheists.
FYI, bit late, but responding to problems with the @hashspamkiller having to abide by Twitters demented rate limits… @aratina has created this from the blocklist ->
http://www.theblockbot.com/?page_id=128
GreaseMonkey/TamperMonkey script that killfiles the Slymers in any Twitter page. Can look at any hash free of assholes 🙂
Hail to Aratina!
I doubt you’ll get through to him. He appears to be as thick as a brick. But, good for you for trying.
That was an amazing lineup and I enjoyed following the liveblogs about it. Ron’s opening turd drop and follow ups on his blog and twitter did cast a terrible shadow over the event though. I think CFI owes the speakers and attendees a huge apology and Ron should never be trusted to speak at so much as a third grade picnic ever again. In fact, his blog is just stomach churning at this point and I don’t think he’s the best person for his job by any stretch of the imagination. But, until CFI says otherwise, I will assume he’s exactly who they want representing them.
I’m very glad you tried speaking with Ron Lindsay, from afar it seems he simply didn’t appreciate what a non-welcome his welcome speech was, and coming as it did right at the start of the conference it seemed tone deaf and discordantly out-of-key with what was to follow.
Really? If so, one wonders how someone with high-level qualifications in philosophy and law, and a leadership position in a significant non-profit, could possibly be so stupid. I think he knew very well what he was doing.
I find that very unlikely, especially given his tripling-down on the CFI website afterwards. I also think it can not be underestimated what colossal lapse of judgment it is for a wealthy old white guy to want to give the opening address to a conference concerned with advancing women participation in our movements.
Please tell me that the comma in Sarah, Monette shouldn’t be there.
I think it’s fine, and in fact almost obligatory, for an org’s CEO to give an opening address. Ron did one last year and nobody thought it was remotely out of place (that I know of). Now, yes, of course, the first was all hi welcome while the second was not, so there’s an opening for everyone to shout “you ideologues were fine when he was just agreeing with you but the minute he says a word about” you get the idea. But that misses the point, or several of them. The CEO’s opening remarks are not the right place for substantive arguments about “why feminism is bad” or even “why the particular kind of feminism some of you here in the audience do is bad.” The panels are the place for that.