Read the following April 10, 2021 tweet from Richard Dawkins:

“In 2015, Rachel Dolezal, a white chapter president of NAACP, was vilified for identifying as Black. Some men choose to identify as women, and some women choose to identify as men. You will be vilified if you deny that they literally are what they identify as. Discuss.”

In 2015, Rachel Dolezal, a white chapter president of NAACP, was vilified for identifying as Black. Some men choose to identify as women, and some women choose to identify as men. You will be vilified if you deny that they literally are what they identify as.

Discuss.

— Richard Dawkins (@RichardDawkins) April 10, 2021

Is this hate speech? The first three sentences are indisputable facts. Then follows an invitation to discuss this. The ability to freely discuss issues is an indispensable part of freedom of speech and free inquiry. However, for the American Humanist Association, this was the final straw regarding Richard Dawkins.

On April 19, 2021 the AHA board issued the following statement:

“Richard Dawkins was honored in 1996 by the AHA as Humanist of the Year for his significant contributions in this area. Regrettably, Richard Dawkins has over the past several years accumulated a history of making statements that use the guise of scientific discourse to demean marginalized groups, an approach antithetical to humanist values. His latest statement implies that the identities of transgender individuals are fraudulent, while also simultaneously attacking Black identity as one that can be assumed when convenient… Consequently, the AHA Board has concluded that Richard Dawkins is no longer deserving of being honored by the AHA, and has voted to withdraw, effective immediately, the 1996 Humanist of the Year award.”

The American Humanist Association’s  statement on “justice, equity, diversity and inclusion” sheds light on the decision, saying in part: “

We are aware that cis-white heteronormative patriarchal institutions, power structures, and social attitudes harm Indigenous, Black, Brown, LGBTQ, disabled individuals, women and other communities, especially those at the intersections of marginalised identities.”

I know this word-salad sounds like an Alan Sokol hoax. But it is really in their statement, I swear it is.

Dawkins’s Apology

Richard Dawkins has many facets. His politics are trendy liberal. He is the world’s most famous atheist. He once advocated that Pope Benedict be prosecuted for crimes against humanity. But former admirers were shocked that he dared criticize Islam, which is the hate crime of “Islamophobia”.  As a scientist, Dawkins’ gene-centred view of evolution clarified the area, and he created the concept of memes.

Dawkins issued apologies for the offending transgender tweet, which were considered by the AHA to be “inadequate and convey neither sensitivity nor sincerity.”  Dawkins’ apology tweet was:

“I do not intend to disparage trans people. I see that my academic ‘Discuss’ question has been misconstrued as such and I deplore this. It was also not my intent to ally in any way with Republican bigots in US now exploiting this issue.”

I do not intend to disparage trans people. I see that my academic “Discuss” question has been misconstrued as such and I deplore this. It was also not my intent to ally in any way with Republican bigots in US now exploiting this issue .

— Richard Dawkins (@RichardDawkins) April 12, 2021

God forbid, ally yourself with Republicans, those “bigots” who support economic freedom, free speech, and the value of the individual life.

Stick with the woke, and sorry about the mention of God, Dr. Dawkins.

Good Without a God?

“Good without a god” is the motto of the American Humanist Association. It is wrong on both counts, in my opinion. They are not good, and they have gods, just not the Judeo-Christian God. Dispense with traditional religion, and something worse fills the void.

For years I belonged to various humanist groups, including for a year to the AHA. I heard admiration for Stalin and Palestinian terrorists. I learned there are no atheists. There are people who do not believe in the Biblical God, but they worship Marx, Gaia, or even their own virtue signaling. And gold is the one god who has no atheists.

As to how virtuous the virtue signalers are, see the Humanist Manifesto:  

“The humanists are firmly convinced that existing acquisitive and profit-motivated society has shown itself to be inadequate and that a radical change in methods, controls, and motives must be instituted. A socialized and cooperative economic order must be established to the end that the equitable distribution of the means of life be possible.”

The AHA gave its Humanist of the Year award to Alice Walker, who believes and spreads anti-Semitic conspiracy theories. But anti-Semitism, excuse me, anti-Zionism, is good, apparently.

“Mistaken Opinions” Will Not Be Tolerated

China launched an app that lets citizens’ report on others who spread "mistaken opinions”. The Cyberspace Administration of China stated this is needed because “some people ...have spread historically nihilistic false statements online, maliciously distorting, slandering and denying Party, national and military history in an attempt to confuse people's thinking.”

The woke Democrats will bring this to the United States.

Michael Shermer, Jerry Coyne, Sam Harris, Daniel Dennett, Steven Pinker have criticized the AHA decision. Most atheists are mouthing the AHA party line. Not surprisingly, articles are all over the internet that those who support Dawkins are as bad as he is and will be dealt with accordingly. There have been earlier attempts to have Pinker thrown out of academic organizations. After one, the New York Times’ wrote on July 15, 2020, “Pinker, 65, noted that as a tenured faculty member and established author, he could weather the campaign against him. But he said it could chill junior faculty who hold views counter to prevailing intellectual currents.” It is unfair to describe all the names I mentioned above simply as “atheists” although they all identify that way. Pinker and Dennett are among the greatest cognitive scientist ever.

In a letter to the AHA, Pinker, AHA Humanist of the Year in 2006, and Rebecca Goldstein, AHA Humanist of the Year in 2011, wrote: “This illiberal response is all the more damaging to an organization that claims to repudiate the repressive practices of religion…  It has not been lost on commentators that an association of ‘freethinkers’ has deemed certain thoughts unthinkable, nor that it is enforcing dogmas and catechisms by excommunicating a heretic. Past Humanists of the Year, whose awards have not been withdrawn, include Margaret Sanger, a proponent of eugenics, and Alice Walker, who advances lunatic anti-Semitic conspiracy theories.”

Today the names I mentioned above are shielded by wealth, tenure, fame and age.

Tomorrow, when the executions of those holding “mistaken opinions” comes, no one will be protected.

To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here.