Let's Get This Party Started

Okay, so in this post I am going to lay out the history and current status of HASA/AASA of UF. I was not involved in these, but some of you were, and can inform me where I'm wrong, and I'll revise this post as necessary. More below the flip:

So far as I can tell, the Humanistic Atheists Students Association was the precursor to AASA. Their website, though much older than AASA's, is still up and runnin'. From it, we can find their constitution. Now, the reason I am linking to all of these things is because if we want to get AASA up and running, we will need to organize our own constitution, per the rules of the SAC for registering an organization (see handbook).

In viewing the old constitution, some changes I propose:

• name change
• extrication from money
• affiliate with SSA, and focus on "secular" label/affiliations
  

The only real issue I have with the old constitution, and major sticking point I have in general, is the desire to be as inclusive as possible with the group, and the desire to avoid SG funding, and money in general, as long as possible. I thought of amending the name to "Atheist, Agnostic, & Nonreligious Students Association," or, even better, "Agnostic, Atheist, & Secularist Association," to remove the word "student" entirely, and to include anyone who considers themselves a secular Deist. The reason I wanted to remove "student" is so that this group could invite those like-minded individuals in our community who are alumni or young professionals to attend. Also, I am still a bit reticent to jump through all the hoops with respect to SG. The reason I wanted to be inclusive of secular Deists is because I wouldn't want to turn away someone like Thomas Jefferson or Epicurus, should they decide to come to the group. That is why I would like to affiliate with SSA and focus on the term "secular" for the group (although I am unashamed to be labeled individually an atheist).

The benefits to registering with SG are not spectacular. Being listed in their directory and having a link from the SAC page would be the high points, in my own view. The paperwork, regulation, and general assery of dealing with a governing body are the counterbalancing negatives. Although the idea of SGA funding is great, I also thought that donations and SGA funds would be totally unnecessary for a long time. Meeting together at bars, restauraunts, and, when volunteered, apartments or homes, is actually a better idea in my view to boost membership for a while until we outgrow this method. If we have "outings" and not "meetings" there are more people likely to entertain the notion and want to come.

Now to the meat of the issue--re-registering with SG/SAC:

• constitution
• faculty advisor
• president
• treasurer
  

The former president of AASA just wrote me with the username and password for AG, and for temporary, administrative purposes only, I can list myself as "president". I also need a Treasurer and a faculty advisor right away in order to re-register the group. The former president of AASA also suggested a former speaker, Mike Price, (who presented "A Mathematical Theory of Existence": .ppt, .pdf) and I noted the earlier faculty advisor David Groisser. Either of those, or one of the many philosophy faculty or even my own boss would work.

For the constitution, I thought the SSA had a really good outline with their "mission" and their requirements for affiliation. I wouldn't mind just copy & pasting the latter as our own "purposes", obviously giving credit to the source for it. (as a side, check out the "Ebay Atheist" and his promise to donate the funds to SSA)

This project is not "mine", nor "Rob's", but it would be a group effort. As such, I wanted to welcome (plead for) input and feedback with ideas, formats, organizational and administrative tips, etc. My own vision for this group is to provide social interaction and to titivate like-minded individuals through outings and rational discussion/debate. I think each meeting should be a balanced mixture of fun and serious attempts at learning from one another, and possibly guest speakers.

For the time, I would like to keep this blog as a central node for the efforts to coalesce the godless in Gainesville. I think this is integral to keeping the group going even if individual organizers burn out (like the last president of AASA). This also serves as a communications board for announcements and such. Furthermore, I would like this to be a place to reconnect to groups who seem to have no central contact now, like the Gainesville Humanists. That is part of why including "student" in the group name seems accessory.

I plan to email the following to update their link to this site, since the AASA link is broken (although the Cafepress store link is not):

• Gainesville Humanists
• American Atheists
• Infidels.org
• SAC
  

Also, I would like to register with the following groups:

• Yahoo! Directory
• SSA
  

I would like to make as many people contributors to this blog as possible. If you stopped by and took the time to read all of this, please email me and I'll add you as a contributor if you like.

This can be a group that serves our own interests, as well as the needs of those like-minded individuals who want social interaction. As the immortal Jack Handey said:

Sometimes when I reflect back on all the beer I drink I feel ashamed. Then I look into the glass and think about the workers in the brewery and all of their hopes and dreams. If I didn't drink this beer, they might be out of work and their dreams would be shattered. Then I say to myself, 'It is better that I drink this beer and let their dreams come true than to be selfish and worry about my liver.' (Deep Thoughts, with Jack Handey, SNL)

Please send your feedback to me and/or Rob!