Our October general meeting featured a panel discussion among chapter members Joyce Barnes, Andrew Schoenberg, and Earl Wunderli. The meeting was organized and moderated by chapter Vice President Hugh Gillilan. Each of the panel members made a short formal presentation and then a discussion with everyone present followed

Earl spoke first and presented his political philosophy. He began by noting that an individual's personal philosophy in a large way determines that person's political ideas. We should not be surprised that those in power in the LDS church oppose abortion for example.

Earl then elucidated a baker's dozen positions that he, as a humanist, holds:

1. We must be educated.
2. I love what our founding fathers did. I love the checks and balances of our three branches of government.
3. I don't like referenda. Even though we the people govern ourselves, I prefer that representative government, through legislatures, hammer out our laws.
4. I also oppose term limits
5. I support campaign finance reform.
6. I embrace the free enterprise system. I believe the free enterprise system works in maximizing wealth and individual freedom and opportunity.
7. I would like to see our emphasis on rehabilitation rather than punishment.
8. We must get our population under control, not just worldwide but in this very valley.
9. As a humanist, I look at everyone as a fellow human being and decry the prejudices, too often derived from dogmatic religion, against Jews, blacks, women, homosexuals, and others, including humanists.
10. On abortion, I favor the woman's decision over the government's, but I would also hope that improved education, including sex education, would reduce the incidence of unwanted pregnancies.
11. On the right to die and assisted suicide, I want the option for myself and therefore believe that everyone should have it.
12. On biotechnology, I believe we must approach cloning and genetic engineering slowly, especially as they're practiced on humans.
13. I'm against a flag burning amendment. Flag burning is "speech" and has been rightly so defined by the Supreme Court, and I would not support this tampering with the First Amendment.

"These are some of my political opinions as a humanist, and I look forward to the discussion."

Joyce Barnes spoke from the point-of-view of a career educator and one who has worked with special education children for many years. She noted that the way we treat our fellow humans with special needs is a good measure of our civilization. Ms. Barnes has also been active in the League of Women Voters for many years. She related a number of her experiences dealing with politicians and issues. She noted that sometimes results are not immediate, but honesty and perseverance often have their just rewards.

"I have found," said Joyce, "that the best lobbyists are not those with the greatest amount of money to spend, but those who are most passionate about their cause. The Legislative Coalition for People with Disabilities has only three paid staff, yet this organization is one of the most effective on the hill. The real lobbyists·are the members-parents whose children are disabled--individuals with disabilities--and agencies who save people with disabilities--they collect no dues, but they do give freely of their time, their knowledge, and their stories. One legislator who met with a group from the Coalition said, 'Please don't talk to me about the children; talk about the money.' He couldn't say no to the parents who were holding pictures or their children; he could say no to a dollar sign."

She discussed the mediation program where parties from both sides of an issue (divorce, child custody, or crime) sit down with trained negotiators to settle the problem without using up court time and resources. Data show that resolutions reached during mediation are highly effective and long lasting.

Andrew Schoenberg began his remarks by answering the question: "Who am I?" He said, "I am a world citizen, a US citizen, a Unitarian, a humanist, a World Federalist, a Professor, and a member of numerous Non-Government Organizations (NGOs)."

Andy then defined some of the problems we face and explained why we should be concerned. Among the issues he addressed were: population, exponential growth of destructive technology, power politics, and unjust distribution of goods. He noted that consumption of fossil fuels will soon exhaust supplies of readily available oil.

Andy encouraged us all to do our part. First, we must become informed and then do something about issues that are important to us. We can join NGOs and support political candidates that espouse positions consistent with our beliefs. We can write letters to the editor and speak on talk shows, etc. to let our opinions be known.

We all need to change our behaviors to be more earth-friendly. We can buy smaller, more efficient cars, use fluorescent light bulbs, and make our homes more energy efficient. Everyone needs to do their own.