Reason Rally: Politics and Ideology Takes A Backseat For The Advocation Of Science!

     

  I recently got the chance to go to Washington, DC. for the Reason Rally. The largest secular gathering in the world. It was estimated by the National Park Service during the event that there were approximately over 20,000 non believers in attendance.   

 The Reason Rally organizers had set up special rates for the event. My wife and I stayed in comfort at the Hilton. The tram to downtown Washington, D.C. was conveniently located across the street. 

I went to this event primarily to support the atheist community, and secondly to speak out for the advancement of scientific research, free from politics and ideology.  

When President Obama signed the executive order to allow stem cell research, he boldly made this assertion.  Now, 3 years later, other than stem cell research, politics and ideology are a side note to scientific openness, and rings as nothing more than hollow political rhetoric.

Why cant our country get serious about utilizing real science by allowing peer reviewed, scientific research, to determine if cannabis has medicinal properties, and quit making criminals out of the people who want to use it for their own personal needs?

 It was an honor and a privilege to be in the attendance of so many like minded people, and getting a chance to listen to a line up of such influential speakers. 

         I made this video, and PZ Myers put it on his net-famous blog Pharyngula!




There were some unforgettable moments that  stood out. Such as the young lady, Jessica Ahlquist. She won a lawsuit against the state of Rhode Island, and managed to have a prayer banner taken down in her high school. The end result was, she was threatened and harassed, to the point of needing police protection. Rhode Island state representative Peter G. Palumbo, jumped on the christian bandwagon and dubbed this young high school girl an "evil little thing"
She received a scholarship check from the American Humanist Association for $62,000.00

                                                            Jessica Ahlquist Speech

It was a lot of fun watching Tim Minchin drop almost 100 F-bombs in like 20 minutes across the loudspeakers on the National Mall. Supposedly it was a new record!

                                                                      Fuckin -A

Here are a few more random pictures I took during the event:

                                                                   James Randi

                                                                   Tim Minchin

                                                       A vision of secular Americans.

Nate Phelps gave up religion when he became an adult. His father ironically is Fred Phelps, pastor/figurehead of the much loathed Westboro Baptist Church.

  Cristina Rad aka: ZOMGitsCriss! An infamous Youtube Celeb came all the way from Romania. My wife Tricia, watches her all the time.

                                                           Professor Richard Dawkins

                                                             Professor PZ Myers