sean faircloth

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http://www.rationalist.com.au/ Countering Religious Extremism: Australia and Abroad As part of the "RECLAIMING A SECULAR AUSTRALIA" Tour, UMSS and RSA together present Sean Faircloth, Director of Strategy and Planning for of the Richard Dawkins Foundation Discussion about the role of religion in society, the growing influence of religious lobby groups, the prospect of rising religious conflict in Australia and other parts of the world. DATE / TIME: Tuesday March 26th 2013 at 7:00pm VENUE: "The Spot" (Basement Theatre) 198 Berkeley Street Parkville, Victoria ---- Sean Faircloth is the author of Attack of the Theocrats! How the Religious Right Harms Us All -- and What We Can Do About It (Pitchstone Press, released February 2012). Faircloth, an attorney, served five terms in the Maine Legislature including appointments on the Judiciary and Appropriations Committees. In his final term, Faircloth was elected Majority Whip. In 2009 Faircloth became executive director of the Secular Coalition for America, advocating for separation of church and state, and for greater acceptance of nontheistic viewpoints in American life. In September 2011 he became the Director of Strategy and Policy for the Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science and was the opening speaker for Dawkins' book tour. Faircloth's first book published by Pitchstone Press, Attack of the Theocrats! How the Religious Right Harms Us All - and What We Can Do About It was released in February 2012. July 13, 2011 at The Amazing Meeting Faircloth had the idea for the Maine Discovery Museum in 1996 and led the project from concept to completion in 2001. Maine Discovery Museum was then the second largest children's museum outside Boston in New England. Faircloth successfully spearheaded over thirty laws, including the so-called Deadbeat Dad child support law which was later incorporated into federal law. Faircloth had numerous legislative successes in children's issues and justice system reform. Faircloth has spoken around the United States regarding the U.S. Constitution, children's policy, obesity policy, and sex crime law. -- Secular Coalition for America Faircloth, while a sitting legislator, gave an opening "prayer" for the session that quoted, not scripture, but the book Freethinkers by Susan Jacoby, as well as Walt Whitman.[23] Faircloth began as Executive Director of the Secular Coalition for America in 2009. Faircloth's duties include advocating on Capitol Hill and to the administration for a strong separation of church and state. Faircloth also advocates and speaks around the United States regarding secular public policy and the harm that he believes can come to average citizens if the secular nature of the American Constitution is not followed. Members of The Advisory Board of Secular Coalition for America have included Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, Christopher Hitchens, Wendy Kaminer, Michael Newdow, Salman Rushdie, Julia Sweeney, Massimo Pigliucci, Steven Pinker, Ellery Schempp, Rob Boston, and Chair, Woody Kaplan. As Executive Director, Faircloth has worked with the Secular Coalition for America board to create a ten-year plan called Our Secular Decade. Sean Faircloth was appointed as Director of Strategy and Policy at the Richard Dawkins Foundation in September 2011. -- Richard Dawkins foundation for Reason and Science Faircloth was the opening speaker for Professor Dawkins's 2011 book tour and will continue as the opening speaker during 2012. Dawkins speaks highly of Faircloth and says he "has a proven ability to strategize, organize, and energize -- qualities essential to making secularism a successful social movement... I want him out speaking far and wide." Faircloth's responsibilities include blogging on the RDF website as well as public speaking for secularism and "the dangers of theocratic laws, and the value of scientific policy". During the Christmas season of 2011, Faircloth represented the Richard Dawkins Foundation du...