There was I time when I would be surprised by this. That time is long gone.
Funnily enough, I could tweet CFI perfectly well prior to my previous post on it. It is unlikely Lindsay himself is responsible for the block. Judging from the ever growing list of other Twitter users being blocked by @center4inquiry, it is more likely the work of Melody Hensley – has her stench is all over it. It is pertinent to revisit CFI’s official stance on the topic of freeze peach –
The Campaign for Free Expression is an initiative of the Center for Inquiry (CFI) to focus attention and efforts on one of the most basic and foundational human rights: the freedom to speak. […]
For many in positions of power around the world, this is not enough. While some offer vague platitudes that imply a need to curtail certain forms of sensitive speech, others are far more severe. They seek ironclad global restrictions on what can and cannot be expressed about religion and religious figures, criminalizing on a planetary scale any speech that might offend a religious feeling.
Substitute “religious feeling” with “Watsonology”. It continues –
At the Center for Inquiry, we believe it’s time the global community, we as a species, stand up together and declare that this [suppression of free expression] is unacceptable.
Despite what many would have us believe, the right to freedom of expression is not a luxury valued mainly by Western elites but a widely accepted, foundational principle. Several important international agreements, such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, clearly outline that freedom of expression is a universal right possessed by all persons, regardless of geography or nationality.
No person should face social or legal punishment simply for speaking about his or her beliefs in public. And no topic should be off limits—especially religion, which has such an enormous impact on the lives of billions. Part of the freedom of expression is the freedom to inquire—to ask questions and seek answers beyond what is dictated by a religious text or cultural dogma. This freedom is at the core of CFI’s mission. How can we truly have freedom and equality if certain groups of people aren’t allowed to exercise the same rights as their fellow citizens? And how can we as a civilization grow, learn, and prosper if we allow for the suppression—often violent—of minority viewpoints?
The right to freedom of expression is being whittled away, and innocent and peaceful people are every day suffering the consequences.
The aims of the Campaign for Free Expression are to increase public awareness of these threats; discuss and develop plans to fight back, both in the world’s halls of power and at the grassroots; and to demonstrate that people value their right to freedom of expression and are eager to exercise it.
We hope you join us.
What a steaming pile of sanctimonious bollocks.
There are many secular organisations out there that need, and deserve, your support. CFI is no longer one of them – having sold itself in a Faustian bargain to the gender politic hystericists spearheaded by Rebecca Watson and PZ Myers. CFI no longer represents anyone else’s interests.
When Ron Lindsay starts rattling his CFI beggars cup again, which will be very soon, utilise the opportunity to ask him the pointed questions that need to be asked. Aside from what was raised in the previous post, also ask Lindsay why the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry is hemorrhaging financially while he squanders funds endorsing racist and sexist hatemongering such as Women in Secularism –
Reclaim your community from the arseholes.
January 17, 2013 at 5:51 pm
CFI = Centre for Insanity
January 17, 2013 at 5:56 pm
CFI = Centre for
InsanityIdeologyJanuary 17, 2013 at 6:06 pm
CFI = Centre for Indoctrination
January 17, 2013 at 6:10 pm
Center for Incoherence. Could go forever, but mind that you use US english
.
January 18, 2013 at 6:56 am
Center For Inquisition
January 24, 2013 at 5:18 am
CFI = cunt-faced idiots
January 18, 2013 at 8:35 am
like i said. agreed with everyone here on all counts. but it is our own fault.
January 17, 2013 at 9:36 pm
CFI-Can’t Find Integrity
January 17, 2013 at 9:36 pm
I am not going to donate any money to CFI. I was just wondering if there are organisations that aren’t committed to the victim feminist ideology. If CFI had a serious competitor, then perhaps they would try harder to get their shit together.
January 18, 2013 at 2:32 am
Interestingly, I made a comment at the YouTube link for the CFI conference you posted. Turns out comments are being moderated there, which is the first time I have ever encountered moderation on a YT video, unless it’s a new feature. I doubt my post will go through as it criticizes the obvious bigotry being expressed there.
Center for “Free” Inquiry my ass.
CFI: Cuckolds For the Inquisition
January 18, 2013 at 2:36 am
“They seek ironclad global restrictions on what can and cannot be expressed about religion and religious figures, criminalizing on a planetary scale any speech that might offend a religious feeling.”
Except their religion! You dared to criticize their incompetent and dishonest leadership. How can they assert these bald faced lies?
The pope recently joined Twitter. I wonder how long his list of blocked users is in comparison to the CFI?
Center for Inquiry? Just don’t question our leaders or dogma cause it’s their mission to ask questions, not answer them. Or even permit anyone to ask them.
What a bunch of hypocrites! Amazing!
January 18, 2013 at 8:34 am
agreed. on all counts. BUT….it’s our fault.
January 18, 2013 at 12:03 pm
Of course it’s our fault. Just as the News of the World phone tapping was the British public’s fault. That is not sarcasm either. We get precisely what we allow. The bottom line is atheists really are a bunch of credulous pussies ripe for maniacs to walk over. I predicted the exact situation we are now in over 5 years – and was either ignored, called paranoid or simply an asshole. Now here we are. It sucks being right sometimes.
January 18, 2013 at 9:31 am
How to Get Blocked (and Not Blocked) by a CFI Twitter Account
Paul Fidalgo.. operates CFI twitter account and has a blog on FfTB.. he dont like you bad dudes.
January 18, 2013 at 12:17 pm
See if this comment survives –
January 18, 2013 at 2:59 pm
On the news today, I heard that a (conservative) college student was first given a gag order by a nearby university for saying a chick’s legs looked like “a pair of bleached hams”, and then suspended for “violating it on facebook”.
Montclair State Student Suspended Over ‘Bleached Hams’ Comment Speaks Out.
Why did he say that? Oh..coz his side was called ‘racist’ in an earlier event.
Sound familiar?
The Prune has an article out about how we are calling her a Prune. So..they can demonize us, but when we play by their rules and hit back strong.. they play the victim and get the higher-ups to apply “anti-discrimination” laws against us.
I guess we better get used to it. As Hitch said, we deserve the politicians/leaders (and by extension.. policies and the law) we get.
January 18, 2013 at 11:51 pm
I love how PZ is calling people cowards now.
Yeah, the guy who disables comments on youtube, and won’t comment anywhere but Pharyngula where he has absolute control is calling others cowards. This man is hilarious.
January 19, 2013 at 3:19 am
One mistake I made for a long time was to assume that the ‘short fat prick’ (Franc Hoggle) was interested in being a sceptic. He got an honorary mention in The God Delusion, before Dawkins realised that Myers was interested in little more than being a ‘shepherd of trolls’ (Sam Harris). The guy is not interested in having a debate with anyone. He used to command a formidable flotilla of obsequious lick-spittles and send them to various sites to ‘pharyngulate’ them. The news that the dwindling number of trolls who blindly follow his instructions are no longer enough to be even noticed in most comment sections has not really made it through his thick head yet. He does not want to think. He does not want to debate. He does not want to be a sceptic. He wants to send his minions after people who have the temerity to say things he doesn’t like. That’s it. He’s a vulgar, authoritarian-minded thug who’s too much of a chicken-shit to debate his detractors on a level playing field. In short, he’s a bit of a wanker.
January 19, 2013 at 1:51 pm
Myers is best summed up by his attacks on the gelato guy – the fact that he has to fly back to the safety of Buttfuck, Minnesota before he can gather the nerve to so viciously attack him.
I would really love to hear from anybody that went to school with Myers. If I repeat it often enough, maybe someone will bite. I picture the sticky, oily kid up the front of the class that none of the other kids like and who spends all his time snitching every trivial transgression of his classmates to teacher.
January 19, 2013 at 8:30 am
I am tempted to make a “Banned by CFI” badge. I would wear it with pride.
January 19, 2013 at 1:55 pm
It is now a badge of honour, much like being banned from FfTB and Skepchick. Anything short of enthusiastic support is perceived as treachery. No critic can paint this picture of them; they paint it themselves.