…and this is a 
Recruiting the local unbelievers
Category: Godlessness • Local
Posted on: July 17, 2007 4:20 PM, by PZ Myers
It's never too early to start advertising: Skatje is starting up a new campus organization next fall, with another student, Collin Tierney, as co-chair. The group is called the Campus Atheists, Skeptics, and Humanists - Morris Chapter, and if you're an interested UMM student, they'd like you to join the facebook group at that link. The plan is to start the fall term with a respectable number of potential members, have weekly meetings, and develop a plan for education and outreach and just plain having fun.
I think Skatje and Collin are planning to have open meetings, so you don't even have to be a student to show up.
Comments
OTT (off the topic) to PZ,
I know there is no way for me to ask you to stop berating Morris, Minnesota; however, need I remind you that you are one of the MOST popular web sites for scientists and atheists? I drive near Morris when I have the funds to visit any of my kids (um, a few are adopted) in Minnesota! I have made brief stops, but some day I may find the funds and time to more than just "fuel up" (more than one meaning), to drive "off the beaten path", to really VISIT Morris, Minnesota. Keep up the good work, and this includes ALL of the bloggers!
Posted by: LeeLeeOne | July 17, 2007 4:36 PM
is there are charge to join, and do they take credit, or just C.A.S.H.?
Posted by: dhonig | July 17, 2007 4:50 PM
Good luck to the new CASH satellite!
Posted by: Jon | July 17, 2007 4:54 PM
Since I'm the faculty advisor, all C.A.S.H. donations should be sent to me. Just make a check out to CASH, for the amount of $20, and send it direct to me. I'll make sure the money gets to where it needs to go.
Posted by: PZ Myers | July 17, 2007 5:08 PM
OT, but I wanted to bring this to your attention:
Another Christian claiming that the rules shouldn't apply
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19806312/?GT1=10150
Posted by: John Marley | July 17, 2007 5:19 PM
That's fantastic. I really would have enjoyed having a group like that at Winona State. We had quite a few (very active and annoying) religious groups, and C.A.S.H. would have been a welcome opposing voice.
Posted by: Chris | July 17, 2007 5:31 PM
When I was at Purdue, there was a similar group. It kept having trouble with fundies coming to the initial meeting in large numbers, running for all the offices, and disbanding the club. That happened for two or three cycles.
Eventually they set up a club whose bylaws included a five-member guardian council (appointed by fiat at first and choosing their successors) with veto power over club motions. That worked better.
Posted by: Jay | July 17, 2007 5:57 PM
Just make them deny the holy ghost in order to have the power to vote. Heh.
Posted by: Tatarize | July 17, 2007 6:00 PM
I want an Alister Crowley mountaineering group.
Posted by: John Danley | July 17, 2007 6:00 PM
I'll take all your just plain cash donations... no need to write a check-- just wad it up, and throw it in an envelope. I'll also accept gifts of free yardwork, coca-cola, and movie tickets.
Posted by: DaveX | July 17, 2007 6:00 PM
In the end, I'm sure all C.A.S.H. will end up doing is deeply offending Rob Knop. Um... so hey, go for it!
By the way, the new Free Inquiry arrived today. Richard Dawkins references PZ rather glowingly. It's a great piece overall and with a few more words than Blake's Law really puts it to Ms. Kirshenbaum.
Enjoy.
Posted by: MK | July 17, 2007 6:06 PM
Any advice for students at small colleges or community colleges who want to start this kind of thing? My significant other has decried the lack of atheist activism available to her. Does anyone have any advice for starting a discussion group, or for finding one?
Posted by: grendelkhan | July 17, 2007 6:20 PM
Kudos to Skatje and Collin. You go, kids!
Posted by: Rich | July 17, 2007 8:22 PM
Hey P.Z. and Readers,
If I may plug . . . The CASH at UMN-TC is open to the public as well, as are all of our events, so don't feel shy to show up and enjoy the company of similar critically minded people.
Will
Posted by: Will | July 17, 2007 8:42 PM
If I find the meeting with a GPS unit, does that make the meeting a geo-CASH?
[crickets chirping]
Posted by: Carlie | July 17, 2007 10:17 PM
LOL @ Carlie :-)
(Has Carlie been less visible lately on Pharyngula than she was a year ago, or am I imagining things?)
Posted by: Kseniya | July 17, 2007 10:35 PM
I haven't looked as thoroughly as I could I'm sure, but I don't think there is a CASH group (or even similar) around UW-Milwaukee. I'm strongly giving thought to forming such a group if I can't find one.
Posted by: Callandor | July 17, 2007 10:37 PM
Yes, start one! Here's a starting place: The Secular Student Alliance.
Posted by: PZ Myers | July 17, 2007 10:49 PM
Callandor - Secular Student Alliance has a list of campus groups at http://www.secularstudents.org/affiliates . It looks like some other Wisconsin campuses have groups. It sounds like a good idea to start your own group.
Posted by: Paguroidea | July 17, 2007 10:56 PM
Thanks Kseniya! I've been visiting family and at a botany conference, before that preparing frantically for both, so I've been a bit AWOL.
Posted by: Carlie | July 18, 2007 8:24 AM