My primary reason for traveling to Atlanta was to read a paper at the 2012 Eastern Division Annual Meeting of the American Philosophical Association (APA). I was invited by my colleague John Shook, head of the Society of Humanist Philosophers. I was joined on my panel by Melvin L. Rogers, Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Emory University, and Brad Elliot Stone, Associate Professor of Philosophy and African American Studies at Loyola Marymount University. Rogers, a John Dewey scholar, read a paper titled “Toward a Democratic Ethos: Engaging Du Bois’ Souls of Black Folk.” Stone, Chairman of the African American Studies Department, and the Director of the University Honors Program, read a paper titled “Prophetic Pragmatism and Black Secular Humanism.”
Stone’s paper was of special interest because he offered Cornel West as a role model for Black secular humanists. This was controversial for many reasons. For one, West is an ordained Baptist minister. One polemical African American philosopher and atheist in the audience, Professor John H. McClendon III from the philosophy department at Michigan State University, was especially vociferous in his response to this idea. He noted that West recently criticized a Unitarian Universalist woman as lacking Black spiritual authenticity due to her embrace of Unitarian Universalism.
McClendon expressed the idea that such a view casts serious doubt upon West as a fit role model for Black secular humanists, especially considering that Unitarian Universalism is a very humanistic religion.
I read a paper titled “The Potential of Humanism with Particular Regard to People of African Descent.” I defined humanism and discussed some of the Affirmations of Humanism. I discussed Paul Kurtz and his concept of eupraxsophy, as well as the Neo-Humanist Statement of Secular Principles and Values.
I also discussed the very popular William Jones, who died recently. Jones authored Is God a White Racist? A Preamble to Black Theology. I discussed secular versus religious ethics and the great successes that organized humanism has had in Africa.
One of the strongest criticisms of my presentation came from Junior Everet Green, a Black philosopher and former member of African Americans for Humanism. Green and McClendon noted that Kurtz never discussed the negative ways in which the Enlightenment and science have impacted non-White peoples. For example, Kurtz had never written or spoken about the way science was abused during the Tuskegee Experiment, in which hundreds of Black men were allowed to go untreated for syphilis for decades.
McClendon noted that Kurtz dealt in broad generalities without regard to particularities, especially where the issue of science was concerned. This, of course, fosters scientism, in which science per se is blindly defended by its devotees, and its shortcomings are minimized or ignored altogether.
There was a great deal of scorn heaped upon West. Some critics in the audience say that West is all over the place and tries to be all things to all people. Even Stone conceded this point. Still others believe that West is disingenuous and primarily interested in fame, popularity and financial gain.
However, West has been a strong advocate of Dewey’s pragmatic tradition (which was derided by some in the audience). Moreover, his idea of “Black critical thinking” is intriguing. Certainly Black people would be better off if we were willing and able to bring critical thinking to bear on every issue that confronts us. Indeed, that is what I have been promoting for over two decades.
One White man in the audience has been involved with organized humanism for a while. He expressed concern that there are predominantly Black non-theist groups and predominantly White ones. I told him that there are cultural and class differences that might always assure that this is the case. It could be something as simple as access to public transportation to attend meetings, different tastes in food and music, etc.
However, the areas of focus are also different. White humanists tend to focus more on evolution, church/state separation, arguments against the existence of God, etc. Many Black non-theists, on the other hand, tend to focus on social justice, legal justice, combating racism in all segments of society, etc.
Another interesting person I met at the philosophy conference was Green’s wife, Zay Dilette Green. She is the author of Christianity and Black Oppression: Duppy Know Who Fe Frighten. The Greens hail from Jamaica. Zay Green writes about her experiences growing up with Christianity in Jamaica. She delves into the color complex that has had such a great influence upon Jamaican culture and life.
The author compares the oppression of Black Christians by White Christians in the U.S. to the oppression of the Dalits in the Hindu caste system. She notes the Christian hypocrisy in the idea that all are equal in the eyes of Christ, yet White Christians have treated Black Christians unequally. Conversely, in Hinduism, the religion teaches that there are inferior and superior castes, so inequality is expected and assured by the religion.
All in all, my trip to Atlanta was beneficial, educational and enjoyable. I hope to have many more like it in the very near future.