Recent Blue Plum Festival Excitement on June 3rd&4th!

This past weekend, (Friday&Saturday June 3rd&4th) S.A.N.E. had a tabling event at the annual Blue Plum Festival hosted in downtown Johnson City, TN. Majestic Park hosted the various non-profit groups/entities to give ample space for engaging the masses. Several members helped to give a face to the Skeptics and Atheists Network at ETSU both by being at the table and by actively meshing with local people. We had at least a couple members stay the entire day on Saturday which is to be highly commended. Having several members at these tabling events is crucial to making it a success and this seems a good example of just that.

There were a few highlights of the day's events, on Saturday, such as having a meaningful and respectful conversation with a local pastor from the New Harvest Missionary Baptist Church in Johnson City. After about an hour's worth of deep questions Jon Webstar cordially asked if he would be interested in continuing the discussion via the web as well as hopefully leading towards having a future debate with the pastor. The responses seemed to be warm from both ends of the discussion even when being confronted by myself, Jon, and Perry Winters. The pastor was a genuinely nice guy and wasn't abrasive whatsoever. Overall it seems to be where we should be headed with regards to having an open dialogue with people of all belief structures.

Webstar

We had people of different viewpoints pop by and gander at our distinctively different material while some cautiously snuck a few pamphlets and fliers from the table when we weren't looking. It seemed as though most people either took one of two approaches when dealing with our table: either they blatantly ignored us completely, or they chose to make some effort at getting material or having a conversation of some sort. While there were the few errant folks that snuck some materials from the table in hopes of not being seen, the sense I and other members got was that we had a place in our community and that the issues are worth openly discussing without fear.

It was exciting to be situated across from several christian based table setups that ended up being an almost competition of ideals. Nothing hostile in the intentions of either side and to some extent it was healthy and exciting. I actually found myself being given pointers from one of the coordinators from the church group directly across from us to elicit more people to our table. It was really electrifying to caterwaul phrases such as, "free atheist material" and "you might be an atheist but not yet realize it" towards the crowds and the reactions we received immediately afterward. To be fairly honest it was nowhere near the wicked looks I half expected. If anything it seemed to embolden me and a few other members to be more outright in our being a member of the S.A.N.E.

The responses we received overall seemed wonderful considering it was our first venture into the community in the thick of it all. We literally went into the belly of the beast as it were of Johnson City and fared exceptionally well. I am quite optimistic that we will have future tabling events around town. I look forward to having more discourse with people in the community and make aware competing views of all kinds to get the mental juices flowing. The more we can openly discuss these matters the more we can have a healthy community that truly cares about one another.

If you have any thoughts regarding our event and how we did well or could do better then please leave feedback either in the comments below or shoot an email to any of our executive board. All ideas will be carefully looked at and perhaps your ideas will be the basis for our next event.

Namaste,

Joseph Rasch

(423)218-2245

josephrasch@studentsforafreesociety.com

Hands On! Museum Adventure

Several members of the group went excitedly to the Hands On! museum in downtown Johnson City on a chilly May the 18th. The adventure that took place was well worth recording. For about $8.00 you can have a great time in a science filled setting. It is filled with science exhibits that make science fun and educational.

We ended up having about six members show up that traversed every inch of that wonderful place. We checked out everything from the ideas behind coal mining to checking out how a faux bank and faux grocery store. They had everything from the inner&outer workings of a vehicle to a scale to educate the average person on how to budget money. They even had a dark room comprised of wall plates comprised of a phosphorescent composite that when flashed with the light source, every fifteen seconds, would temporarily store your silhouette and was quite fun. The bubbles in the basement section were fairly difficult to manage but fun. The highlights of our adventure were the large scale replica of an ark and a huge self-standing pin art piece.

The pin art was molded carefully molded into an awesome image of Abraham Lincoln trapped in carbonite. The resemblance was uncanny and displayed how a toy can be turned into an even greater learning tool. Granted after going through the museum a bit more the image was disheveled by the other museum-goers but it was fun while it lasted. The sidebar image is of the awesome artwork created.

The ark was a huge replica of what the actual ark was supposed to look like. Of all the exhibits we enjoyed this is by far the one we ended up going through the most. We went through to get a smirk several times and looking back we should have taken a picture or two. The quarters for the animals were cramped and easily didn't have every species possible. The interesting item to note is that they only had one of the various species and not two of each one as the Bible claims.

Overall it was a great time had by all in attendance. I imagine we shall have several more similar event this summer. Next up on the agenda of science events is to visit Bays Mountain Park and Planetarium for our summer of science and reasoning.

For anyone interested in this or future events check out our Facebook group page as well as messaging our group at sanetsu@groups.facebook.com. We will respond as quickly as we can and look forward to future events.

Namaste,

Joseph Rasch

(423)218-2245

josephrasch@studentsforafreesociety.com

April 19th & 27th Meetings

April 19

Meeting began at 5:32 pm. Officers present President Joseph Rasch, Vice President Perry Winters, Secretary Sheree Jackson, Treasurer Dini Williams, Social Media David Carroll.

• Nominations for officers were discussed. Positions available are: President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Social Media, Audio/Visual.
• Japanapalooza was a great success, and we raised over $1,000 in humanitarian aid.
• Ask an Atheist/Agnostic booth was successful, with many interested people stopping by with questions.

Meeting adjourned at 5:48 pm. 

April 27

Meeting begun at 5:32 pm. Officers present are President Joseph Rasch, Vice President Perry Winters, Secretary Sheree Jackson, Treasurer Dini Williams and Social Media David Carroll.

• Discussed the constitution, which is in desperate need of a re-write.
• Discussed upcoming elections, which will take place next meeting; also electing an officer for the position of Events Coordinator
• Discussed “Are You Going to Hell?” booth, and the people who stopped to talk to the volunteers.
• Officers nominated and in office for fall semester 2011: President Perry Winters, Vice President Bryce Watson, Secretary Ben Luther, Treasurer Dini Williams, Social Media David Carroll.

Meeting adjourned at 6:00 pm. 

First official charity event of S.A.N.E: Japanapalooza

It was a phenomenal weekend helping raise money for the humanitarian effort in Japan. We had an incredible amount of help and support from the Japanese Cultural Society, the BUC Anime Club at ETSU, The Dharma Community at ETSU, Vegans and Vegetarians of the Tri-Cities, and Campus Crusade for Christ.

We kicked off Friday night with fantastic performances: the night started with acoustic acts such as Revelator Station, St. Dominic and A Great Disaster. As the night went on, the music would gradually go from one dynamic to another. Black Roof Country played some fantastic classic rock tunes familiar to us all. Wayne Quasar and the Solar Flares would be followed by such equally impressive acts as The Lovely Goodbye and a solo act from Via la Vulture. Up next would be the notoriously entertaining Kryss Dula & Friends, with whom I had the pleasure of performing two songs. Finally, we ended the night with yet another fantastic performance by Contact the Militia. After all was said and done, we had raised over 800 dollars in the first night!

Saturday night featured some acts tailored to the heavier music scene in the Tri-Cities. We started off with To the Bitter End, followed by Matriculation. Unfortunately Sons of Cronos were unable to attend but thanks to Steven Garnett of the Vegans and Vegetarians of the Tri-Cities, we were able to get his very own band, The Velvet Cowboys to perform. Insanitarium and the equally brutal A Soul Disowned rallied the masses for some heavy metal mayhem. Later on, I would have the privilege of performing with Decade of Deceit. Finally, we ended the night with the fantastic energy of Plagueworn and Bacalou. By the time everything was finished, even after deducting our expenses, we wound up raising a total of over a 1050 dollars!

All in all, Japanapalooza turned into a success story that went above and beyond expectations. Many people took the opportunity to enter for the prize of a specially made electric guitar, donated by the ETSU Guitar Building community. Besides raising money for a good cause, we showed the power of unity; we showed the world that despite the vast differences that people may have, we could still work together as one to help our fellow man in crisis. This is a message that I think the world needs, especially at a time like this.

There is an incredible amount of people I cannot thank enough for their help and support. Jamie Dove of the Galaxy Lounge and his staff helped us incredibly, and I thank them for their enthusiasm. I also would like to thank Jim of the Acoustic Coffeehouse for giving us a venue to host the Saturday event. Another special thanks to Keith Smith of EKS for his sound engineering, and to Gregg Searles and DJ Non-Stop for Djing both events. Another big thanks to the ETSU guitar building community and BUCtainment for promotions. To all our volunteers and sponsors who helped at Japanapalooza, I thank you dearly. I would also like to thank the incredible bands that came out and gave the masses a good time for a good cause. We could not have had such a great success, were it not for the hard work and effort of every single person involved.

I hope with success stories like this that our organization may continue to flourish and host similar events in the future. Congratulations everyone!

March 23rd & 30th Meetings

March 23

Meeting begun at 5:39 pm. Officers present President Joseph Rasch, Vice President Perry Winters, Secretary Sheree Jackson, Treasurer Dini Williams, Social Media Director David Carroll.

• Discussed relief concert for Japan; groups that are interested in working with S.A.N.E include the Japanese Cultural Society, The Well, Crew, R.U.F., FMLA. It would an off-campus event: The Next Door or Galaxy Lounge downtown. Dates discussed were April 15th and /or April 16th, 2011. Discussed dividing up the event into: rock (hardcore, punk and ska) and acoustic nights. Also, have sidewalk booths for the groups represented in the event.
• “Japanapalooza: The Benefit Relief Concert for Japan” was chosen for the name of the concert.
• Discussed group flyers and possibilities for a group logo; David volunteered to create several options and post them on the blog, so it could be put to a vote.
• Discussed the “Ask an Atheist” booth, especially now that we have flyers and information to hand out, provided by the Secular Student Society.

Meeting adjourned at 6:32 pm.

March 30

Meeting began at 5:38 pm. Officers present President Joseph Rasch, Vice President Perry Winters, Secretary Sheree Jackson, Treasurer Dini Williams, Social Media Director David Carroll.

• Flyers handed out to establish a Secular Student Alliance on campus.
• Discussion of Japanapoolza’s progression – potential new venue, as well as catering for the event, including advertising through Buctainment, radio and local news station.
• Discussing the presentation given a couple months ago, including its pros and cons, and ways to improve it.
• East Tennessee Freethinkers Group is meeting at Barnes & Nobles at 7 pm. Everyone welcome.

Meeting adjourned at 6:03 pm. 

JAPANAPALOOZA Benefit Concert for Japan

JAPANAPALOOZA Benefit Concert for Japan

Time	Friday, April 15 at 4:00pm - April 17 at 2:00am
Location	(FRIDAY) The Galaxy Lounge, (SATURDAY) The Next Door 216 E. Main Street, 415 W. Walnut Street Johnson City, TN
Created By	Skeptics and Atheists Network at ETSU (S.A.N.E.),
More Info	In order to raise money for the humanitarian effort that continues in Japan, S.A.N.E. will be working with numerous other campus organizations to host a spectacular weekend event of music and fun. On the 15th of April we will be having our "light" night and on the 16th we’ll be having our "heavy" night. The event is for all ages. Bring all your friends and gather in this community opportunity to make a difference and have a positive effect on the lives of the Japanese people. Current acts include: FRIDAY EVENT: (STARTS 4PM AND ENDS AT 1:00AM) Contact the Militia Via la Vulture Lovely Goodbye Kryss Dula & Friends A Great Disaster Revelator Station Wayne Quasar and the Solar Flare Black Roof Country St. Dominic SATURDAY EVENT (STARTS 6:00PM TO 2:00AM) Decade of Deceit Matriculation A Soul Disowned Sons of Cronos Bacalou To the Bitter End Insanatarium SPONSORED BY: S.A.N.E. Japanese Cultural Society Vegans and Vegetarians of the Tri-Cities Reformed University Fellowship at ETSU ETSU BUC Anime Club ETSU Campus Crusade for Christ Since this is a charity event,donations fo 5 dollars are greatly encouraged and appreciated at the event. Look forward to see everyone there. Let's go out, have fun and make a difference!

March 16th Meeting

Meeting started at 5:44 pm. Officers present are President Joseph Rasch, Vice President Perry Winters, Secretary Sheree Jackson and Social Media Director David Carroll.

• T-shirt designs were discussed. 

• Layouts for shadowbox was discussed, including seeking permission to place the group’s information there. 

• Booth ideas were discussed, including what information might be handed out to people, to send a positive message about the society to the campus. 

• Discussed a project, “Send an Atheist to Church” to raise money for charity. 

• Raising money for Japanese aid was discussed, perhaps partnering with Second Harvest for a food drive, or by raising monetary aid. 

• A Milligan College group is interested in sitting in on one of our meetings, and “observing” the group’s activities. 

• We have been recognized by the Secular Student Association. 

• The Philosophy Club at ETSU and the Department of Philosophy will be hosting the Philosophy Conference at the Carnegie Hotel on Friday at 2 pm and beginning Saturday at 8 am, where philosophical papers will be presented to the public.

• A discussion of “what atheism is” commenced.

Meeting adjourned at 7:15 pm. 

March 2nd Meeting

Meeting started at 5:33 pm. All officers present.

• The meeting begun with a discussion of the presentation given last night by Perry Winters, Jon Shell, April Alexander and Joseph Rasch. The presentation went well, and was successful. It was suggested that the presentation slides should be reduced so that the presentation can be utilized productively in a classroom setting.  The presentation gave the presenters an opportunity to show the fallacy of atheists trying to push some kind of ‘agenda’.

• A booth/tabling event on campus was discussed, and the list of volunteers was updated. An emphasis was placed on promoting the group, increasing campus awareness.

• Re-naming the group was discussed, to give us a more professional appearance to those on campus. 

• Voting was taken on these various names: “Secular Association of Atheists & Freethinkers” (S.A.A.F.); “Atheist and Freethinker Club”;  “Society of Atheists, Agnostics and Freethinkers”; “Skeptics and Atheists Network at ETSU” (S.A.N.E); “Atheist Freethought Society at ETSU”.  

• “Skeptics and Atheists Network at ETSU” (S.A.N.E) was chosen as the official name of the group, replacing the name “ETSU Atheist and Freethinker Club”.

• Attendance was encouraged for several upcoming campus events, to bring campus awareness to the group. 

• It was discussed setting up a mock voting booth, where a person could vote what their religion is, and what religion they were raised in - anonymously. The data would be utilized to raise awareness of the group, and to begin a discussion.          

• A list was made of professors responsive to or open to the concept of the group, and be willing to associate their name for events, etc.          

• It was proposed that the last Wednesday of every month, we go to a social venue and/or watch a movie as a group. This proposal was accepted.         

• The group now has a shadow box in the Culp Center, which is locked and cannot be vandalized. Members are encouraged to create different posters for this box.

• To help legitimize the group off-campus, it was proposed that we gain recognition from the Secular Student Alliance.  This proposal was accepted.          

• Sheree Jackson was assigned with creating a logo for the group, which will be submitted and voted on.

Meeting adjourned at 7:00 pm.