Glass City Humanist

In this episode, we focus on how we judge political candidates using evidence rather than instinct. We look at the Graham Platner controversy in Maine, and how prior trauma, PTSD, alcoholism, and harmful behavior can shape a person’s life while still not removing the need for accountability. There are limits of certainty in politics. We say that we are not clairvoyant, that we should give people t...

Even with all the struggles in protecting our religious liberty, we need to remind ourselves how progressive and positive Humanism is. We do have to focus on negative aspects of the world in order to highlight how Humanism is a better, bold, and joyful way. We highlight a book by Roy Speckhardt and and essay by Fred Edwards to define humanism as a philosophy grounded in reason, science, empathy, c...

We start off talking about an informational booth we staffed at the Old West End Festival in Toledo and how the event was affected by gun violence. The festival is an important outreach opportunity for our small humanist group. All our volunteers were safe, and we were glad with the festival's decision to cancel the Sunday schedule. We discuss our concerns about desperation of young people in...

Our guest is Ken Schneck, the founder and editor of the Buckeye Flame, a statewide LGBTQ+ news site in Ohio. We discuss how the publication began in 2020 and why he felt there needed to be a dedicated source covering LGBTQ+ issues across Ohio. The mission of the Buckeye Flame is to amplify LGBTQ+ Ohioans and support civic engagement. It encourages readers to submit local stories, including from ru...

We give an after-action report on our American Empathy Project sponsored by a grant from the American Humanist Association. Douglas took the lead on this project and he recounts his project anxiety and lack of logistical awareness. He didn't realize what moving 400 plus cans of food really meant. We had to dial back our goal of 100 kits on the day of the event and completed 50 kits in less tha...

We discuss the pressing themes of humanism and empathy as we prepare for the American Empathy Project, an initiative aimed at combating the widespread cruelty currently proliferating across our nation. We discuss how this project, set to launch on May 2nd, provides a platform for community service projects funded through $100,000 in grants by the American Humanist Association. These projects embod...

We start this episode talking about the SAVE Act currently being debated in the Congress and how it is meant to make voter registration and voting harder for those who will have trouble getting the higher level of documentation needed to be eligible. We rebuke the narrative that the act is needed to stop the flood of undocumented people voting since there is not a flood as the data has shown and t...

Our guest is Dr. Jerry Jaffe, a Toledo native and professional stand up comic who has written a book titled "Religious Satire in the Era of New Atheism" He will introduce you to some of the ideas and examples from his research. Focused on the context of the post-9/11 American culture phenomenon, sometimes referred to as the New Atheism – as embodied by public intellectuals such as Christ...

We start out by looking at the critical topic of empathy within the current socio-political landscape, highlighting the troubling viewpoint expressed by some Christian nationalists who deem empathy as a weakness or even a sin. This discussion is especially topical as we witness the harsh realities of our out-of-control government, where political gain often leads to the suffering and even death in...

We start by looking at narratives, or stories, and their impact on societal issues, particularly within the realms of politics and human rights. We highlight a concerning a local incident with the group Toledoans for Trump, who faced backlash for reserving a space to meet. We have concerns about the potential harm of silencing differing opinions through social media backlash and boycott calls, emp...

We start by talking about the recent US Supreme Court hearing on cases challenging the bans on Trans women from playing on women's sports teams. The conservative justices questioned if such bans were really discrimination since the trans community is so small. We mention how they made the same arguments in upholding the bans on gender affirming care last year and how it is similar to the argum...

We examine the claims made in a two part video by conservative political commentator Dennis Prager. The video titled 'The Consequences of Secularism' includes Prager's vague and misleading claims about secularism which he fails to define. He includes not only philosophical claims but also political claims that don't hold up to closer scrutiny in order to bolster his religious belie...

The US Secretary of Defense, recently, released a memo with plans for severing of government ties with Scouting America, formerly known as Boy Scouts of America. Hegseth's reasoning stems from the organization's allowance of girls as members, which he argues has transformed it into a group that undermines “boy-friendly spaces.” Douglas' personal reflections as a former Boy Scout provid...

We start by looking at the concept of "the exception of me," a phenomenon that often emerges among individuals with extreme political beliefs. This term describes how these individuals can hold contradictory views that somehow do not apply to them personally. There is a societal tendency to overlook these inconsistencies, fueled by a sense of entitlement, which persists despite the personal conseq...

We closely look at the recent documentary "Off School Property" produced by Lifewise Academy, an outsized Christian nationalist provider for Released Time Religious Instruction where children are removed from a public school, in the middle of the day, and transported off campus to be indoctrinated in Christian beliefs. The film simply lies about history and claims to be a solution to chi...

We analyze the current legislative landscape in Ohio with a focus on bills that intersect with church and state issues. We start with House Bill 485, the Baby Olivia Act, which aims to mandate the annual showing of a misleading anti-abortion fetal development video in public schools. We also look at House Bill 486, the Charlie Kirk Heritage Act, its problematic nature, which promotes a narrow view...

We look at the intriguing and often heated situation surrounding St. Anthony's Catholic Church. Once a church built for Polish immigrants, this historic building has been at the center of debate since it closed in 2005. SHoWLE didn't support the forced sale to the county. Now, with the Lucas County Land Bank planning to turn the 131-year-old building into a community center, there is a que...

Our host, Douglas, is a seasoned leader in the humanist movement, starting his third decade of experience navigating internal debates, schisms, and the challenges of maintaining unity. Discover the intentional strategies used to foster constructive discussions, drawing parallels with the unified messaging of the right-wing and Christian nationalists. Learn about the diverse makeup of humanist grou...

We're joined by Jake Via, the new Organizing Director for the American Humanist Association. Our conversation explores Jake's journey from his conservative Christian upbringing to his eventual embrace of humanism. We look at how his early experiences shaped his values and laid the foundation for his current work, highlighting themes of community engagement and ethical living. Jake shares h...

Recognizing the finite nature of human existence, humanists are inspired to maximize their time and consider the lasting legacies they will leave behind. This reflection was particularly meaningful due to the recent passing of our friend, Ford B Cauffiel Sr., an accomplished entrepreneur and community leader. Ford profoundly impacted those around him through his diverse contributions, including a...

We have a critical examination of the hypocrisy within the Christian nationalist movement, particularly concerning the lack of response to revelations from the Epstein files. We highlight the dissonance between the public pronouncements of moral leadership and arguing that partisan interests often supersede ethical accountability. Specific examples of political figures leveraging family values rhe...

We address a recent editorial from the Toledo Blade that mischaracterizes the failed merger between Kroger and Albertsons. Contrary to the editorial’s claims, it was not the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) but a federal judge who blocked the merger due to concerns about market competition. We discuss the broader implications of allowing massive grocery chains to consolidate, particularly the potent...

A recent ruling from Franklin County has called into question the constitutionality of the Ohio EdChoice voucher program, which has long been a point of debate for its impact on public school funding. The detailed 47-page decision found that the program violates the Ohio Constitution by diverting public funds away from public schools and into private institutions, effectively creating a dual educa...

We look into the implications of the inaugural meeting of President Trump's Religious Liberty Commission. The makeup of this commission suggests that true religious liberty may not be its primary focus, but rather an agenda of promoting Christian nationalism. The commission is chaired by Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, with key figures such as Dr. Ben Carson and Paula White lending thei...

We look into the pressing issues of compassion and empathy in political discourse, particularly among conservative politicians, and the importance of humanism in addressing these challenges. We discuss the alarming trend of lawmakers advocating for cuts to essential social safety nets, such as Medicare and Medicaid, which provide critical support to those struggling to meet basic living standards....