Senator Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) has agreed to appear (PDF) in a videotaped message that will play during the Reason Rally.
Said a Harkin spokesperson, “Just like the rest of his colleagues in Congress, Senator Harkin, a lifelong Catholic, strongly endorses the Constitutional guarantee of freedom of speech. It was out of this conviction that he agreed to the invitation to send a video welcome to those exercising their Constitutional right on the national mall.”
Senator Harkin has served in the United States Senate for 27 years, serving an additional 10 years in the House of Representatives before that. The Secular Coalition for America, a sponsor of the Reason Rally, gave Harkin an “A” on their 2009 Senate Scorecard, a mark of how well his legislative votes defended secular values.
We look forward to hearing the messages from Sen. Harkin and Rep. Pete Stark at the Rally!
I am on the committee of the Central London Humanists – a partner group of the British Humanist Association (BHA). I am also an individual member of the AHA. I know that I am speaking on behalf of many colleagues and friends in sending a message of solidarity to all those who attend the Reason Rally. Each one there will be helping to represent millions around the world who are unable to be with you on the Mall, but who like you believe in the importance of reason. Reason which supports a secular political arrangement, universal human rights, the scientific method and rational ethical behaviour based on the mutual altruism of kindness not cruelty.
Have a great day.
““Just like the rest of his colleagues in Congress, Senator Harkin, a lifelong Catholic, strongly endorses the Constitutional guarantee of freedom of speech. ” Rep. Harkin might feel this way but I know that many of “the rest of his colleagues” don’t feel that way at all. I’m glad he’s taking a public stand.
Shame!
http://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/2012/03/18/the-reason-rally-ought-to-have-some-standards/
You have got to be kidding me. Tom HARKIN?! The father of NCCAM? The man who was upset because too much of NCCAM’s research was “disapproving things rather than seeking out and approving things?” And you’re going to have him speak at a REASON rally? Are we only supposed to be reasonable about religion?
NCCAM has done immeasurable harm to the practice and public acceptance of science-based medicine in the US and abroad. Unless he’s announcing a call to eliminate NCCAM, I suggest you rethink this invitation. As it is, I’m left rethinking the Reason Rally.
Inviting a wooster to The Reason Rally? WTF!
Why did the organizers of the Reason Rally agree to play his message?
A commitment to free speech should be a requirement for any member of congress, but this is not a free speech rally. This is the Reason Rally. Reason, not “whatever you feel in your heart and makes you feel good”.
This strikes me as pure pandering, an attempt by a politician who does not care in the slightest for what we are here for looking for a few more votes. I propose continuous booing and quacking during this man’s video presentation, if the rally organizers still allow it to be played.
People like this in politics are why I’m attending this rally. I want to keep people with wooly-headed thinking like this out or national leadership roles, and get people in there who value reason, facts, truth and science. Reality you might say.