Unsinkable Atheism," the 14th Annual Atheist Alliance International (AAI) Convention, will be held the weekend of September 25—28, 2008 on the beautiful and historic Queen Mary, which is permanently docked in Long Beach, California.
The AAI Board of Directors will conduct a pre-convention business session from 1:00 PM—6:00 PM. AAI Board meetings are open to the public. Observers can also join in a dinner and social hour with the Board by participating in a catered buffet meal service. The Thursday dinner is described below. The meeting and dinner will take place in the Veranda Grill (Sun Deck, Stern).
The convention officially begins on Thursday night with a unique Fun Raiser in the Grand Salon (R Deck, Midship). A secular wedding ceremony will take place at 8:00 PM (doors open at 7:30 PM). The marriage of Larry Mendoza and Rebecca Rivera will be solemnized by the Captain of the Queen Mary, Roy Sorge and AAI President Margaret Downey, who is a certified Secular Officiant. The beautiful public ceremony will be followed by a rocking wedding reception featuring DJ Kelli G and an elegant dessert service.
Join the AAI family in a celebration of love and support by participating in this event. The cost is $30 ($15 for students). There will be a cash bar from 7:30 PM until midnight. Souvenirs and complimentary non-alcoholic champagne will be provided. A professional volunteer photography team (Susan Sackett and J. B. Wright) will be on hand to take photos of couples and individuals reminiscent of being on an actual cruise.
Wright and Sackett will be set up to photograph people throughout the convention. Free photos will be available after the convention through a special website.
All AAI Board meetings are open to the public. Observers can also join in a noontime social luncheon with the Board by participating in a catered buffet meal service. The Friday luncheon is described below. The meeting and luncheon will take place in the Veranda Grill (Sun Deck, Stern).
Ken Bronstein AAI board member and president of New York City Atheists and David Cottun, member of Atheists United, are coordinating a "Gift of Life" event beginning at 10:00 AM. Blood will be drawn until 4:00 PM in the Board Room (Promenade Deck, Midship). Participants will be presented with an AAI stress ball when they donate. Donors will also receive a certificate of appreciation at the Convention Closing Ceremony as a "thank you for your participation" gift. Details and blood donation location are subject to change.
On-board tours include a Haunted Encounters Tour, Ghosts and Legends show, Ghost Sighting Scavenger Hunt, Behind-the-Scenes of World War II Guided Tour, free self-guided tours, and much more. In addition, a free trolley service, known as the Long Beach Passport, is available to take tourists to and from the Queen Mary, stopping at a shopping mall (Shoreline Village), the Aquarium of the Pacific, restaurants, and other local attractions. The trolley leaves the Queen Mary every 15 minutes on the quarter-hour.
AAI President Margaret Downey will coordinate a Locks of Love event. Willing donors must agree to have at least 10 inches of hair cut, collected and sent to the Locks of Love non-profit organization. The hair will be used to create wigs for cancer patients. Downey has arranged for participants to receive a "hair make-over" at the Stars Salon (425 East Ocean Blvd. # 100, Long Beach, phone 562-495-0207)
The Friday Night Happy Hour (cash bar and complimentary vegetable crudités with assorted dips) starts at 6:00 PM in the Grand Salon (R Deck, Midship). Tight security measures will be in place. Please wear name badges and be prepared for the use of a metal-detection security wand. Please do not bring large bags or backpacks to this event.
Complimentary apple pie and ice cream will be served at the end of this session to celebrate the fact that "Atheism is as American as apple pie."
Please plan to continue the Friday night festivities by staying in the Grand Salon for a USO-style dance and late-night party (10:00 PM—Mid-night)
For late-night partying, The Observation Bar is open until 2:00 AM. Once the original First-Class Lounge, this chic art-deco-style bar is the perfect place to enjoy a panoramic view of Long Beach Harbor. The bar features an array of historic artwork.
Many educational and interesting workshops are available for convention attendees. Please plan to attend as many as possible. The workshop schedule is as follows:
One of the most powerful ways you can impact laws at the national, state, and local levels is to be an active citizen lobbyist. This workshop will give you the tools to make your voice heard. Congressional lobbyist Lori Lipman Brown will provide checklists for lobbying, where to find the necessary background information and step-by-step details of the lobbying process—from making the appointment to after-the-visit thank-you letters. Participants will have the opportunity to practice their own lobbying skills as part of this two-hour workshop. This workshop will take place in the Mauritania Room (Main Deck, Starboard).
Join us in a discussion examining how comedians throughout history have made taboo subjects accessible. Learn and apply comedic techniques to communicate a sense of humor in dealing with sometimes seriously dangerous religious beliefs. Yes, humor can be a real lifesaver and can be used to disarm and sometimes persuade people to laugh at subjects they never thought they could. This will be an interactive workshop, guys and gulls. Bring your sense of humor. This workshop takes place in the Windsor Room (R-Deck, Midship)
Looking to share your take? Explore ways to articulate your atheist perspective on a variety of issues and tell personal stories that will attract readers. This instructive and interactive workshop will inspire the writer in you and offer practical advice for getting published—all happening in the Grand Salon (R Deck, Midship).
If your group is ready to bring the upbeat news of positive atheism to a broader audience, attend this workshop to learn how to establish a radio program in your community. Berkshire, producer for Minnesota Atheists' "Atheists Talk" radio program on Air America Minnesota, will discuss selecting topics, hosting guests, and finding sponsors; he will highlight what works and doesn't work. This workshop takes place in the Royal Salon (Promenade Deck, Stern).
Scouting for All is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization whose stated purpose is to promote tolerance and diversity within the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) in the face of its policies requiring members to be heterosexuals who believe in God. Learn how you can prevent the now "private" BSA from recruiting in public schools, obtaining government gratuities, and receiving preferential treatment when they are not deserving. This workshop takes place in the King's View Room (Promenade Deck, Stern)
In this 60-minute workshop, Jones will lead a discussion on the various forms of loss we face in the everyday world and the methods of handling unexpected tragedy. Whether it is the loss of a spouse, child, best friend, a pet, a job, or even the failure of conception, humans face failures and tragedies in life almost daily. It is a choice to either let the loss be all- consuming or let ourselves control our response to the loss. Topics will include "Why did this happen?", "What do I do when someone offers prayers?", and "Methods of getting through the 'here and now' of painful moments in life." This workshop takes place in the King's View Room (Promenade Deck, Stern).
Celebrations are an important part of every culture. They provide a sense of community and promote shared values. And they are fun! Some celebrations are religious holy days, while others are more inclusive, but very few celebrate the history and values of atheists and other freethinkers. This workshop will explore secular celebrations, rites of passage, and holidays for atheists. Cherry will share resources for organizing positive events that build a sense of community among freethinkers and raise awareness among the general public. This workshop takes place in the Royal Salon (Promenade Deck, Stern).
A very special Awards Luncheon will take place at 11:30 AM on Saturday, September 27, in the Grand Salon (R-Deck, Midship). The salon doors will open at 11:00 AM. Greydon Square will perform at that time. Come early to enjoy this fantastic young rapper.
Tight security will be in place for this event. Please be prepared, as security guards will be using a metal-detection security wand. A bomb-sniffing dog will also be used for this event. Please leave all backpacks and large bags in your stateroom or in your car. Name badges must be worn at all times. People without a name badge will be turned away.
Julia Sweeney (the 2006 Richard Dawkins Awardee) will be on hand to give the 2008 Richard Dawkins Award to a secret person whose identity will only be revealed at the Saturday luncheon. Luncheon choices are:
Due to strict security concerns, those who do not want to join in the luncheon will be seated in a non-meal section of the ballroom located in the neighboring Windsor Room (R-Deck, Midship). Security will be enforced at that entrance as well. Due to strict security provisions, convention name tags will be checked and must be worn at all times. Persons without name badges will be turned away.
Without an outside source for meaning and morality—that is, without God—where can atheists find transcendency and spirituality? In this provocative talk, Shermer presents his theory on the evolutionary origins of morality and meaning, and how a naturalistic worldview offers the most spiritual sense of transcendency possible.
Only ticketed people will be allowed back into the Grand Salon after the break. Please have your re-entry ticket with you at all times. Name badges must also be worn at all times.
Atheism is a natural consequence of the scientific way of looking at the world; furthermore, the scientific perspective is ascendant. Myers will explain why the new atheism is a reasonable and predictable product of our culture, and why that should give us hope for a more secular future.
Newdow will talk about his case to remove "In God We Trust" from United States currency and his case to remove the words "under God" from the Pledge of Allegiance that are pending in the 9th Circuit. A decision is expected before the convention date. Watch for updates at the AAI website. See: www.AtheistAlliance
Saturday Night Happy Hour (with cash bar and servings of soft pretzelsand Dijon mustard dip) begins at 6:00 PM in the Grand Salon (R-Deck, Midship). Enjoy a jazz trio and slide show featuring beautiful natural scenery and man-made wonders of the world. The trio will play throughout the dinner service and the slide show will be repeated on a continual-display program. Dinner choices are:
All meals are served with dinner rolls, ice tea, coffee, and hot tea, and a dinner salad consisting of Bibb lettuce with Grapefruit, Red Beets, Feta Cheese and Raspberry Dressing. Dessert is Marble Cheesecake with Blueberry Sauce. For those who crave chocolate instead, AAI will host a Chocolate Fountain with fresh fruit (limited to the first 100 people to request this dessert option).
Those who do not want to join in the dinner service will be seated in a non-meal section of the ballroom located in the neighboring Windsor Room (R-Deck, Midship). Please enter through the Windsor doorway to be seated for an 8:00 PM After-Dinner Plenary. Convention name tags will be checked and must be worn at all times.
Eddie Tabash, Esquire (who made a gallant run for the California State Assembly in 2000) will talk about electing atheists to public office.
The first annual presentation of the AAI "Freedom of Conscience Award" will take place during this session. Recipient to be announced.
After the formal speeches, please stay for a late-night musical presentation by Michele Rundgren, Debra Ryll, and Wanda Plimmer. During a 15-minute break the Grand Salon stage will be transformed into a scene from the new musical Religiomania. In this scene two moms are on a mission to take down organized religion (in between carpool and soccer practice). Yes, they would like to save the world…if they just had the time.
Sunday morning kicks off in the Queen's Salon (Promenade Deck, Midship) with an 8:00 AM Continental Breakfast service (coffee, tea, and assorted breakfast pastries). The Sunday-morning program will highlight the challenging subject of freeing women from the constraints of religion. The following speakers will each deliver 30-minute presentations. A 30-minute panel discussion moderated by Bobbie Kirkhart on the subject will follow:
Downey will highlight traditions and biblical rhetoric that subjugate women in America and around the world. Downey's presentation encourages tossing superstition, biblical traditions, and religion overboard.
Johnson will highlight what "Atheist Activists" in America can do to insure inalienable rights for not only women, but all persons.
Please plan to attend the Convention Closing Ceremony at 11:00 AM (same room). Activities include an award ceremony acknowledging AAI and convention volunteers, a memorial to atheists who have died within the year, a 2008 convention highlights slide show, The Camp Quest Players, and an announcement about the 2009 AAI convention.
Includes a souvenir speakers booklet, Friday-night Hors D'oeuvres and dessert service, entertainment, a Friday night USO-style dance party, admission to exhibition hall, Saturday morning workshops, Saturday afternoon plenary, Saturday Happy Hour with hors d'oeuvres and music, Saturday night plenary with a musical presentation, Sunday Continental Breakfast, Sunday plenary, and Closing Ceremony.
As a "thank you" for helping AAI meet food minimums, a 2008 convention souvenir will be given to those who purchase both meals on Saturday.
Please contact the AAI office should you have any questions or concerns. The phone number is (610) 793-2737. Also email questions to President@AtheistAl
Parking at the Queen Mary is $10 per day. A limited number of suites are available at the Queen Mary. The cost for a suite is $199 (single or double) a night. The AAI discount offer expires at 5:00 PM on Sunday, August 31, 2008. Please make your hotel reservations before that day.
The AAI discount room rate is available two days prior and two days after the scheduled AAI convention dates of September 25—28, 2008. Arrive early or stay later to enjoy pre-convention activities and the local sites!
701 West Ocean Boulevard
Long Beach, CA 90831
Phone: (562) 983-3400
Please note that the City of Long Beach Ordinance Number C-7132 prohibits smoking in most public areas such as buildings, restaurants, and convention room/halls. Smoking on some outdoor decks on the Queen Mary is permitted. Please observe "smoking" and "no smoking" areas.
Please visit the AAI website (www.AtheistAlliance
The next closest airport north of the Queen Mary is the Los Angeles International Airport located in Los Angeles, California. Catch either a taxi (about $30) or the Super Shuttle to get to the Queen Mary (about $20). The number for the Super Shuttle is (800) 862-7771. Advance reservations can also be made via the Internet at www.SuperShuttle.
Chris Lindstrom and Amanda Metskas will run a Mini Camp Quest for the children of conventioneers. Reservations are required and can be done at the AAI website. Children ages 6-13 are welcome.
Teens who would like to help as volunteers are also welcomed and encouraged to participate. Camp Quest activities will take place in the Capstan Club (A Deck, Stern). The large carpeted room with bright port windows is perfect for games, crafts, and hanging out. The adjoining deck will be utilized for outdoor fun. The Camp Quest program will highlight science, critical thinking, fun, and education. The program includes a field trip to the Aquarium of the Pacific. The Camp Quest fee of $85 will cover the use of the room, all activities, and food. Camp Quest hours and days of operation:
Friday 6:30 PM—9:00 PM
Saturday 8:30 AM—9:00 PM
Sunday 8:30 AM—Noon
Campers will participate in the Closing Ceremony on Sunday (Queen's Salon on the Promenade Deck, Midship) and will be given sailor hats as mementos.
A large exhibition hall is available for use by organizations and friends of AAI. The space can hold up to 20 tables. AAI is offering exhibition space that includes a 6-foot table, tablecloth, and two chairs for the following rates:
AAI is extending convention invitations to a wide variety of authors and entertainers. A special book, CD, and DVD signing table will be located in the Exhibition Hall. A signing schedule will be posted on a daily basis at the EvolveFish Store. Watch for announcements regarding who will be attending the AAI convention and participating in the book- signing schedule. Your favorite author may be there!
For those who are unable to attend the 2008 "Unsinkable Atheism" AAI convention, AAI once again offers a live video Internet streaming option. In 2007, AAI invested a large amount of money to set up live video Internet streaming. That initial investment allows AAI to sell passwords at a lower price than what was charged in 2007. If you can't attend the convention, please plan to purchase a password as per the following list:
Please consider purchasing a password to host a local mini-convention in your area. In 2007, many passwords were used for viewing at colleges, group meetings, and in private homes. Help spread the word by hosting an event in your area using a purchased password. This is a great way to see a convention in process without investing in travel, hotel, convention fees, and other expenses related to attending a convention.
Participating students are receiving an across-the-board 50% discount, as reflected in the above price structure. Many students will still find the expense too much to handle. Please contact AAI to sponsor a student. Donations earmarked for "student convention participation" are 100% tax-deductible!
