‘The Atheist Perspective’Tanya Smith, outgoing president of Atheist Alliance International, is shown at the European Atheist Convention in Cologne (Köln), Germany, held May 25-27. The theme was “The Atheist Perspective & Our Future: National, Regional, Global.” It was hosted by the International League of Non-religious and Atheists. Smith, an Australian, has been living in France. The T-shirt slogan “Evil Little Thing” is worn in solidarity with Jessica Ahlquist, the Rhode Island teen who was called that by her state legislator after winning her challenge of a prayer banner at her high school. Speakers included PZ Myers, Dan Barker and Annie Laurie Gaylor of FFRF, Rebecca Watson, Leo Igwe, Atheist Ireland’s Michael Nugent and many German activists.

Two brave ‘blasphemers’Taslima Nasrin, who was driven out of Bangladesh by her country’s “holy men” after a fatwa was decreed against her, spoke at the conference with a fellow exile from Pakistan, Younus Shaikh, M.D. Nasrin recounted living in Germany 16 years ago, which welcomed her and offered her political asylum after being in hiding in “my country because Islamic fundamentalists wanted to kill me.” She called herself “a stranger in my own country, a stranger in neighborhing India, and a stranger in the West. There is no place I can call my home, but I think I have a home, a home that consists of a family of people who bravely oppose the forces of darkness and ignorance. There is no place in this world that I can call home, but the people who support me, sympathize and express solidarity are my home.”

Dr. Shaikh was charged with blasphemy for a public statement in 2000 that Muhammad was not Muslim until he turned 40, since that’s when he invented the religion. Sentenced to death in 2001, he appealed and was acquitted in 2003 and lives in Switzerland.

Transcending bordersIngrid Matthaus-Maier (left), a freethinking German politician and jurist who has served in the Bundestag, chatting with Annie Laurie and Dan.

Dan Barker, Taslima Nasrin and Annie Laurie Gaylor.

Journey of enlightmentGerman activists recounted a summer adventure in taking a double-decker bus (essentially saying “there is no god”) around Germany. A short documentary recorded the enlightening journey.

Fired for speaking upValentin Abgottspon (left) became a state/church litigant in Switzerland after he was fired from his teaching job for complaining about a crucifix on his classroom wall. He now teaches part time while pursuing his ongoing case. He’s pictured with Annie Laurie and Dan in the pretty garden at the convention hotel.

Snapshots – 2012European Atheist ConventionMercure Hotel Severinshof

Cologne, Germany

Page 23Freethought TodayMadison, WisconsinSeptember 2012