Shout Out to The Orbit

The Orbit: Atheist Social Justice Blogging Site Launches

A new atheist blogging site, dedicated to working on social justice both in and out of organized atheism, launches today. Located at the-orbit.net, The Orbit is being created by bloggers from all corners of progressive atheism, including the Freethought Blogs network, the Patheos Atheist channel, Skepchick, and independent blogs.

“The word ‘orbit’ resonates with what we’re doing, on many levels,” says Greta Christina. “We love the connection with science and astronomy, with Galileo and other heretics who changed the world — and we love the reminder that we all orbit something and none of us is the center of the universe.”

The Orbit is a diverse collective of atheist, humanist, and other non-religious bloggers who are committed to social justice, both within organized atheism and outside it. “It’s not just atheism that’s struggling with social justice,” says D. Frederick Sparks. “Organizations across the board are neglecting the needs of marginalized people, and aren’t willing to look at the ways they make those people feel unwelcome. We plan to be one of the outposts for social justice atheism — but also for social justice in every community we care about.”

Bloggers at The Orbit include Alex Gabriel, Alix Jules, Alyssa Gonzalez, Ani, Ania Bula, Aoife O’Riordan, Ashley F. Miller, Benny Vimes, Brianne Bilyeu, Chris Hall, D. Frederick Sparks, Dana Hunter, Dori Mooneyham, Greta Christina, Heina Dadabhoy, Jason Thibeault, Luxander Pond, Miri Mogilevsky, Niki M., Sincere Kirabo, Stephanie Zvan, Tony Thompson, and Zinnia Jones, with a lineup that is continuing to grow. “We’re extremely proud of our team,” says Tony Thompson. “They represent some of the strongest, most insightful voices in atheism.” The Orbit is structured as a collective, with all bloggers having a voice in decisions and contributing to day-to-day operations. The site is launching a Kickstarter campaign to cover operating costs and pay bloggers for their work.

The network plans to continue a friendly, collegial relationship with bloggers at Freethought Blogs, Skepchick, Patheos Atheist, and elsewhere. “There’s room for lots of blog networks and media sites in organized atheism,” says Luxander Pond. “This is a fast-growing community.” Recent major changes at Freethought Blogs provided many Orbiters with the impetus and opportunity to rethink what they wanted from a blog network. “Ultimately,” says Stephanie Zvan, “we decided to seize the opening to build something new, with a new structure and vision.”

More information is available at the-orbit.net/about-us. 

An Open Letter to the Republican Party

Dear Republicans,

I see that you're trying to distance yourselves from Donald Trump. You've realized, no doubt, that he's a bumbling buffoon of a man who will forever tarnish the proud legacy of the Grand Old Party.

But here's the thing: you created this guy. He is the living embodiment of all the hate you've spewed out into the world over the past 40 or so years. As much as you may be trying to backpedal now, the simple fact is that you created this monster.

You may not like the way he says things, but he's just taken your game to the inevitable next level. All those years of dog-whistle politics have finally culminated in this man. He's not saying anything new. He's just saying the things you've been saying for years without the thin veneer of civility that you think you're so good at hiding behind.

People like him because he says out loud the things you've been saying behind closed doors for years. He doesn't hide his hatred behind the talking points that Frank Luntz has been giving you. He makes plain what you think deep down inside. He gives people permission to be open about their darkest, ugliest feelings. He gives them permission to say the things they've been wanting to say this whole time; that black people are innately worse than white people, that immigrants are criminals who want to steal all of our nice stuff, that poor people just aren't trying hard enough, and that America was better when women knew their place and men (well, the white ones anyway) were free to take what was theirs.

And I'm glad that he scares you. Because now you see how scared the rest of us have been all of this time.

You can't spend years pushing policies that hurt minorities, women, and immigrants, and then pretend to be shocked, SHOCKED I tell you, when someone says all of that disgusting shit out loud.

You may not like him, but you own him. He's yours. Now you can try to find a way to deal with him. Before it's too late for everyone.