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439:, if necessary giving them an escape route from violence and death threats as well as diplomatic and legal assistance. "It’s really an underground railroad of sorts for non-believers in countries where simply expressing doubt about religious belief is a criminal offense or where it may lead to grave physical harm." Blumner addressed the 36th Session of the
311:(also referred to as positive discrimination), saying: "I can no longer sit silently while my cohorts defend a discriminatory policy that favors groups of people solely on their gender, skin color or national origin...An advantage granted me due to my sex demeans my individuality, reducing me to a walking
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Both her parents were Jewish, with her father actively practising. In an interview with the
Richard Dawkins Foundation she states that she began questioning religion around the age of 11, stopped attending
198:. Nevertheless, she acknowledges a shared Jewish identity and said: "A belief in god is not essential to being Jewish. Humanist values were far more important than religious practice to Jewish identity."
435:
In 2016, as president of the Center for
Inquiry, Blumner championed a new global initiative called Secular Rescue which aims to protect and provide emergency support to non-believers, atheists and
234:
333:), was syndicated in papers across the country and is described as a columnist and editorial writer. In 2012 Blumner, along with John Hill, Joni James and Tim Nickens, was a finalist for the
354:
magazine in her capacity as CEO and president of CFI, and for her experience in civil liberties. She has contributed essays and forewords to several published works by other authors.
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in
Malaysia, bringing pressure to bear on the issue of freedom of conscience. As of January 2018, Secular Rescue claims to have provided emergency aid to 30 individuals, including
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From 1987, Blumner held the position of executive director at the
American Civil Liberties Union In Utah where she frequently acted as spokesperson on topics such as
304:. That organization gave her the Gardner W. Beckett, Jr. Civil Liberties Award in 2001 and the Irene Miller Vigilance in Journalism Award in 2010 to honor her work.
238:
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from the
Freedom From Religion Foundation, which describes it as an “award celebrating ‘plain speaking’ on the shortcomings of religion by public figures.”
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Blumner is an author and contributor to several publications, including Center for
Inquiry in association with the Council for Secular Humanism and
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182:. Her grandmother had been awarded a law degree but had not practised, as women in those days were unable to obtain an
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From 1989, she was director of the ACLU for
Florida where she campaigned on various civil liberties issues such as
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In 2016, following the merger of the RDFRS with the Center for
Inquiry, Blumner took over from
126:(born May 14, 1961) is an American attorney, civil rights expert and the current president and
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speculated would make her “one of the most powerful women in the world of organized atheism.”
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Blumner regularly speaks at science education, secular and atheist conferences including
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degree and worked for several years as director of local affiliates of the
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Around the same time, Blumner first became active as a volunteer in the
158:
before becoming a newspaper columnist and editorial writer in
Florida.
1004:"Dawkins Foundation Announces Robyn Blumner as New Executive Director"
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376:
241:, where she became assistant director of labor-management relations.
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Controversially, while with the ACLU, Blumner stated she is against
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American
Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees people
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953:"Atheists Aren't the Problem, Christian Intolerance Is the Problem"
654:"American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Utah records, 1957-1994"
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233:
degree. While studying for that degree, she began working for the
235:
American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees
99:
Journalist, author, president and CEO at Center for Inquiry
1114:"Robyn Blumner and Stephanie Guttormson at Apostacon 2015"
394:(RDFRS) as executive director, replacing interim director
357:
From 2008 to 2009, she was also a regular contributor to
323:
From 1998 to 2014, Blumner was an opinion writer for the
209:
during his 1972 presidential campaign and organizing the
16:
Opinion columnist and civil rights law expert (born 1961)
1166:"Secular Rescue: The Underground Railroad for Atheists"
443:
in Geneva on September 20, 2017, following a surge in
1267:
Robyn Blumner addresses the 36th Session of the UNHRC
842:"Blumner: Thanks for reading; it has been an honor"
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95:
71:
42:
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345:and the effects of his inexperience on the state.
779:"Chiles questions whether curfew can be enforced"
718:"'Aryan Nations Hour' Mixes God and Hate in Utah"
498:What's Fair?: The Problem of Equity in Journalism
392:Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science
140:Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science
112:Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science
680:"ACLU Director Leaving Utah and 'Unsung Heroes'"
239:Staten Island Rapid Transit Operating Authority
409:as CEO and president of CFI, a position which
341:in conducting an extensive investigation of a
1192:"The 'Underground Railroad' To Save Atheists"
864:
862:
8:
1026:
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467:and a liberal. She is married and lives in
463:Blumner describes herself as an atheist, a
213:while at school. In 1982 she was awarded a
754:"A JOYOUSLY INDEPENDENT CIVIL LIBERTARIAN"
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1318:New York University School of Law alumni
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628:"Secular VIP of the Week: Robyn Blumner"
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402:when it and RDFRS formed a partnership.
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716:Robbins, William (December 14, 1987).
1293:American Civil Liberties Union people
398:who in 2013 had been director of the
390:In February 2014, Blumner joined the
7:
1216:Blumner, Robyn E. (August 8, 2004).
1088:"Robyn Blumner at Reason Rally 2016"
816:"Annual Dinner and Award Recipients"
335:Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Writing
138:(CFI) and executive director of the
1190:Robson, David (January 18, 2018).
256:was a field she wanted to pursue.
166:Blumner was born May 14, 1961, in
14:
1313:Jewish American atheism activists
383:In 2004, Blumner was awarded the
227:New York University School of Law
1239:
1170:Europe Solidaire Sans Frontieres
982:Freedom From Religion Foundation
800:
701:
678:Rolly, Paul (January 15, 1989).
563:Freedom From Religion Foundation
367:Science education and secularism
250:The Reproductive Freedom Project
1328:American women chief executives
818:. ACLU of Florida. July 1, 2013
785:. February 15, 1994. p. 38
593:Friendly Fire: The ACLU in Utah
445:discrimination against atheists
978:"Emperor Has No Clothes Award"
246:American Civil Liberties Union
219:Industrial and labor relations
184:apprenticeship to practice law
148:American Civil Liberties Union
116:American Civil Liberties Union
1:
1008:Secular Coalition for America
1002:Anderson Youngblood, Lauren.
400:Secular Coalition for America
248:where she became absorbed by
385:Emperor Has No Clothes Award
1218:"I'm an atheist - so what?"
1344:
1303:American women journalists
632:Richard Dawkins Foundation
530:"Robyn Blumner | HuffPost"
225:. From there, she went to
1308:Cornell University alumni
30:
590:Sillitoe, Linda (1996).
559:"Freethought of the Day"
453:Ahmedur Rashid Chowdhury
313:immutable characteristic
229:and in 1985 completed a
162:Early life and education
1062:"CSICON Las Vegas 2017"
923:"Robyn Blumner, author"
441:UN Human Rights Council
178:who occasionally voted
128:chief executive officer
1092:Reason Rally Coalition
951:(September 30, 2014).
380:
337:for their work at the
252:and soon decided that
203:Glen Cove, Long Island
174:, her father being an
1269:, September 20, 2017.
895:"The Pulitzer Prizes"
684:The Salt Lake Tribune
557:Wroblewski, Eleanor.
374:
302:sexual discrimination
130:(CEO) of the secular
1222:St. Petersburg Times
1031:Winston, Kimberley.
375:Blumner speaking at
331:St. Petersburg Times
294:right to demonstrate
634:. February 11, 2014
596:. Signature Books.
290:reproductive rights
194:and did not have a
124:Robyn Ellen Blumner
85:New York University
47:Robyn Ellen Blumner
1066:Skeptical Inquirer
840:Blumner, Robyn E.
381:
309:affirmative action
275:white supremacists
223:Cornell University
201:She was raised in
136:Center for Inquiry
108:Center For Inquiry
76:Cornell University
1323:Secular humanists
1058:Frazier, Kendrick
491:; Giles, Robert;
407:Ronald A. Lindsay
271:freedom of speech
176:independent voter
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298:First Amendment
283:abortion rights
273:(including for
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265:Civil liberties
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254:civil liberties
211:Young Democrats
207:George McGovern
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152:civil liberties
150:advocating for
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72:Alma mater
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59:(age 63)
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25:Robyn Blumner
22:
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1232:– via
1226:. Retrieved
1221:
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1199:. Retrieved
1196:The Atlantic
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1173:. Retrieved
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899:Pulitzer.org
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877:. Retrieved
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870:"Author bio"
849:. Retrieved
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820:. Retrieved
810:
793:– via
787:. Retrieved
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757:
750:Hentoff, Nat
725:. Retrieved
721:
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694:– via
688:. Retrieved
686:. p. B1
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661:. Retrieved
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512:. Retrieved
497:
493:Hentoff, Nat
489:Dench, Geoff
483:
462:
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422:Reason Rally
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411:Hemant Mehta
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156:civil rights
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57:May 14, 1961
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1288:1961 births
300:rights and
196:Bat Mitzvah
132:educational
1277:Categories
822:August 11,
603:1560850760
508:0765806169
475:References
465:secularist
319:Journalism
217:degree in
180:Republican
53:1961-05-14
1228:April 27,
1201:April 24,
1175:April 29,
1149:April 26,
1124:April 26,
1120:. Youtube
1118:Apostacon
1098:April 26,
1094:. Youtube
1072:April 26,
1042:April 24,
1013:April 24,
987:April 24,
962:April 26,
932:April 25,
927:World Cat
904:April 24,
879:April 26,
851:April 24,
789:April 24,
763:April 24,
727:April 24,
663:April 24,
638:April 24,
609:April 24,
568:April 24,
539:April 13,
514:April 26,
437:apostates
426:Apostacon
690:July 31,
495:(1999).
277:such as
237:and the
172:Democrat
379:in 2017
600:
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418:CSICon
377:CSICon
281:) and
260:Career
168:Queens
66:, U.S.
1068:. CSI
221:from
1230:2018
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1177:2018
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1126:2018
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791:2018
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729:2018
692:2023
665:2018
640:2018
611:2018
598:ISBN
570:2018
541:2020
516:2018
503:ISBN
428:and
351:Time
231:J.D.
215:B.A.
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144:J.D.
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
