10/2/10

The Center for Inquiry

Today's NYT article about the Center for Inquiry ends with a bang.  Paul Kurtz founded the organization, and its affiliates, and the magazines and publishing house (Prometheus) associated with it, but was ousted as chairman after the board hired Ronald Lindsay as CEO in June 2009, and soon resigned.  Now, I read, he's not even welcome in the center that he founded!
On Wednesday, when Mr. Kurtz stopped by the center, where he still keeps an office, he found the locks had been changed. Mr. Lindsay told me that Mr. Kurtz did not need the new key because he "has no connection with us." 
What?

Up 'til now I've had entirely warm feelings for CfI.  I've published an article and a book review in Free Inquiry, buy it off and on, and like the diverse crowd CfI includes on its staff, pages, and airwaves.  Good for Lindsay that he hasn't caved under the pressure of the  new-only atheists (not to be confused with the merely new atheists), and excluded other voices.  The Blasphemy Day thing is stupid and unproductive, but reasonable people can disagree. (Or can they?  See yesterday's post!) 

But...  Paul Kurtz isn't even allowed onto the premises?  That's unbelievable.  Kurtz's splinter organization now merits a closer look.

UPDATE:  Read the comments.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Clarification: He's not disallowed from the premises. One of the two main entrances is kept locked, as there are no staff inside the entrance to greet visitors. He could have walked to the other door, unlocked during business hours, to enter the building.

Jean Kazez said...

Thanks for that. That's reassuring, but then instead of saying Mr. Kurtz "has no connection with us," which sounds so nasty and harsh, Mr. Lindsay should have said what you said--he has an office, and has access to it during business hours.