Lori Lipman Brown on Colbert Report

Lori Lipman Brown, Director and chief lobbyist of the Secular Coalition for America, is hot! In addition to her earlier appearance on the O'Reilly Factor, she recently appeared on the Colbert Report's Better Know a Lobby segment (6:56):


and (1:22):


Stephen Colbert's first order of business is to develop (often absurd) comic situations for the benefit of his audience. Unlike mainstream "serious" interviewers he frequently uses the interviewee as a foil for his gags. This irreverent approach lets America laugh at itself, often at the direct expense of a prominent and serious minded public personality.

Lori is in very good company insofar as Colbert has done this with senators, congresspersons, governors and the like. In the 5 1/2 minute aired portion of Lori's interview for example, he quickly steered the topic to Lori's lobbying efforts on behalf of sex education so he could then sidle his way to sex. He followed that with a rendition of God Bless America, which framed nicely, one must agree, with his earlier attempt to swear in Lori on a bible. Very funny stuff.

Lori held up well, exhibiting the patience and professionalism that has been so effective in her nascent role as America's chief nontheist lobbyist. With their logo displayed repeatedly on this highly popular late night television show, the Secular Coalition for America's mission statement was excerpted in an on-screen graphic: "...to protect and strengthen the secular character of our government".

Lori was able to tell America that the SCA was created "because nontheists felt they needed a voice in Congress [as] they ... watch[ed] their tax dollars ... spent on faith-based schemes", including "children learn[ing] bible stories in science class". All the gags and silliness aside, this is the kind of publicity the doctor ordered. Well done, Lori!

Lori Lipman Brown is scheduled to address the Ethical Culture Society of Bergen County on Sunday, September 21, 2008, at 11:00AM.

How Star Trek Helped Boost Obama Into Orbit

If Barack Obama can claim political star power, perhaps Star Trek has had something to do with it.

I am surprised that no one has seemingly mentioned it. For anyone who is or was a Star Trek fan, the character Seven of Nine, who appeared in the third instantiation of the series, is simply unforgettable.

Played by the actress, Jeri Ryan, the hyper-curvaceous half alien/half human, like Barack Obama himself, had problems in finding and articulating an integral identity.

But to the point: Jeri Ryan had been married to former Goldman Sachs millionaire, Jack Ryan, who faced off in the 2004 Illinois senate race against Obama. During the race, court records, documenting the Ryans' earlier divorce, were made public at the prompting of the press. Among the proceedings were salacious allegations by Ms. Ryan that her husband took her to strip clubs around the world and insisted that she engage in public sexual activity, which she refused.

These revelations summarily ditched Jack Ryan's senatorial aspirations. The Republican party quickly replaced him with the irrepressible, but hapless, Alan Keyes, whom Barack Obama handily defeated for the senate seat, thus positioning him for launch into the presidential race.

It is likely that Obama would have defeated Ryan in any event, but no one, including Barack Obama, could be certain. Nor can we be certain, if Obama wins the White House this November, to what extent Star Trek would be a factor in that victory.

Bergen Record Covers China Discussion

The recent Sunday discussion Human Rights in China, which was held at the Ethical Culture Society building in Teaneck, received newspaper coverage by the Bergen Record (Is Outrage Over China Overblown?). Members Peter Haring and Joey Dobbs were mentioned in the article, as was moderator Dan Rosenblum. Attendance was estimated at 25 people.

Coverage was by Hugh Morley, staff writer for the Record.