RATIONALIST INTERNATIONAL
P O Box 9110,
New Delhi 110 091, India.
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Phone: +91-11-2253255, +91-11-8539526
Fax: +91-11-2256042
E-mail: <r_international@yahoo.com>
<edamaruku@yahoo.com>
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RATIONALIST INTERNATIONAL BULLETIN-18
13 August 1999
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Report from the US
------------------
Joseph Edamaruku, veteran rationalist and the President of Indian
Rationalist Association, who is travelling in the US now, reports:
SUSPECT IN THE MURDER OF
MADALYN MURRAY O'HAIR
SENTENCED FOR SIXTY YEARS
-------------------------
David Waters, a suspect in the murder of American Atheist leader
Madalyn Murray O'Hair, her son Jon Garth Murray and adopted
daughter Robin Murray O'Hair was sentensed on 11 August to sixty
years in prison for skimming more than $50,000 from the American
Atheist organisation. Waters, a three time felon, had been on
probation for that charge since 1995. He landed back in court after
federal authorities suspect he orchestrated the 1995 "disappearance"
of the O'Hair family.
Meantime, Patti Steffens Chavez, a former girl friend of David
Waters, testified before state District Judge Wilfred Flowers
that he plotted to kidnap and kill Madalyn Murray O'Hair more
than a year before she and her adult children vanished from
San Antonio.
Chavez's surprise appearance electrified an otherwise routine
proceeding. According to Chavez, Water's kidnapping plan began
in April 1994 while the O'Hairs were in San Diego, California,
defending themselves in a civil suite they expected to lose.
Waters had acquired guns, ropes, hand cuffs and other
implements of abduction and had laid off all the O'Hair's
employees in preparation for the crime, she testified.
According to Chavez, Waters expressed interest in hurting
and torturing Madalyn, like pulling off her toes with pliers.
Madalyn was a cultural icon and the most famous atheist of
her times. She visited us in New Delhi in 1978 alongwith
Jon Garth and Robin and they were our guests in Delhi.
In 1979 I was invited to address the American Atheist
Convention in Dallas along with my son Sanal Edamaruku.
Nicholas Walter, a leader of the Rationalist Press Association
of UK was another speaker in this convention. During this convention,
I received the International Atheist Award-1978, which Madalyn
announced as a surprise.
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Report from Israel
------------------
THEY CAME TO SEE THE END OF THE WORLD
AND WENT HOME DISAPPOINTED
--------------------------------------
A handful of die-hard eclipse enthusiasts came to the Biblical
site Har Megiddo, a mountain in northern Israel, during the
solar eclipse on 11 August to see the war between light and
dark and the end of the world. They went home disappointed.
The Book of Revelation cites Har Megiddo as the site of the final
battle between the forces of good and evil.
Interpreters, including fashion designer Paco Rabanne, have said
Nostradamus' writings had predicted doomsday for the solar eclipse
Wednesday. Many were disappointed that the scene was far from
apocalyptic.
Report from Paris: "SURVIVOR'S APERITIF"
----------------------------------------
A group called "F..k the apocalypse" invited fellow residents of the
city to a "survivor's aperitif" on the solar eclipse day, in front of
fashion designer Paco Rabanne's botique on the fashionable Rue du
Cherche-Midi. As the city of lights did not disappear in the ball of fire
as predicted by Rabanne, the party began at 12.23 pm, exactly one minute
after the predicted devastation.
Based on the predictions of the 16th century astrologer Nostradamus,
Rabanne had written a book forecasting that the Russian space station
Mir would tumble into Paris and destroy the city during the solar
eclipse. Though the book sales went well and the forecast was taken
seriously by some, Rabanne's prediction was good humour for many. The
residents' association in the south-eastern city of Lyon had created
a "provisional government of France without Paris", to "take control"
of the country if Rabanne's prediction came true.
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Report from The Netherlands
---------------------------
THE DUTCH PARLIAMENT MAY LEGALISE
EUTHANASIA ABOVE 11 YEARS
--------------------------------------------
A government bill presented recently in the Lower House of the
Dutch parliament legalising and making youngsters, as young as 12
years, eligible for euthanasia may be opposed by Christian Democrats
and other small Calvinist parties. But this significant step in the
right direction may pass through parliament smoothly provided the
three government parties unite behind the bill.
The bill proposes immunity from criminal prosecution for doctors
provided they follow strict guidelines when performing euthanasia.
The law would also apply to incurably ill young children, so long
as the parents agree. In exceptional circumstances, a doctor could
perform euthanasia even without parental consent. "In the case of
12 to 15 year olds the consent of the parents or guardian is
required, but in the event of refusal... a minor's request may
nevertheless be met if the doctor is convinced this would prevent
serious detriment to the patient," the justice and health ministries
explained. The bill also recognises for the first time the validity
of written requests to die.
Both the Voluntary Euthanasia Society and the Royal Dutch Medical
Association welcomed the development, which removes already liberal Dutch
poliy from a legal grey area.
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Report from the UK
------------------
UK FIGHTS FORCED ARRANGED MARRIAGES
AMONG SOUTH ASIANS
-----------------------------------
The Tony Blair government has set up a committee to investigate and
recommend ways of ending the practice of "arranged" or forced
marriages among Britons of South Asian origin. Mike O'Brien,
minister for race relations, announced the formation of the panel
after learning of the scale of forced marriages within the
community.
Many young Asian women are forced to marry under pressure from
family and friends and often on the pretext of culture, caste
and religion. At least 10,000 young women in the South Asian
community are forced into arranged marriages every year.
Although cases of domestic violence and crimes against women
in the Asian community have risen sharply in recent times
the British government and social organisations have, till now,
side-stepped the issue fearing accusations of interference in
the religious and cultural freedoms of ethnic minority groups.
Baroness Uddin, an Asian peer and the first Bangladesh-born
woman to sit on a local authority in Britain, has been appointed
chairperson of the committee, which will also include officials
from other government departments and representatives from
voluntary organisations. The committee is not expected to
recommend new laws. "This problem does not need legislation, yet.
Kidnapping is illegal and so is domestic violence," said a home
office official.
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