This (5O1)(C)(3) Non-profit Organization was created during the lifetime of author, educator and Humanist, Corliss Lamont, as a vehicle for his good works.
Half-Moon, the name of Henry Hudson's sailing ship, had been chosen by Corliss because he loved the Hudson River and had happy memories of sailing and even of skating on the frozen Upper Hudson. He chose the Half-Moon sailing ship as a logo, because it is a special drawing by poet John Masefield, a dear, lifelong friend of Corliss Lamont who was a fellow lover of the River. Masefield, inspired by the Palisades, wrote a much admired epic poem entitled "The Western Hudson Shore."
Half-Moon Foundation is dedicated to promoting Humanism, promoting international peace, generating support for the United Nations, promoting greater awareness of the need for conservation of the Earth's natural environment, safeguarding the people's right to information, and to protecting and extending our civil liberties as guaranteed under the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Half-Moon Foundation continues in its dedication to these principles, primarily focusing on educational and informational activities, always consistent with the vision of Corliss Lamont, its founder.
These excellent, state-of-the-art Web sites, were created by Webmaster and Independent Consultant, Frank J. O'Neill, a long time devotee of Corliss Lamont, who also co-edited the eighth edition of The Philosophy of Humanism, and placed it on the Web site.
Because of Mr. O'Neill's expert use of this amazing new technology, Corliss Lamont is perhaps more widely
known now than in his lifetime. Thousands of Internet users, especially students, from all over the world are visiting his Web site, and learning of his successful challenge of Joseph McCarthy and of his landmark court cases in behalf of civil liberties. Corliss would have been pleased to learn that his name is listed on the Internet among the other philosophers whom he admired.
Streaming audio and video are available as well, so that you can hear Corliss singing "A Pretty Girl Is Like A Melody," or see him in court describing to his Grandson, Jonathan Heap, his encounter with Joseph McCarthy. His laughter is delightful as he admits that he enjoyed a good fight!
Even more amazing, those who visit the Web Site are able to download the entire 414-page text of "The Philosophy of Humanism" in a few seconds, which seems a fantastic and most efficient way of disseminating this information. Imagine! We used to think that distributing books by mailing directly to libraries was efficient!
One link on this Web site describes the efforts of the National Emergency Civil Liberties Committee, an organization dear to the heart of Corliss Lamont It tells of its successful court challenges over the years, as well as linking to some of' the actual documents. It tells the story of the formation of the NECLC during the days of the hysterical anti-Communist witch-hunts by the House Un-American Activities Committee, when even the courage of the American Civil Liberties Committee faltered in its promise to uphold the rights of Americans to associate freely with whom they pleased.
Tribute is given to the courageous leadership of more than forty years by its Executive director, Edith Tiger, a dear and respected friend of Corliss Lamont.
A copy of a Bill of Rights Journal contains a speech by President Roosevelt on Human Rights in which he described the need for an "Economic Bill of Rights." His statements about the right to work, to a decent home, to medical care and to education are little known and are exposure on etc Corliss Lamont Web site.
A great feature of this Web site is a beautiful parchment–like downloadable copy of the Bill of Rights, which we note with delight has been designated as a required civil liberties study Web page for students in the San Juan Unified School District near Sacramento, California.
This Web site has listings of all of Corliss Lamont's books with links to Internet booksellers, as well as many articles written by Corliss himself. There are links to other Humanist organizations, and other Web sites which promote causes consistent with the Humanist Philosophy.
Corliss Lamont, who was most generous with causes he cared about, would surely have approved "The Hunger Site." Here's how it works: by viewing the Internet banner ads of several different sponsoring corporations each day on this site and giving a mouse-Click to indicate that you've been there, those corporations are pledged to make a donation to the United Nations Food Program. Amazing newfangled Internet philanthropy!
A feature on the Internet that Corliss would base heartily endorsed if he'd had the opportunity is The "Declaration of Independence of Cyberspace," written by John Perry Barlow. The Corliss-Lamont Web site is linked to this magnificent document stating that the Internet belongs to the People of Earth, that it cannot be owned by anyone, and it must not he interfered with by governments and corporations. It is an eloquent, persuasive freedom of speech and information civil liberties document.
The Corliss Lamont Web site carries a multiplicity of information, and a link to the Chapter Web site, where is found an archive of newsletters and meeting notices of The Humanist Society of Metropolitan New York, the Corliss Lamont Chapter of the American Humanist Association. There is information about Humanism in general, as well as on various other topics. Many visitors to the Web site, after learning of the local chapter, have attended meetings and joined the group.
The Half-Moon Foundation has for many years been able to underwrite some expenses of the local chapter, including newsletter publishing and mailings, subsidizing honoraria for its speakers, and helping to maintain the New York City, 777 United Nations Plaza Office.
The capacity to create our own audio CDs has recently been installed, and audio versions of each of Corliss' books will be future projects. The spoken word has long been needed for use by visually impaired persons, but even the sighted can enjoy listening to the works of Corliss Lamont. The Web sites are designed to respond audibly to text-reading programs for the visually impaired.
Many historical documents are coming to light as we search Corliss' files. We are posting them on the Web site. A letter from Bob Dylan written in 1963 describing his feelings about being honored with the Tom Paine Award at a Bill of Rights Dinner was recently added to the Web site, and within days created a world-wide response from hundreds of Dylan's visiting fans. The feature which enables visitors to find any Web site's information is by entering keywords on a search engine where all Web sites are registered.
The other Half-Moon Web site, created and maintained by Webmaster, F. J. O'Neill, is the HumanValues.net
Web site. It carries streaming video interviews from the United Nations. UN Secretary General Kofi Annan
can be seen addressing an International Women's Conference, followed by Hillary Clinton, speaking on the plight of women and children around the world. All filmed inside the United Nations by Dr. Larry T. Gell of IAED.
Also on this Web site is found a startling movie by Robert Richter about the Fort Benning, Georgia, Army School of the Americas, called aptly "The School of Assassins." There is also footage of the hundreds of peaceful protesters whose attempt to shut down the fort and its notorious operations was completely thwarted by being bussed away from the base, thereby avoiding any mass arrest from becoming big news. This information was not carried by the major media and needs to be seen.
This Web Site was created as an umbrella group to be used by any and all Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) which might wish to post their point of view on an issue or to share their particular efforts to accomplish a goal. Many of the Non-Governmental Organizations associated with the United Nations have very religious orientations from which springs their Humanistic focus on helping to solve human problems here and now.
Acquainting these groups with the Humanist Philosophy is important, always emphasizing that "goodness" and "god-ness" have nothing whatever to do with each other. It's merely a long-standing spelling mistake! So many still fear "godlessness" as evil. It shouldn't matter how you charge your battery or from what source you get your motivation; it's what you do with your energy and efforts that matters! Explaining that we Humanists must take responsibility for helping to improve conditions right here on Earth because we have no place else to go, seems to get the idea across. Many groups meet in a Human Values Caucus, and though they might open the meeting with a moment of prayer, we can acknowledge our ecumenical efforts and our areas of agreement.
Web sites sponsored by the Half-Moon Foundation track all of their visitors. The information gleaned from this tracking is amazing. The Internet Super Highway has brought us visitors from some most remote developing Nations, indicated by two-letter country codes, places like Tokelau or Kiribati that we've hardly heard of, so we are thrilled that someone on the other side of the world is learning about Corliss Lamont for the first time!
The sharing of information in this technology is the very essence of empowerment. Learning that others share your concerns is reassuring. An individual or a group can find data that may have been previously unavailable or even withheld. This knowledge could enhance their well-being or their safety, or even their ability to gain a livelihood, all of this in a way that is equitable and democratic.
The only problem, of course, is accessibility, and this is truly a huge perplexing challenge. The most powerless and disadvantaged persons on Earth sometimes lack even the most basic necessities of life, such as clean water and food. It would seem that education and getting computers into the hands of those who might most benefit is simply a dream. A goal of the Half-Moon Foundation in behalf of the developing Nations and the disadvantaged is to try to inspire donor corporations to envision the long-range market benefits of helping to promote world-wide access to Information Technology in the foreseeable future.
The activities of the American Humanist Association's Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) Representative to the United Nations are underwritten, as well, by the Half-Moon Foundation. NGOs are invited to attend UN briefings, even occasionally in the UN Security Council, then report on this information to the American Humanist Association.
Two of these reports, one written about the International Criminal Court, and the other about the New Mandate for a United Nations Peacekeeping Force, were later published as articles in The Humanist Magazine.
Corliss Lamont's widow, Beth K. Lamont, feels honored and privileged to be the AHA's UN NGO Representative.
In June of 2000, the expenses of a meeting in the UN's Dag Hammarskjöld Auditorium, followed by a formal luncheon at which the Ambassadors of the G77 Nations were hosted, were all met by funding from the Half-Moon Foundation.
G77 (or Group of 77) is the name the Developing Nations have called themselves since the Group was formed in 1968, although they now number a total of 133 Nations. This was an important occasion, which marked the first presentation of a report from the Developing Nations after their "May 2000 Southern Conference in Havana," Cuba, at which they had agreed upon dozens of recommendations, including debt interest– payment reduction, more equitable access to the UN Security Council by the G77 Nations, and the promotion of Information Technology.
These occasions were attended by members of the American Humanist Association, the American Ethical Union, dozens of Non-Governmental Organization Representatives, and by many other Ambassadors in addition to the speakers. The Half Moon Foundation plans to host other informative, productive G77 meetings.
The good work of the United Nations needs to be better publicized to the American people. Seeing the UN in action would he inspiring. That is why the Half-Moon xFoundation is promoting the UN on its Web sites and on cable television. The more that is known, the more likely that the strong anti-UN forces in Congress, which still prevent the US from paying its fair share of United Nations expenses, will ultimately be overridden.
Another activity of the Half-Moon Foundation is to underwrite the production costs of "Here and Now," a Cable TV Program dedicated to promoting the Humanist Philosophy, and on which persons doing Humanistic good works are interviewed. It has been showing on Manhattan Neighborhood Network in the New York area since 1984.
Beginning in 1989 the program has been produced by activist videographer, Joe Friendly, also a devotee of Corliss. His videos emphasize matters of inequities, or environmental issues, labor, world trade, and human rights. He has also featured Corliss Lamont's 1993 trip to Cuba and his visit with President Fidel Castro, as well as footage of the clinics and schools he visited. Joe Friendly traveled to Cuba also with the Pastors for Peace Medical Caravans, and his videos have shown imagery of the heroic efforts of concerned humanitarians to normalize US relations with Cuba.
Purchasing and maintaining computers and the necessary programs and equipment, and endless program upgrades, is very costly, but of primary importance, making possible the creative and technologically up-to-thexmoment Web presence, which our Webinaster and Consultant has so skillfully and effectively designed and executed. This editing capability is necessary, as well, for keeping Corliss Lamont's books in print.
Purchasing video cameras, microphones, video editing equipment, and constantly renewing supplies is essential to all of the Half-Moon Foundation's interview activities, and the videotaping of meetings and presentations.
Offering an internship whereby some expenses are subsidized by the Half-Moon Foundation has enabled motivated Humanist volunteers to do good works that they might have had to forego, and would not have had the opportunity to accomplish otherwise.
The Corliss Lamont Humanist Center at the Lamont Estate in Ossining, New York is maintained by the Half-Moon Foundation as a meeting place for many organizations such as WESPAC, (Westchester Peoples Action Coalition), which has held its fund-raising festival there every Fall for the past 22 years, inspired and initiated by Corliss' dear activist friends, Connie Hogarth and Art Kamel, and often graced by the rousing folk songs of friend Pete Seeger, whom Corliss greatly admired.
The Center is managed, hosted and staffed by devoted resident members of Corliss' extended family, the Winklers: Donna, David, Bill and their children.
Other visitors to the Lamont Estate are many summer campers and hikers, an NAACP Youth Group, swimmers and picnickers from the New York City based Bellevue Hospital Children's Program and the Ossining based Clear View School for Handicapped Children. The Communications Coordinating Committee from the UN, the Socialist Committees of Correspondence, Alternatives to Violence, and many other groups have met there on several occasions. In addition to fund-raisers, retreats and R&R gatherings, there have been memorial ceremonies and there will continue to be weddings in this lovely natural setting.
A modest trust arrangement helps with property tax to assure that Corliss Lainont's Estate will continue to host such festivals and meetings, as was his wish.
You are invited to arrange for a visit any time or to plan an occasion at the Corliss Lamont Humanist Center
for your organization. Guests may visit Corliss' library, browse his clipping files, scrap books, his CIA and FBI dossiers, pamphlets, letters, photos, awards, mementos, and even many of his personal files, all available for viewing and study, and maintained for educational and historical use as part of The Corliss Lamont Center.
Contact information:
Half-Moon Foundation, Inc.
P.O. Box 1080,
Ossining. NY 10562-0995,
send e-mail to: info@corliss-lamont.org,
or call: 1-914-588-5284.
Beth Lamont and Corliss Lamont
Half-Moon Foundation Castle
249 Croton Dam Road also Route 13 (Intersection of 9A)
Ossining, New York 10562
Tel at Castle: 1-914-923-5494
Cell: 1-914-588-5284
WEB SITES:
at the bottom of each page.
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