In Memoriam: Marshall Rubin

Last week, we lost a longtime community supporter and activist: Marshall Rubin, a founder of the Secular Humanist Jewish Circle in Tucson.

Born in Detroit, Michigan, Marshall lived a life marked by compassion, commitment, and deep love for his family and community. He is survived by his beloved wife of 58 years, Susan, his daughter Amara, sons Chad and Jared, and grandchildren Aiden, Caleb, Sofia, Lily, Milena, and Elijah. He also leaves behind many extended family members and dear friends who were touched by his warmth and generosity.

Marshall held a Master of Social Work from Rutgers University and dedicated his career o supporting individuals with chronic mental illness. He was the founder and longtime Executive Director of Fellowship House in Miami, Florida. His work extended to assisting the elderly, members of the military, and those recovering from natural disasters—always driven by a desire to make a difference in the lives of others.

The family was at the center of Marshall’s world. In his younger years, he enjoyed coaching his children in sports and never lost his affection for dogs. A passionate raveler and lifelong Democrat, Marshall also helped found and served as the first president of the Secular Humanist Jewish Circle (SHJC) in Tucson. He was an engaged member of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at the University of Arizona and a dedicated fan of Arizona Wildcats men’s and women’s basketball.

Marshall was a man who cared deeply about the world around him—he loved watching the news, following current events, and participating in civil discourse. In lieu of flowers, contributions in Marshall’s memory may be made to the Secular Humanist Jewish Circle (SHJC) at 3020 W. Trevi Place Unit 200, Tucson AZ 8574, to Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) or to a charity of your choice.

He will be deeply missed and always remembered.

THIS WEEK IN SECULAR NEWS

Prayer in the (federal) workplace: The Trump administration is now prioritizing the "right" to proselytize in the federal workplace. Employees are now encouraged to have "tent revivals" at their desks and have been granted an "anti-Christian bias" task force to ensure no one can say "no thanks" to their boss's sermons. This slippery slope will likely lead to having to listen to federal employees preach at you from behind the counter at the post office, but worse, means employees will be coerced into listening to religious talk at work with no recourse.  Read more.

Christian values of honesty on display (/s): AZ-based Turning Point Action may be in hot water for allegedly failing to disclose donors, which violates Arizona's "dark money" disclosure law. Apparently, transparency and, ya know, following the law, is for suckers and losers. Read more.

Here it comes: Evangelical legal group Liberty Counsel has petitioned the Supreme Court to overturn Obergefell v. Hodges, which legalized same-sex marriage nationwide. The group represents former county clerk Kim Davis (who loves the sanctity of traditional marriage so much that she's sanctified it with four marriages and three divorces) and argues that the recent overturning of Roe v. Wade has weakened the legal basis for the marriage equality ruling. Read more. 

Satan wants you to eat that brownie: If you've noticed a resurging focus on and glorification of extreme thinness in the media lately, you're not imaginging things; conservative Christian influencers are going all in on promoting thinness as a moral and religious imperative. They tie diet culture to traditional values, portraying it as an act of self-control and discipline that honors god (which god? I think you know). This messaging shames those who don't conform and is presented as an alternative to the body positivity movement. These unrealistic standards have been found to lead to disordered eating and have detrimental effects on mental health.  Read more. 

If you ignore it, it's not happening: The Trump administration's EPA has proposed revoking a 2009 scientific finding that deemed greenhouse gases a danger to public health. This "endangerment finding" is the legal basis for regulating emissions from vehicles, power plants, and other sources under the Clean Air Act. The proposal, which is subject to a public review and likely legal challenges, would be the largest deregulatory action in US history. Read more.