Michael W. Werner

From Philosopedia

Werner, Michael W. (20th Century)

Werner was President of the American Humanist Association’s Board of Directors until 1995, at which time Ed Doerr replaced him.

In 1994, in a flare-up with The Humanist’s co-editors, Rick Szykowny and Gerry O’Sullivan, Szykowny resigned after a “prolonged and vociferous argument” with Werner. When O’Sullivan was ordered by Werner to intervene, O’Sullivan refused, citing editorial autonomy. Werner then fired O’Sullivan.

James Ledbetter in The Village Voice (6 September 1994) noted that “the 53-year-old magazine’s internecine battle caught the ear of America’s best-known humanist (and honorary AHA president) Kurt Vonnegut. Since O’Sullivan’s departure, Vonnegut pulled his name from the mag’s editorial advisory board (which also includes Betty Friedan and Walter Mondale’s brother Lester).

Although he’s had no oversight of the magazine, Vonnegut told Ledbetter he "approved of the editorials in The Humanist, and described AHA as ‘highly politicized,’” adding that he was considering resigning as its honorary president. He remained, however, the honorary president until his death.

Previous AHA boards had similar battles over editorial autonomy, resulting in the removal of Paul Kurtz and Priscilla Robertson.

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