AAIC Chronicles Episode V: Richard Dawkins

I had just left the William B. Davis event and was walking around the stands, thinking if buying some items at that time would be a good idea, or if I should go out and look for food. After being to 3 events I was starting to feel hungry. Yet, I didn’t know if I should get food there or go out looking for food at a better price (food at the Marriot is onerously expensive). I was trying to figure out that dilemma when, there he was

Richard Dawkins.

In person.

The feeling that I got at the moment is hard to explain. The admiration and gratitude I feel for Dawkins for being not only a scientist that stays in his laboratory but one that goes out and tells the world about what he knows is correct and combats the nonsense that others try to spread at expense of real knowledge, is huge. That takes bravery. That takes cojones.

I must have had an expression that said a little bit of that when someone said to me in Spanish: “It’s like being a kid at a Star Wars convention and find out that Han Solo and Luke Skywalker are real.” He understood how I felt. I asked him to take him a picture with me and I’ll take his, to which he agreed. Dawkins seemed to be in a rush, yet he accepted to the picture. My new friend wasn’t that lucky, but there were going to be more opportunities.

After I got my picture I felt almost satisfied, but the convention had just started. I kept talking to my new friend about Dawkins and how awesome it is for us to get to know him in person. Then I noticed he was not only and attendant, but a speaker. He was also hungry, so we agreed to got have lunch.