For the past 10-15 years in Arizona, our level of skepticism as a state has dwindled.  While there has been a local skeptical group in Tucson with some members in the Phoenix area, no efforts have been made to spread the word, organize and outreach into the community.  Perhaps this is connected with the political landscape of the state which has voted with the Republican candidate for president time and time again.

Perhaps the "melting-pot" of Arizona residents (especially in Phoenix) has contributed to a less than considerable interest in critical thinking and sciences in general.  Arizona boasts one of the premier Scientific facilities nationwide in the Arizona Science Center - a museum-style, interactive science venue complete with a planetarium, IMAX theater and rotating national exhibits.  On many of my monthly visits to the Arizona Science Center, the focus seems blurred.  While it definitely is centered around science, both adults and children seem to pass by the activities and exhibits with a look of simple curiosity.  It is rare that I overhead a parent explaining how science really works.

Another contributing factor might be the tremendous growth Arizona (in particuar, Phoenix) has had over the past 50 years.  As the 7th largest city in the U.S., residents seemed rushed, pushy and perhaps a little too concerned with thinking about how they view their world, and rather simply focussing on moving from one task to another.

With a national interest in secular humanism, the major best-selling books by Dawkins, Dennet and Hitchens, and more scientific thought seeping through our mostly American-Right, it is high time for skeptical thinkers to stand-up and spread the world of evidence-based truths.

The Arizona Skeptical Society is working diligently to unite the state.  As the only state-wide Skeptical Organization, we're beginning 2008 with big plans to grow both the organization and provide a resource for lateral organizations to turn to.

First, our web site is growing.  With over 200 hits per week, people are finding us.  In the next 60 days, our goal is to complete the build-out of the AZSKEPTICS.ORG site, including blogs and content-driven articles about skeptical thinking.

We're soliciting other scientific organizations both in and out state to affiliate with our Society.  Outreach has already begun to work with the Arizona Science Center, the Center for Inquiry, the Arizona Science organization of Teachers and others.

By late 2008, our goals include bringing speakers to Arizona of notoriety in the sciences for a lecture series.  Additionally, we are evaluating both a published PodCast and an on-line forum.

All of us at the Arizona Skeptical Society are looking forward to fantastic 2008.  Won't you join us?