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Red States vs Evolution ... the saga continues

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Scientists Boycott Kan. Evolution Hearings By JOHN HANNA, Associated Press WriterSun May 8, 4:54 PM ET Scientists have refused to participate in state Board of Education hearings this past week on how the theory of evolution should be treated in public schools, but they haven't exactly been silent. About a dozen scientists, most from Kansas universities, spoke each day at news conferences after evolution critics testified before a board subcommittee. They expect to continue speaking out as the hearings wrap up on Thursday. "They're in, they do their shtick, and they're out," said Keith Miller, a Kansas State University geologist. "I'm going to be here, and I'm not going to be quiet. We'll have the rest of our lives to make our points." The scientists' boycott was led by the American Association for the Advancement of Science and Kansas Citizens for Science, which believe the hearings are rigged against the teaching of evolution. Scientists said they don't see the need to cram their arguments into a few days of testimony, like out-of-state witnesses who were called by advocates of the "intelligent design" theory. But the boycott has frustrated board members who viewed their hearings as an educational forum. "I am profoundly disappointed that they've chosen to present their case in the shadows," board member Connie Morris said. "I would have enjoyed hearing what they have to say in a professional, ethical manner." The theory of evolution says that changes in species can lead to new species, and that different species, including man and apes, have common ancestors. Intelligent design advocates contend the universe is so complex it must have been created by a higher power. In 1999, the board deleted most references to evolution in the science standards. But standards were adopted later to include evolution as a key education concept. The state board's standards determine what is on statewide tests, but local school boards decide what is actually taught and which textbooks are used. The state board plans to consider changes to its standards this summer. Leaders of the science groups said the three subcommittee members already have decided to support language backed by intelligent design advocates. All three are part of a conservative board majority receptive to criticism of evolution. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050508...ansas_evolution

i can't believe even in the 21st century crap like this is still going on

the monkey trials all over again

I've been fairly heavily involved in this over the past couple of weeks. I even went so far as to write a quick diary over on DKos on it, demonstrating the true motives of the individuals who are pushing, once again, for this ID to come back into our science classrooms. Have a look if you like:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2005/5/6/141416/5445

It's Monday, and I'm up to my neck in work right now. I'll have much more to post on this when I have a chance. But in short, I'm pretty damn bitter in general right now, even though the majority of us evolution advocates pretty much saw this coming before last November's elections. We were able to vote out these fucks once before after they did this in '99, but they successfully flew right under the radar. My old hometown of Wichita is represented by one of these fundie wingnutters, Kathy Martin, which I've posted some pretty interesting quotes by her over on my diary.

The bottom line is since they have the majority, there's little that can be done. The only thing us Kansans can do is vote them out and keep them out for good. It's a major fucking embarrassment to our science community as a whole.

MisterOpus1 got a blog! hellya

Re: Scientists Boycott Kan. Evolution Hearings

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Originally posted by josh4 i can't believe even in the 21st century crap like this is still going on

That's pretty much word for word what I was going to say (er, before I saw that you'd already posted it that is).

The trouble with these creationist / ID / anti-evolutionary theories is that if you don't debate against them then the interest groups that support such perspectives are allowed to propogate their theories freely without objective criticism, but if you do debate against them then you're providing the misleading picture to the public that there's an evenhanded debate to be had (or, at the very least, that the bullshit they spout is actually worth responding to). Quite the conundrum, but I'd support the stance of any self-respecting scientist who thought that this debate wasn't even worth sitting in on. Perhaps rather than providing the fundies with the very public conflict they're looking for, it might be within the best interests of the scientific community (and thus the educational community) to allow them to say what they want while laughing and pointing condescendingly from the sidelines...

Re: Re: Scientists Boycott Kan. Evolution Hearings

quote:

Originally posted by Renegade That's pretty much word for word what I was going to say (er, before I saw that you'd already posted it that is). The trouble with these creationist / ID / anti-evolutionary theories is that if you don't debate against them then the interest groups that support such perspectives are allowed to propogate their theories freely without objective criticism, but if you do debate against them then you're providing the misleading picture to the public that there's an evenhanded debate to be had (or, at the very least, that the bullshit they spout is actually worth responding to). Quite the conundrum, but I'd support the stance of any self-respecting scientist who thought that this debate wasn't even worth sitting in on. Perhaps rather than providing the fundies with the very public conflict they're looking for, it might be within the best interests of the scientific community (and thus the educational community) to allow them to say what they want while laughing and pointing condescendingly from the sidelines...

That's the brilliant new tactic that's been working quite well over the last few years. The best example is with Richard Clark's negative commentary on Bush's handling of terrorism before the 9/11 commission, when he was more favorable on Clinton's policies. They unleashed a campaign to make him look like a partisan liberal out to promote his book so the truth would be questioned. Then after the election was long over, classified documents finally were "safe" enough to be declassified that showed Clark had informed Condi Rice well before 9/11 on how urgent dealing with Al Qaeda was. (Search button isn't working right now, but I posted this previously).

The evolution & global warming denials are just plain silly and counterproductive. We might as well drop teaching science in schools if we're going to ignore the people who are most knowledgeable and well trained in these topics and just continue stating as fact that the Grand Canyon was carved by the flood in the Noah's Ark story without any proof at all of that.

This is ridicilous!

See what you left-wing-funides have done! You've driven the right-wing-fundies to such desperate measures its pathetic.

Just bring back the bible into schools, and teach evolution the right way.


Seriously, this is sadder than 1890.

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Originally posted by Yoepus Seriously, this is sadder than 1890.

van Gogh's death?

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Originally posted by Psy-T the monkey trials all over again

Funny story, but there is a town in the North of England called Hartlepool and in the 1800s (during the Napolionic wars) they actually hung a monkey for being a spy! A French ship got shipwrecked just off the coast and the only survivor was a pet monkey which, (for some bizaar reason known only to the French) was dressed up in military regalia. Not knowing what French people looked like, but naturally assuming that this ugly creature is very likely to be what a French person would look like, they believed it to be a French spy. They had a trial and everything where they asked it questions, but as the monkey's English wasn't too good (neither was its French probably) they decided the only decent thing to do with a french person that has just washed up on your shore was to hang it!

I shit you not!

It's just sad how the american board of education is more and more turning into a propaganda distribution machine.

Seems like whenever people disagree with something, they can just whine "hey, I don't want my kids learning about that in school", and it ends up getting censored. Since when are these people specialists?

It's strange how a great country can have so many backwards people.

^ oh please, have you taken a look at Japanese pop culture? talk about backwards, thats just bizarro world

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Originally posted by josh4 talk about backwards, thats just bizarro world

Actually I would call it err.. 'alternative' rather than backwards.

...ok..why did I just get mental images of a bukkake session

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Originally posted by Matt Jay It's strange how a great country can have so many backwards people.

But not that strange that a crap country can have so many backwards people tho!

Is this only happening in Kansas or is it top of the agenda in other states too? it really is quite bizarre, reminds me of the Taliban.

^^

quote:

Originally posted by igottaknow Battle on Teaching Evolution Sharpens By Peter Slevin, Washington Post Staff Writer, 3/14/2005 WICHITA � Propelled by a polished strategy crafted by activists on America's political right, a battle is intensifying across the nation over how students are taught about the origins of life. Policymakers in 19 states are weighing proposals that question the science of evolution. http://www.tranceaddict.com/forums/...threadid=251233

^^I see!!...hmmmmm....backwards not forewards eh....

We're not in Kansas anymore...

Holy shit! Look out NY:

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AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to requiring study in both theories of intelligent design and evolution http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=A08036&sh=t

I'd be damn surprised if the NY Legislation would pass this, but damn! You guys think us folks har in the Midwest are backwards?

Spreading like a fucking disease......

MisterOpus I'm scared! what do they want?!

quote:

Originally posted by josh4 MisterOpus I'm scared! what do they want?!

Your children, Josh. They crave the flesh from your children.....


Wait, you don't have children, you say? Oh, nevermind then. Just ignore and move on. Nothing to see here.

Don't worry guys!

It's like Bug's Bunny always said, "If you can't beat them join them".

Take this intriguing poll:

http://www.bobharris.com/component/...,results/id,90/

How Ihate my country sometimes...fucking morons.

Its how I just ran across this. I'm typing up a paper on cultural evolution // coltural ggenetics right now. The field of study is called memetics and it was founded on a lot of the sam principles as genetics and natural selection.

Btw, nice parody pic of the wizard of Oz

This isnt limited to kansas, they have already passed a bunch of anti-evolution stuff in georgia.

Supposedly it is crazy, something like they aren't even allowed to teach about single cell organisms anymore, my sociology teacher like last year was talking about it.

How can people so stupid run around and talk about how they came to be through intelligent design? I mean, there is no point in not letting people know that single cell creatures exist, especially when anyone cane get a magnifier and look, sigh.

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