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 Maryland Struggles with Evolution v ID
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Cuneiformist
The Imperfectionist

USA
4955 Posts

Posted - 02/07/2005 :  20:33:22  Show Profile Send Cuneiformist a Private Message
Recent news in the Baltimore area notes that some school districts are stuggling with the evolution vs intelligent design (=creationism) debate.

The author of the article actually does a pretty good job of presenting what the issues are, and clearly has a solid understanding of science-- and of the politics behind the science.

However, since the two board members causing problems
quote:
Herold, of Port Deposit, and Wilson, of Rising Sun, are the newest members of the board and the only ones appointed by Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr.
I intend do send ol' Bobby some email letting him know what I think of his choices...

Dude
SFN Die Hard

USA
6891 Posts

Posted - 02/07/2005 :  21:31:38   [Permalink]  Show Profile Send Dude a Private Message
This shit is crazy.

I have seen/heard more of this anti-evolution nonsense in the last year than I ever remember seeing/hearing in the last 10 years.

To (mis)quote a famous philosopher, the price of not participating in politics is to be governed by fucking morons.


Ignorance is preferable to error; and he is less remote from the truth who believes nothing, than he who believes what is wrong.
-- Thomas Jefferson

"god :: the last refuge of a man with no answers and no argument." - G. Carlin

Hope, n.
The handmaiden of desperation; the opiate of despair; the illegible signpost on the road to perdition. ~~ da filth
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Starman
SFN Regular

Sweden
1613 Posts

Posted - 02/08/2005 :  01:29:02   [Permalink]  Show Profile Send Starman a Private Message
The cretinists/IDiots seems to be on the offensive...

What's being done to counter this?



"Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former."
-- Albert Einstein
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Siberia
SFN Addict

Brazil
2322 Posts

Posted - 02/08/2005 :  06:57:55   [Permalink]  Show Profile  Visit Siberia's Homepage  Send Siberia an AOL message  Send Siberia a Yahoo! Message Send Siberia a Private Message
That's amazing.
You'd think a country like mine, that's still heavily imbibed in religion and superstition, would have that sort of shit rampaging more often. But the only time I ever saw someone publicly contradict evolution was on tv, some mad preacher - once.

Incredible. Simply incredible.

"Why are you afraid of something you're not even sure exists?"
- The Kovenant, Via Negativa

"People who don't like their beliefs being laughed at shouldn't have such funny beliefs."
-- unknown
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Starman
SFN Regular

Sweden
1613 Posts

Posted - 02/08/2005 :  07:20:15   [Permalink]  Show Profile Send Starman a Private Message
quote:
Originally posted by Siberia

That's amazing.
You'd think a country like mine, that's still heavily imbibed in religion and superstition, would have that sort of shit rampaging more often. But the only time I ever saw someone publicly contradict evolution was on tv, some mad preacher - once.
In Brazil, Bible Beats Darwin by a Landslide.

And :
Sociedade Criacionista Brasileira.
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Dave W.
Info Junkie

USA
26020 Posts

Posted - 02/08/2005 :  07:21:21   [Permalink]  Show Profile  Visit Dave W.'s Homepage Send Dave W. a Private Message
quote:
Originally posted by Starman

The cretinists/IDiots seems to be on the offensive...
They are offensive.
quote:
What's being done to counter this?
When they start lobbying the school boards, biologists, the ACLU, the NCSE and others start lobbying, also. When that doesn't work (as recently happened in Georgia and Pennsylvania), lawsuits start flying, and/or board members get voted off (as happened in Kansas ten years ago). I don't believe that any of these cases have reached the Supreme Court since 1987 (a "creation science" case), but I wouldn't be surprised if "intelligent design" makes it up that high in the not-too-distant future.

- Dave W. (Private Msg, EMail)
Evidently, I rock!
Why not question something for a change?
Visit Dave's Psoriasis Info, too.
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Starman
SFN Regular

Sweden
1613 Posts

Posted - 02/08/2005 :  07:49:17   [Permalink]  Show Profile Send Starman a Private Message
quote:
Originally posted by Dave W.
They are offensive.
quote:
When they start lobbying the school boards, biologists, the ACLU, the NCSE and others start lobbying, also.
Yea I know but, it's so depressing to see all these op-eds and school boards repeat the same ignorance over and over.

How could any respectable newspaper publish editorials that calls ID a scientific theory without facts and corrections?
Why are school board after school board allowed to waste money with this garbage?
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filthy
SFN Die Hard

USA
14408 Posts

Posted - 02/08/2005 :  08:20:14   [Permalink]  Show Profile Send filthy a Private Message
quote:
Originally posted by Dave W.

quote:
Originally posted by Starman

The cretinists/IDiots seems to be on the offensive...
They are offensive.
quote:
What's being done to counter this?
When they start lobbying the school boards, biologists, the ACLU, the NCSE and others start lobbying, also. When that doesn't work (as recently happened in Georgia and Pennsylvania), lawsuits start flying, and/or board members get voted off (as happened in Kansas ten years ago). I don't believe that any of these cases have reached the Supreme Court since 1987 (a "creation science" case), but I wouldn't be surprised if "intelligent design" makes it up that high in the not-too-distant future.

None has, but I've a nasty feeling that some might in the near future.
quote:
Similar classroom confrontations between God and science are under way in 17 states, according to the National Centre for Science Education. In Missouri, state legislators are drafting a bill laying down that science texts contain a chapter on so-called alternative theories to evolution. Textbooks in Arkansas and Alabama contain disclaimers on evolution, and in a Wisconsin school district, teachers are required to instruct their students in the "scientific strengths and weaknesses of evolutionary theory". Last month, a judge in Georgia ordered a school district to remove stickers on school textbooks that warned: "This textbook contains material on evolution. Evolution is a theory, not a fact, regarding the origin of living things."


And if Shithead gets to add a couple of idiologs to the SC, education in biology is screwed, and the students along with it.


"What luck for rulers that men do not think." -- Adolf Hitler (1889 - 1945)

"If only we could impeach on the basis of criminal stupidity, 90% of the Rethuglicans and half of the Democrats would be thrown out of office." ~~ P.Z. Myres


"The default position of human nature is to punch the other guy in the face and take his stuff." ~~ Dude

Brother Boot Knife of Warm Humanitarianism,

and Crypto-Communist!

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Siberia
SFN Addict

Brazil
2322 Posts

Posted - 02/08/2005 :  08:24:05   [Permalink]  Show Profile  Visit Siberia's Homepage  Send Siberia an AOL message  Send Siberia a Yahoo! Message Send Siberia a Private Message
quote:
Originally posted by Starman

quote:
Originally posted by Siberia

That's amazing.
You'd think a country like mine, that's still heavily imbibed in religion and superstition, would have that sort of shit rampaging more often. But the only time I ever saw someone publicly contradict evolution was on tv, some mad preacher - once.
In Brazil, Bible Beats Darwin by a Landslide.

And :
Sociedade Criacionista Brasileira.


Shiiit. I should pay more attention to my own country.

"Why are you afraid of something you're not even sure exists?"
- The Kovenant, Via Negativa

"People who don't like their beliefs being laughed at shouldn't have such funny beliefs."
-- unknown
Edited by - Siberia on 02/08/2005 08:25:00
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Starman
SFN Regular

Sweden
1613 Posts

Posted - 02/15/2005 :  06:14:43   [Permalink]  Show Profile Send Starman a Private Message
quote:
Originally posted by Dave W.
quote:
Originally posted by Starman

What's being done to counter this?
When they start lobbying the school boards, biologists, the ACLU, the NCSE and others start lobbying, also.
ACLU of Arkansas Action Results in Removal of Evolution Disclaimers From Science Textbooks.

See here.

"Any religion that makes a form of torture into an icon that they worship seems to me a pretty sick sort of religion quite honestly"
-- Terry Jones
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Dave W.
Info Junkie

USA
26020 Posts

Posted - 02/15/2005 :  19:52:28   [Permalink]  Show Profile  Visit Dave W.'s Homepage Send Dave W. a Private Message
By the way, Starman, the reason that the ACLU and other groups are reactionary (as opposed to "proactive") on these issues is that any legislation which might attempt to pre-emptively ban all "evolution disclaimers" from textboooks would itself be a violation of First Amendment rights.

And we've got a funky system here in which people first have to make rules and/or laws which violate the Constitution before those rules and/or laws can be declared unconstitutional. Well, I mean any schmuck on the street can say "that's unconstitutional," but such decrees don't have the force of law until they've been examined by the judicial system.

Hey, this brings up an interesting thought: could a law be passed which would penalize legislators for every bill they pass which is later found to be unconstitutional? Might make some of them think twice before voting for some stupid crap, even if the pork is right.

- Dave W. (Private Msg, EMail)
Evidently, I rock!
Why not question something for a change?
Visit Dave's Psoriasis Info, too.
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Ricky
SFN Die Hard

USA
4907 Posts

Posted - 02/16/2005 :  02:05:12   [Permalink]  Show Profile  Send Ricky an AOL message Send Ricky a Private Message
quote:
Hey, this brings up an interesting thought: could a law be passed which would penalize legislators for every bill they pass which is later found to be unconstitutional? Might make some of them think twice before voting for some stupid crap, even if the pork is right.


My gut instinct tells me that unless it is a heavy penalty, they won't give a rat's ass. Although it would be a nice way to get some of our tax money back.

Why continue? Because we must. Because we have the call. Because it is nobler to fight for rationality without winning than to give up in the face of continued defeats. Because whatever true progress humanity makes is through the rationality of the occasional individual and because any one individual we may win for the cause may do more for humanity than a hundred thousand who hug their superstitions to their breast.
- Isaac Asimov
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Starman
SFN Regular

Sweden
1613 Posts

Posted - 02/16/2005 :  03:07:36   [Permalink]  Show Profile Send Starman a Private Message
If they waste taxpayer money in this way, the should be held accountable.

"Any religion that makes a form of torture into an icon that they worship seems to me a pretty sick sort of religion quite honestly"
-- Terry Jones
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