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All, I’m reasonably certain that the so-called battle over
the teaching of evolution in Kansas schools (“second Scopes monkey trial”)
has been televised around the world by now and that most of you are tired of
hearing about it. At one point there were as many as 12 TV cameras in the
hearing room, including ABC’s nightline, and even a French station
…. The French journalists were really having trouble understanding the ID
testimony and at one point told me that the ID witnesses complained a lot about
evolution but didn’t offer evidence for anything else. That sort of
reaction makes for very damaging stories about Kansas in many places around the
world… and it was very evident that the world was watching. While you have seen the story presented in the major media
formats, I thought it might be interesting to you to also see the local news
stories. Here’s the story in the http://www.kansas.com/mld/kansas/11567397.htm Here are two reports in the News - Josh Funk: At evolution hearing, many read between
the lines http://www.kansas.com/mld/kansas/11577480.htm Opinion - Randy Schofield – ID
theory wasn’t ready for prime time http://www.kansas.com/mld/kansas/news/columnists/randy_scholfield/11577508.htm I attended the hearings yesterday and the Schofield article (above)
probably best describes the atmosphere. It was difficult for me to sit quietly
in the audience and listen to the rehearsed and coached testimony provided by the
less-than-expert witnesses for the so-called “minority report” ….
And then to hear from members of the Kansas School Board who literally ‘gushed’
with praise regarding the ‘mis-information’ that they had just been
provided. The hearings are a farce (dog and pony show, kangaroo court, etc) …
the majority of the board has already made up their collective “mind”…
inappropriately being advised by ID-er John Calvert
along the way… and are simply trying to legitimize their decision. I
found it interesting that the hearings were held in the same building that
houses the Attorney General’s office – Mr. Kline has already been
accused of meeting with and advising the majority of the school board in
violation of the state’s open meetings laws. The testimony provided by the witnesses was the same old rhetoric
that the Intelligent Design group is well known for… half-truths,
mis-representations of factual information, quotations taken out of context and
outright lies. They concentrated on what they saw as faults in the theory of
evolution, but provided absolutely nothing in terms of facts and data that
would support their position as an alternative. It is very apparent to me that these hearings are not really
about evolution… or even education… they are politics, pure and
simple. They are a small part of a very large effort by a conservative minority
who want to have things their way. However, the forces behind this skirmish in So have your bit of amusement over the “monkey
business” in Regards, Adjunct Curator of Paleontology |
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