Debate Over Evolution Becomes War of Words

[emad]

Kansas Subcommittee Begins Trial-Like Hearings That Give Evolution's Critics a Public Forum

By JOHN HANNA Associated Press Writer
The Associated Press

TOPEKA, Kan. May 5, 2005 — Eighty years after the first famed "Monkey Trial," a second one of sorts opened Thursday, but this time with evolution in the dock.

A State Board of Education subcommittee began four days of trial-like hearings that give evolution's critics, many of them advocates of intelligent design, a public forum to attack the theory attributed to 19th Century British scientist Charles Darwin.

The entire board plans to consider changes in June to standards that determine how Kansas students are tested on science.

"The purpose of the hearings is to assist us as the board members deal with complicated and sometimes confusing issues," said Board Chairman Steve Abrams, a member of the subcommittee.

http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory?id=731367

[Dhalgren]

1. This is so stupid.

The US is already lagging behind the rest of the world in the sciences and math, so let's scrap a whole section of academically accepted science - held as valid the world over - and substitute it with mythology! That will make us the cutting-edge in science and education! You bet!

[etherealtruth]

4. There is NO scientific debate

From the article: "We hope to show there is a scientific controversy," he said. "We now have a religious issue in our schools. One of our goals is to remove the religious bias."

There is NO scientific debate. Just because a few religious loons claim there is evidence refuting evolution does NOT mean that there is.

If I can locate a psychotic "scientist" to claim that my extensive shoe collection rules the world --- that does not mean "we" should debate whether my shoes actually do.

I am not anti religion----I just want "your" views out of my face and I promise to do the same with mine. ("your" is collective and NOT referring to any person and certainly not the author of the post)

I'm rambling ... I know. It is just so frustrating when these issues come up and make us (Americans)look like we are all rubes ...

[Double T]

2. Evolution Is Not A Theory, It Is Plain Fact And The Fossil Record.........

.....Contains More Than Enough Evidence To Substantiate The Fact. This Country Is Digressing Instead Of Progressing As Time Goes On; These Are Pathetic Times.

[Chef]

3. Heaven Help Us

I use to live in that state before it went totally religiously insane. These cultists are going to destroy America. When does this mass religious hysteria burn itself out? When they have burned a few teachers at the stake?

[Imperialism Inc.]

5. Panda's Thumb has a couple blog entries up that are

worth reading.

http://www.pandasthumb.org/

[carnie_sf]

6. This is what happens

when you let someone whose most rigorous scientific course in college was Rapture 101 dictate scientific education (or edumacation)