Vitter shifts $100,000 from religious group

[hyphenate]

He cites 'hysterics' in evolution dispute Friday, October 19, 2007
By Bill Walsh


WASHINGTON -- Bowing to pressure, Sen. David Vitter, R-La., has backed off an attempt to steer $100,000 in taxpayer money to a Louisiana Christian group that supports teaching religious and alternative theories of creation alongside evolution in science classrooms.

Vitter has taken heat from educational, religious and civil rights groups for earmarking money in the fiscal 2008 spending bill for the U.S. Departments of Labor, Health, Human Services and Education for the Louisiana Family Forum, "to develop a plan to promote better science education."

The group has long challenged Darwinian theories explaining the origins of life, and the earmark was seen by some as an attempt to inject Christian religious doctrine into the classroom.

Vitter went to the Senate floor Wednesday and announced that "to avoid more hysterics," he wanted to shift the money to science and computer labs in the Ouachita Parish schools. He said the earmark had been misconstrued.

http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/frontpage/index.ssf?/base/news-9/1192776477212740.xml&coll=1

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

1. One should always strive to "avoid more hysterics" .i

I'm sure he's heard this more than once from Mrs. Vitter. :evilgrin: MKJ