GOP Tennessee Governor Haslam to Sign Anti-Evolution Bill

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Wingnuts • Views: 24,101

Meanwhile in Tennessee, Republican Governor Bill Haslam has announced that he’ll “probably” sign a right wing bill protecting teachers who tell their students that evolution and global warming are not real: Anti-Evolution ‘Monkey Bill’ Poised to Become Law in Tennessee.

Although the bill is written to seem benign, as it neither specifically authorizes the teaching of creationism nor permits teachers to do more than criticize scientific theories “in an objective matter,” the practical impact of this bill will be to intimidate all but the heartiest of school administrators against disciplining teachers who preach the most outlandish junk science in their classrooms. Because the bill provides little guidance as to what constitutes an “objective” criticism of a scientific theory, any principal who reigns in teachers who force creationism or Pastafarianism upon their students risks finding themselves on the wrong side of the law.

In reality, of course, there are few, if any, “objectively” valid objections to the theory of evolution (or, for that matter, to global warming). Rather, as Travis Waldron explained when this bill passed a legislative committee nearly a year ago, “Scientists have reached a consensus that evolution is ‘one of the most robust and widely accepted principles of modern science,’ and as such, it is ‘a core element in science education.’”

This is the modern Republican Party in the 21st century, folks — anti-science religious fanatics, continually trying to sneak their Dark Ages atavism into public schools and force it on everyone’s children. And in the Tea Party era, they’re actually succeeding, in the states that can least afford to be teaching ignorance.

And imagine my surprise that the deceptive anti-evolution “think tank” the Discovery Institute is behind this initiative, as they are with most of these bogus “academic freedom” laws: Tennessee’s Attack on the Teaching of Evolution.

Among its more dubious claims to fame, Tennessee was the site of the 1925 “Monkey Trial,” in which John Scopes was convicted of violating a state law against teaching that “man has descended from a lower order of animals.” Eighty-seven years later, the Tennessee Legislature is itching for an encore. It has sent to Gov. Bill Haslam a bill governing the teaching of “scientific subjects that may cause debate and disputation,” including evolution and global warming. The legislation says teachers cannot be prohibited from “helping students understand, analyze, critique and review in an objective manner the scientific strengths and scientific weaknesses of existing scientific theories.”

The governor should heed the plea of the American Assn. for the Advancement of Science and veto the bill. And similar laws in nine other states should be repealed.

Unlike the Butler Act under which Scopes was prosecuted, the bill does not require that the creation story in Genesis be taught as science. In fact, it states that the legislation “shall not be construed to promote any religious or non-religious doctrine.” The Seattle-based Discovery Institute, which provides state lawmakers with a model for such “academic freedom” laws, says this is proof that the bill isn’t designed to further religion. Critics, the institute says, are “putting up a smoke screen to divert attention from their goal to censor dissenting scientific views.”

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90 comments
1 Kragar  Wed, Apr 4, 2012 11:09:33am

The South wishes it could be a third world country.

2 Mostly sane, most of the time.  Wed, Apr 4, 2012 11:10:00am

Evolution now illegal in Tennessee. State Park employees will now spread out into all state parks to search for miscreants who are attempting to evolve.

3 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Wed, Apr 4, 2012 11:12:05am

Calling the Disco ‘Tute a “think tank” is giving them too much credit.

4 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Wed, Apr 4, 2012 11:13:23am

Also, who decides what is an “objective” criticism under this law?

5 b_sharp  Wed, Apr 4, 2012 11:14:43am

re: #3 The Ghost of a Ghost of a Ghost of a Ghost

Calling the Disco ‘Tute a “think tank” is giving them too much credit.

They’ve stopped pretending they’re scientists.

Their attack gerbil does get noticed by WND.

6 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Wed, Apr 4, 2012 11:15:26am

re: #5 No Monkey Man

They’ve stopped pretending they’re scientists.

Their attack gerbil does get noticed by WND.

GO LEMMIWINKS!
STOP WIKILEAKS EVOLUTION!

/

7 b_sharp  Wed, Apr 4, 2012 11:15:38am

re: #4 The Ghost of a Ghost of a Ghost of a Ghost

Also, who decides what is an “objective” criticism under this law?

It’s objective if it can be found in a book.

8 Obdicut  Wed, Apr 4, 2012 11:16:17am

Freaking barbaric. It really wigs me out that after vehemently excoriating radical Islam, the GOP finds itself so much in synch with them.

9 Sol Berdinowitz  Wed, Apr 4, 2012 11:16:31am

one one hand, a school cannot force its students to accept Evolution if it is counter to their religious beliefs. On the ohter hand, failing to teach it is neglecting the task of any school system, which is to educate its students on modern science and scientific theory.

If this bill promotes a discussion of the nature of science, how it works, what it embraces and what it does not embrace, that would be a good thing. But I do not think that sort of discussion was behind the people who passed this bill.

10 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Wed, Apr 4, 2012 11:17:01am

re: #7 No Monkey Man

It’s objective if it can be found in a book.

So, Holocaust denial allowed?

11 Kragar  Wed, Apr 4, 2012 11:17:29am

re: #8 Obdicut

Freaking barbaric. It really wigs me out that after vehemently excoriating radical Islam, the GOP finds itself so much in synch with them.

Its real reason for being so anti-Islamic was it hated the competition.

12 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Wed, Apr 4, 2012 11:17:41am

re: #9 Expand Your Ground

one one hand, a school cannot force its students to accept Evolution if it is counter to their religious beliefs.

This goes for any other fact as well.

13 Lidane  Wed, Apr 4, 2012 11:19:02am

Because really, denying science is the best way to show the rest of the world how “exceptional” Americans are.

Fucking morons. How does this help the United States improve in math and science? Or to compete in the 21st Century?

14 Kragar  Wed, Apr 4, 2012 11:21:39am

re: #13 Lidane

Because really, denying science is the best way to show the rest of the world how “exceptional” Americans are.

Fucking morons. How does this help the United States improve in math and science? Or to compete in the 21st Century?

Because the Evangelicals are busy teaching that the loving Jesus is the only thing you need, and if you fail, its because you didn’t love Jesus enough.

15 William of Orange  Wed, Apr 4, 2012 11:22:47am

I desperately need another insanity break!!

And for all of you who also need one and escape from this insane world, let me give you this wonderful clip to let everyone know what a great world we’re really live in. Amazing pictures from the internet on a bed of music by Dillon - Thirteen Thirtyfive.

Like!

16 Bulworth  Wed, Apr 4, 2012 11:22:49am

re: #8 Obdicut

Freaking barbaric. It really wigs me out that after vehemently excoriating radical Islam, the GOP finds itself so much in synch with them.

I grew up in a very anti-Roman Catholic strain of Protestantism. As I got older I began to have a hard time understanding exactly what beef radical Protestantism had with RC, as to me they both seemed eerily the same, save for a few differences related to largely aesthetic matters. Radical Christianism’s hostility to and yet very sameness to radical Islam reminds me of the Protestant vs. Catholic view of the world I grew up with.

17 Sol Berdinowitz  Wed, Apr 4, 2012 11:22:57am

re: #8 Obdicut

Freaking barbaric. It really wigs me out that after vehemently excoriating radical Islam, the GOP finds itself so much in synch with them.

“We should invade them, kill their leaders and convert the people to [our religion]”

there you have it, depending on the choice of religion -Ann Coulter or the Ayatollah…

18 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Wed, Apr 4, 2012 11:23:09am

re: #12 The Ghost of a Ghost of a Ghost of a Ghost

This goes for any other fact as well.

The school cannot “force” pupils to “accept” any facts, but the schools should always teach facts as facts, and can expect pupils to state facts upon examination, whether they “accept” them or not.

19 Mostly sane, most of the time.  Wed, Apr 4, 2012 11:23:12am

re: #14 Kragar

Because the Evangelicals are busy teaching that the loving Jesus is the only thing you need, and if you fail, its because you didn’t love Jesus enough.

If kids are leaving the church because they were exposed to the theory of evolution, they need to sue their Sunday School teachers for malpractice.

Someone, somewhere, taught them a version of religion that was so tightly wound that the slightest touch caused it to come all to pieces.

20 Kragar  Wed, Apr 4, 2012 11:23:28am

re: #9 Expand Your Ground

one one hand, a school cannot force its students to accept Evolution if it is counter to their religious beliefs. On the ohter hand, failing to teach it is neglecting the task of any school system, which is to educate its students on modern science and scientific theory.

If this bill promotes a discussion of the nature of science, how it works, what it embraces and what it does not embrace, that would be a good thing. But I do not think that sort of discussion was behind the people who passed this bill.

There is a distinct difference between “here is the commonly held scientific theory behind the subject” and “We’re not teaching this because it makes Baby Jesus cry.”

21 b_sharp  Wed, Apr 4, 2012 11:23:51am

re: #9 Expand Your Ground

one one hand, a school cannot force its students to accept Evolution if it is counter to their religious beliefs. On the ohter hand, failing to teach it is neglecting the task of any school system, which is to educate its students on modern science and scientific theory.

If this bill promotes a discussion of the nature of science, how it works, what it embraces and what it does not embrace, that would be a good thing. But I do not think that sort of discussion was behind the people who passed this bill.

Their intent is to bring up artificial doubts about evolution, and present creationism as a valid explanation for the evidence given different starting assumptions.

22 wrenchwench  Wed, Apr 4, 2012 11:24:57am

re: #10 The Ghost of a Ghost of a Ghost of a Ghost

So, Holocaust denial allowed?

From here:

“The idea behind this bill is that students should be encouraged to challenge current scientific thought and theory,” said state Sen. Bo Watson, R-Hixson.

Since they obviously don’t know what science is, they could declare anything to be science, therefore questionable, therefore Holocaust denial would be allowed.

23 Bulworth  Wed, Apr 4, 2012 11:25:43am
“The idea behind this bill is that students should be encouraged to challenge current scientific thought and theory,” said state Sen. Bo Watson, R-Hixson.

Religious theory, on the other hand, can never be challenged. /

24 b_sharp  Wed, Apr 4, 2012 11:25:51am

re: #10 The Ghost of a Ghost of a Ghost of a Ghost

So, Holocaust denial allowed?

Just wait, all sorts of historical revisionism is gaining popularity with certain groups.

25 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Wed, Apr 4, 2012 11:26:34am

re: #22 wrenchwench

If it’s about academic freedom, history is certainly an academic discipline, and requires freedom. Since they define freedom as “anything goes”, then yes, it’s allowed.

26 Kragar  Wed, Apr 4, 2012 11:26:53am

re: #23 Bulworth

“The idea behind this bill is that students should be encouraged to challenge current scientific thought and theory,” said state Sen. Bo Watson, R-Hixson.

Religious theory, on the other hand, can never be challenged. /

“Hey kids! Gravity is just a theory too! Go jump out a window and let your love of Jesus carry you!”

27 Sol Berdinowitz  Wed, Apr 4, 2012 11:26:54am

re: #12 The Ghost of a Ghost of a Ghost of a Ghost

This goes for any other fact as well.

There was an attempt to pass a bill in Arizona making it illegal to force students to learn anything that is contrary their religious beliefs. (Arizona being very advanced when it comes to this sort of legilsation)

One stirist imagined the following classroom scene:

Teacher: What’s two plus two?
Johnny: Five!
T: No, Johnny, it’s four!
J: my daddy believes it’s five, and the law says you can’t make me learn otherwise!
T: But this is not about belief, Johnny, it’s about objective reality!
J: My daddy says he doesn’t believe in objective reality!

28 Lidane  Wed, Apr 4, 2012 11:27:07am

re: #20 Kragar

There is a distinct difference between “here is the commonly held scientific theory behind the subject” and “We’re not teaching this because it makes Baby Jesus cry.”

Yeah, this.

Also, you’d think that an omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient God wouldn’t be threatened by evolution or by it being taught in the classroom. Why would a being that supposedly has infinite power, infinite knowledge, and can be anywhere and everywhere have to be coddled and defended?

You’d think that God would be made of sterner stuff than all that, and could handle evolution and Charles Darwin being taught to children.

29 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Wed, Apr 4, 2012 11:27:56am

re: #27 Expand Your Ground

Exactly. There should be no dispensation for religious beliefs, because religious beliefs can have any content.

30 Lidane  Wed, Apr 4, 2012 11:28:34am

re: #24 No Monkey Man

Just wait, all sorts of historical revisionism is gaining popularity with certain groups.

Yeah, like Thomas Jefferson being a footnote in history while John Calvin is way more important. =P

31 Kragar  Wed, Apr 4, 2012 11:28:42am

re: #28 Lidane

Yeah, this.

Also, you’d think that an omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient God wouldn’t be threatened by evolution or by it being taught in the classroom. Why would a being that supposedly has infinite power, infinite knowledge, and can be anywhere and everywhere have to be coddled and defended?

You’d think that God would be made of sterner stuff than all that, and could handle evolution and Charles Darwin being taught to children.

The Evangelical’s God is a whiny bitch who demands ignorance and suffering.

32 dragonfire1981  Wed, Apr 4, 2012 11:28:57am

Somewhat OT, but this is one crazy documentary:

33 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Wed, Apr 4, 2012 11:29:58am

re: #30 Lidane

Yeah, like Thomas Jefferson being a footnote in history while John Calvin is way more important. =P

Oh, that’s not revisionism, importance is pretty much in the eye of the beholder. More of the “Thomas Jefferson was a Bible-thumping young Earth creationist who believed in every Biblical miracle” kind.

34 William Barnett-Lewis  Wed, Apr 4, 2012 11:30:11am

re: #28 Lidane

Yeah, this.

Also, you’d think that an omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient God wouldn’t be threatened by evolution or by it being taught in the classroom. Why would a being that supposedly has infinite power, infinite knowledge, and can be anywhere and everywhere have to be coddled and defended?

You’d think that God would be made of sterner stuff than all that, and could handle evolution and Charles Darwin being taught to children.

Had a good discussion with my son today about how physics, biology & especially evolution were the tools by which God has chosen to run the universe and that to deny science is a form of blasphemy.

Teaching him to avoid biblical literalism is a bit harder at this age (10), but showing the metaphors and other literary constructs in the stories told in the bible have helped.

35 Sol Berdinowitz  Wed, Apr 4, 2012 11:32:28am

re: #32 dragonfire1981

Somewhat OT, but this is one crazy documentary:

[Embedded content]

I got as far as the quote about how “Being politically correct has taken the place of being biblically correct”.

These people are truly BC in any sense of the term…

36 b_sharp  Wed, Apr 4, 2012 11:32:32am

re: #34 William Barnett-Lewis

Had a good discussion with my son today about how physics, biology & especially evolution were the tools by which God has chosen to run the universe and that to deny science is a form of blasphemy.

Teaching him to avoid biblical literalism is a bit harder at this age, but showing the metaphors and other literary constructs in the stories told in have helped.

Nice thing about being omniscient, you know exactly how to tweak the Big Bang to get the evolved species you want.

37 wrenchwench  Wed, Apr 4, 2012 11:32:36am

re: #25 The Ghost of a Ghost of a Ghost of a Ghost

If it’s about academic freedom, history is certainly an academic discipline, and requires freedom. Since they define freedom as “anything goes” within a Christian framework, then yes, it’s allowed.

FTFY.

38 Lidane  Wed, Apr 4, 2012 11:33:23am

re: #31 Kragar

The Evangelical’s God is a whiny bitch who demands ignorance and suffering.

Which is just insulting, really. If you claim to believe in this entity that has the power to create universes with the snap of its fingers, and who knows your entire life before you’re even born, then why would you want to make that deity so pathetic and whiny that things like gay marriage and teaching evolution cause it to cry and fall apart?

I’ve never understood that.

39 Amory Blaine  Wed, Apr 4, 2012 11:33:40am

Romney Says Obama Hides His Agenda

“He wants us to re-elect him so we can find out what he will do,” Mr. Romney said.

How insightful!!

40 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Wed, Apr 4, 2012 11:33:47am

re: #37 wrenchwench

FTFY.

They can’t say that outloud. Well, OK, they can, but not too loud.

41 Simply Sarah  Wed, Apr 4, 2012 11:33:53am

Sadly, they seem to be learning. Trying to teach creationism as science, even under the guise of something like ID, won’t fly. So now they’re just being ultra vague about what can/should be taught, other than that it should involve stuff like attacking evolution and AGW and such. It’s, as we can all see, a wink and a nod to teach creationism without officially sanctioning it.

42 Sol Berdinowitz  Wed, Apr 4, 2012 11:34:09am

re: #25 The Ghost of a Ghost of a Ghost of a Ghost

If it’s about academic freedom, history is certainly an academic discipline, and requires freedom. Since they define freedom as “anything goes”, then yes, it’s allowed.

Rick Santorum’s idea of “freedom” is “The freedom to do God’s Will”.

43 Lidane  Wed, Apr 4, 2012 11:36:05am

re: #39 Amory Blaine

Romney Says Obama Hides His Agenda

How insightful!!

Says the guy who refuses to go into specifics. Fuck him.

44 wrenchwench  Wed, Apr 4, 2012 11:36:21am

re: #39 Amory Blaine

Romney Says Obama Hides His Agenda

How insightful!!

When do we find out what Mr. Etch-a-Sketch would do?

45 Achilles Tang  Wed, Apr 4, 2012 11:37:45am

re: #36 No Monkey Man

Nice thing about being omniscient, you know exactly how to tweak the Big Bang to get the evolved species you want.

Not to mention using comets to eliminate all the screw ups that happen and don’t pan out, like the dinosaurs. I suppose that was just for fun however, since it must have known it would happen.

46 b_sharp  Wed, Apr 4, 2012 11:38:25am

re: #44 wrenchwench

When do we find out what Mr. Etch-a-Sketch would do?

47 Sol Berdinowitz  Wed, Apr 4, 2012 11:39:04am

re: #45 Flame Fin Tomini Tang

Not to mention using comets to eliminate all the screw ups that happen and don’t pan out, like the dinosaurs. I suppose that was just for fun however, since it must have known it would happen.

He knew how much our kids would love them, but they had to be extinct so as not to terrorize our kids…

48 b_sharp  Wed, Apr 4, 2012 11:40:02am

re: #45 Flame Fin Tomini Tang

Not to mention using comets to eliminate all the screw ups that happen and don’t pan out, like the dinosaurs. I suppose that was just for fun however, since it must have known it would happen.

15 billion years can get boring without a few games of chance.
The Devil was the original ‘Biggest Loser’.

49 Cinnabar  Wed, Apr 4, 2012 11:42:53am

This is the way the US becomes a backwater.

50 Romantic Heretic  Wed, Apr 4, 2012 11:43:08am

Can we find some named Scopes to challenge this. Just to make sure history rhymes and all that.

51 b_sharp  Wed, Apr 4, 2012 11:43:23am

re: #41 Simply Sarah

Sadly, they seem to be learning. Trying to teach creationism as science, even under the guise of something like ID, won’t fly. So now they’re just being ultra vague about what can/should be taught, other than that it should involve stuff like attacking evolution and AGW and such. It’s, as we can all see, a wink and a nod to teach creationism without officially sanctioning it.

They’ve watched a highly successful PR campaign increase doubt about AGW so they’ve decided to hitch that cart to their own hoping they’ll profit from ‘doubt by association’.

52 Achilles Tang  Wed, Apr 4, 2012 11:44:20am

re: #48 No Monkey Man (Born With a Banana in my Hand)

15 billion years can get boring without a few games of chance.
The Devil was the original ‘Biggest Loser’.

An infinity of years must be infinitely boring, if one knows exactly what will happen.

More seriously however, any entity that knows all at a given instant will cease to be at the same instant, since time will no longer exist for that entity. Been there, done that. Bye.

53 Charles Johnson  Wed, Apr 4, 2012 11:46:49am

Here we go again:

54 wrenchwench  Wed, Apr 4, 2012 11:46:55am

re: #46 No Monkey Man (Born With a Banana in my Hand)

[Embedded content]

You don’t wiggle an Etch-a-Sketch, you shake it.

55 Bulworth  Wed, Apr 4, 2012 11:48:09am

re: #35 Expand Your Ground

I got as far as the quote about how “Being politically correct has taken the place of being biblically correct”.

These people are truly BC in any sense of the term…

Yeah it’s weird they would mock so-called “political correctness” while subscribing to a like-minded “biblically correct” worldview that eschews any and all attempts to challenge it. To do so is to be “anti-Christian” and to be “forcing God out of the public sphere” and so on.

56 b_sharp  Wed, Apr 4, 2012 11:48:13am

re: #52 Flame Fin Tomini Tang

An infinity of years must be infinitely boring, if one knows exactly what will happen.

More seriously however, any entity that knows all at a given instant will cease to be at the same instant, since time will no longer exist for that entity. Been there, done that. Bye.

Perhaps time is most interesting when viewed linearly with entropy determining its direction.

57 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Wed, Apr 4, 2012 11:48:49am

re: #53 Charles Johnson

Lie. Rinse. Repeat.

58 Targetpractice  Wed, Apr 4, 2012 11:49:07am

But of course, the first science teacher that tells Little Johnny that creationism is bunk and his church is lying to his ass will be handed a pink slip so fast, it’ll make his head spin.

59 wrenchwench  Wed, Apr 4, 2012 11:49:10am

re: #53 Charles Johnson

Here we go again:

Sheesh. He can’t even spell Killgore right.

60 Kragar  Wed, Apr 4, 2012 11:49:40am

Finally, we have a law that will allow teachers to let students know that life began when the Elder Things modified genetic material they extracted from the Great Old One Abhoth and that global warming is caused by the Mi-Go terraforming the planet to be more suitable to their fungal biology.

Huzzah for science!

61 b_sharp  Wed, Apr 4, 2012 11:49:53am

re: #54 wrenchwench

You don’t wiggle an Etch-a-Sketch, you shake it.

Semantics.

It comes clean either way.

As long as you don’t shake it more than 3 times.

62 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Wed, Apr 4, 2012 11:50:36am

re: #59 wrenchwench

Sheesh. He can’t even spell Killgore right.

Heh. ;)

63 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Wed, Apr 4, 2012 11:52:15am

Now moving the goalposts:

Why does it matter? Sure what KT did was dumb. That’s not the question, is it?

64 b_sharp  Wed, Apr 4, 2012 11:52:27am

re: #59 wrenchwench

Sheesh. He can’t even spell Killgore right.

Probably has no idea where the name came from either.

The Radical Right - Moving Past Innumeracy Into Illiteracy.

65 Romantic Heretic  Wed, Apr 4, 2012 11:54:12am

re: #28 Lidane

Yeah, this.

Also, you’d think that an omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient God wouldn’t be threatened by evolution or by it being taught in the classroom. Why would a being that supposedly has infinite power, infinite knowledge, and can be anywhere and everywhere have to be coddled and defended?

You’d think that God would be made of sterner stuff than all that, and could handle evolution and Charles Darwin being taught to children.

God’s made of sterner stuff.

Many of his followers, however, have the intestinal fortitude of a marshmallow.

66 Eventual Carrion  Wed, Apr 4, 2012 11:54:32am

re: #60 Kragar

Finally, we have a law that will allow teachers to let students know that life began when the Elder Things modified genetic material they extracted from the Great Old One Abhoth and that global warming is caused by the Mi-Go terraforming the planet to be more suitable to their fungal biology.

Huzzah for science!

Will that be on the final?

67 Eventual Carrion  Wed, Apr 4, 2012 11:55:35am

re: #61 No Monkey Man (Born With a Banana in my Hand)

Semantics.

It comes clean either way.

As long as you don’t shake it more than 3 times.

Would that then be considered ‘playing with it’?

68 Achilles Tang  Wed, Apr 4, 2012 11:57:16am

Isn’t this Paterico a public servant? Does his job description include running a website for his own personal politics?

If not the latter, it would be interesting to check how often he posts or spends reading comments during working hours. If he were in the private sector his ass would be grass if he did that on someone else’s time.

69 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Wed, Apr 4, 2012 11:57:36am

re: #64 No Monkey Man (Born With a Banana in my Hand)

Probably has no idea where the name came from either.

The Radical Right - Moving Past Innumeracy Into Illiteracy.

Heh. Actually he spelled it correctly. But to spell it right he would have to spell it incorrectly. ;)

70 lawhawk  Wed, Apr 4, 2012 11:58:42am

Ah, Tennessee reminds everyone how to remain competitive with third world countries (who are trying desperately to become 1st world countries by pushing science and math curricula) by pushing an anti-science and anti-intellectual agenda that forces religion into science classrooms and puts school administrators who actually care about what’s being taught in their classrooms at a disadvantage because they can’t weed out bad teachers who are pushing junk science in their classrooms.

This too could be coming to a classroom in your state if the so-con agenda-setters have their way.

Mind you, they’d find the Pope on the wrong side of this argument (or climate change for that matter).

71 Achilles Tang  Wed, Apr 4, 2012 11:59:25am

What did KT do now? Is he sitting in the corner?

72 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Wed, Apr 4, 2012 12:00:12pm

re: #71 Flame Fin Tomini Tang

What did KT do now? Is he sitting in the corner?

Oh, it was many years ago. It was a dark and stormy night…

73 Killgore Trout  Wed, Apr 4, 2012 12:01:59pm

re: #63 The Ghost of a Ghost of a Ghost of a Ghost

What point does that possibly make?

They changed their comment policy allowing racist slurs the following morning. Point made.

74 Eventual Carrion  Wed, Apr 4, 2012 12:02:23pm

re: #72 The Ghost of a Ghost of a Ghost of a Ghost

Oh, it was many years ago. It was a dark and stormy night…

out of the woods came a shivering furry creature …

75 Achilles Tang  Wed, Apr 4, 2012 12:02:35pm

re: #72 The Ghost of a Ghost of a Ghost of a Ghost

Oh, it was many years ago. It was a dark and stormy night…

Those were the days…I try to forget some of them.

76 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Wed, Apr 4, 2012 12:05:01pm

re: #74 RayFerd

out of the woods came a shivering furry creature …

LEMMIWINKS!

77 Feline Fearless Leader  Wed, Apr 4, 2012 12:16:33pm

re: #42 Expand Your Ground

Rick Santorum’s idea of “freedom” is “The freedom to do God’s his Will in God’s name”.

FTFY

78 dragonath  Wed, Apr 4, 2012 12:17:25pm

Tenneessee also has an equestrian statue of Nathaniel Bedford Forrest, KKK founder.

[Link: www.roadsideamerica.com…]

It’s… breathtaking!

79 Feline Fearless Leader  Wed, Apr 4, 2012 12:19:22pm

re: #65 Romantic Heretic

God’s made of sterner stuff.

Many of his followers, however, have the intestinal fortitude of a marshmallow.

That’s why the Inquisition put him in the comfy chair and fed him tea and biscuits.

80 wrenchwench  Wed, Apr 4, 2012 12:20:16pm

re: #78 Beware the Green Dragon!

Tenneessee also has an equestrian statue of Nathaniel Bedford Forrest, KKK founder.

[Link: www.roadsideamerica.com…]

It’s… breathtaking!

It’s… lunch taking! Damn that’s ugly. Fiberglass!

81 Kragar  Wed, Apr 4, 2012 12:21:24pm

re: #78 Beware the Green Dragon!

Tenneessee also has an equestrian statue of Nathaniel Bedford Forrest, KKK founder.

[Link: www.roadsideamerica.com…]

It’s… breathtaking!

Not the official statue mind you.

82 Gus  Wed, Apr 4, 2012 12:21:50pm

SNAFU with the Republican Party once again. I’ve come to expect this sort of revanchist and backwards legislation almost daily. Between them and their right-wing blog facilitators, Fox News, and the Tea Party, they are taking this country back to the 19th century. They are literally ruining this nation.

83 Feline Fearless Leader  Wed, Apr 4, 2012 12:23:48pm

re: #82 Gus

SNAFU with the Republican Party once again. I’ve come to expect this sort of revanchist and backwards legislation almost daily. Between them and their right-wing blog facilitators, Fox News, and the Tea Party, they are taking this country back to the 19th century. They are literally ruining this nation.

Truth in advertising laws are forcing them to push the US into position for the Chinese to buy us lock, stock, and both barrels (even the NRA!) in 2030 like their commercials claim is going to happen.
//

84 A Mom Anon  Wed, Apr 4, 2012 12:25:59pm

You know,last time I checked there is not one thing stopping these anti science nutbags from starting their own schools in their own churches. This kind of crap degrades the education of everyone,not just the anti science crowd. Which pisses me off. If they hate public schools so much then why the hell don’t they take their kids out and go to their churches and organize their own schools? They’ve got the buildings already designed to hold large numbers of people,all they need is someone to “teach”(and I use that term loosely in this case),some chairs and desks,some school supplies and compliance to some minor rules and they’d be set. I’m so sick of this bullshit. And why aren’t more people standing up to this shit? This is fucking the future of the country big time.

85 Feline Fearless Leader  Wed, Apr 4, 2012 12:26:53pm

re: #84 A Mom Anon

You know,last time I checked there is not one thing stopping these anti science nutbags from starting their own schools in their own churches. This kind of crap degrades the education of everyone,not just the anti science crowd. Which pisses me off. If they hate public schools so much then why the hell don’t they take their kids out and go to their churches and organize their own schools? They’ve got the buildings already designed to hold large numbers of people,all they need is someone to “teach”(and I use that term loosely in this case),some chairs and desks,some school supplies and compliance to some minor rules and they’d be set. I’m so sick of this bullshit. And why aren’t more people standing up to this shit? This is fucking the future of the country big time.

Because their goal isn’t teaching the crap to their children - it’s teaching it to yours!

86 Lidane  Wed, Apr 4, 2012 12:27:27pm

re: #82 Gus

Between them and their right-wing blog facilitators, Fox News, and the Tea Party, they are taking this country back to the 19th century. They are literally ruining this nation.

Agreed, although placing their idiocy in the 19th Century is being far too generous. They’d find a way to get us back to the feudal Dark Ages if they could.

87 dragonath  Wed, Apr 4, 2012 12:29:49pm

I remember the first time I went to a church in Tennessee. The pastor was wriggling around, talking about trying to cast off evil spirits and exorcisms. Totally blew my mind, coming from a fairly moderate Presbyterian church.

Sadly, I have relatives down there who have taken their kids out of public school and are totally creationist, liberal hating, Rush-listeners.

88 TedStriker  Wed, Apr 4, 2012 12:43:02pm

re: #78 Beware the Green Dragon!

Tenneessee also has an equestrian statue of Nathaniel Bedford Forrest, KKK founder.

[Link: www.roadsideamerica.com…]

It’s… breathtaking!

To be fair, that gaudy-assed “statue” was erected on private land (along with a big flag pole for every state in the CSA) by a private individual. That doesn’t make that “park” by the side of I-65 any less of an embarrassment, but know that a lot of people were and are still opposed to it here in Nashville.

As for Haslam preparing to sign this atrocious bill into law, it would cause me to lose any respect for him, because up to this point, he’s been known as mostly a centrist. However, even he’s feeling the need to cater to the throwbacks who are feeling their political oats; in that way, he’s acting a lot like Romney, which isn’t good.

89 allegro  Wed, Apr 4, 2012 12:52:14pm

re: #38 Lidane

Which is just insulting, really. If you claim to believe in this entity that has the power to create universes with the snap of its fingers, and who knows your entire life before you’re even born, then why would you want to make that deity so pathetic and whiny that things like gay marriage and teaching evolution cause it to cry and fall apart?

I’ve never understood that.

God was made in their image. That’s why.

90 labman57  Sat, Apr 7, 2012 10:02:27am

There will be a day when Western civilization will look back and regard the Religious Right’s opposition to “evolution by natural selection” as absurd as the Church’s denial of the existence of atoms, or the vacuum, or the sun as the center of the solar system in past centuries.

Evolution is a verifiable fact. It is the mechanism through which it occurs — natural selection — that comprises the theory.

People who do not understand how science works seem to think that a “theory” is somehow lacking in power and validity. Scientific theories are our best explanation for an event or phenomenon based on the available evidence, i.e., a theory tells us HOW it happens. Theories have generally been subjected to rigorous testing and represent the consensus of the scientific community, whereas a hypothesis is a possible explanation for a specific observation and has not necessarily been extensively tested.

Calling something a theory does not cheapen or weaken it. On the contrary, the term “theory” gives it legitimacy as something that is scientifically testable and that has been rigorously examined either mathematically or empirically to the point that the available evidence overwhelming supports it.

Quantum mechanics, special and general relativity, molecular kinetics — all THEORIES!

Theories are based on the best empirical EVIDENCE available, not PROOF. There is an incredible wealth of evidence — both geological and biochemical — to support evolution by natural selection.

Creationism and ID are faith-based concepts. Their “evidence” consists of the allegories provided in the Bible, nothing more.

I actually have no problem with the idea of discussing the merits of Creationism or ID in the public school classroom. It would make a fine topic for discussion or debate in a social studies course on Religions in Society. But this topic has no business in a biology classroom, since science is based on verifiable evidence along with empirically and mathematically testable hypotheses, whereas religious beliefs are by definition faith-based.


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