[Phys-L] Re: Another attack on Evolution

[John Clement <clement@HAL-PC.ORG>]

>
This is exactly why I brought it up again.  It was not for the amusement of
seeing all the posts flying back and forth about it.  The problem is that
this goes far deeper in that the current administration will suppress and
distort scientific advice in order to achieve their goals.  For example they
tried to remove all of the programs that were judged to be promising from
the Ed departments web site.

Essentially we are seeing a rise of anti-intellectual sentiment in the US.
It has always been there, but some groups have decided that they can now
influence the government to promote their specific values, above others.  As
a result the alliance between one party and one religious group has had a
large influence on science and education policy in the US.

We need to be vigilant and try to counteract this type of thing.  I recently
heard some disquieting news from a former staff member at a prestigious
university with a religious right orientation.  Apparently the
administration recruited students to be spies and report faculty members who
said things that did not agree with their theology.  I would assume this
would include the big bang theory in physics classes and evolution in
biology classes.

I have never heard of this happening in the so called "liberal"
universities.  Part of liberality is rejection of thought police.  I know
how they think because I have a family member who thinks that way.  He
complained that they don't teach absolute truth in public schools.  Of
course he means "his" absolute truth.

John M. Clement
Houston, TX

> The attacks on evolution are not just directed toward biology, but to
> all science. The Kansas State Board of Education has seen fit to
> redefine *all* science to include supernaturalistic explanations for
> natural phenomena, not just biology or evolution. This is not a war
> against evolution, which when won will go away, leaving the rest of
> us to go on our way in peace, but a war against all science. And if
> we don't close ranks with the current targets, you can be sure that,
> sooner or later, they will come after us.
>
> In the immortal words of Ben Franklin, whose tercentennial we
> celebrate this month, "We must all hang together, or assuredly we
> shall all hang separately."
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