Round-Up on the Kansas Creationists

by DemFromCT

Courtesy of Red State Rabble, giving some tasty home-grown Kansas blogging:

The 23 intelligent design “theorists” who came to Kansas last week at taxpayer expense expected to be sipping Champaign this week, instead they’re tasting sour grapes as this piece by Knight Ridder’s John Klepper notes:

“Calvert said Irigonegaray's only weapon was "an attorney's rhetoric," designed to make evolution opponents look like ‘ignoramuses.’ In the end, he said, he couldn't even shake his opponent's hand.

"’I don't think this strategy deserves a handshake,’ Calvert said.”

Syndicated columnist Ellen Goodman takes note of the up is down logic of the intelligent design proponents who insist against all evidence that all they want to do is “teach the controversy.”

“It's the height of irony to hear the same partisans who intimidate science teachers positioning themselves as the defenders of fair and open debate. Open-minded? Listen to the words of committee member Harris: "Our overall goal is to remove the bias against religion that is in our schools. This is a scientific controversy that has powerful religious implications." Science that doesn't teach his religious beliefs is biased against his religious beliefs.”

Associated Press reporter John Hanna looks (free subscription required) into his crystal ball and sees this:

“Voters in Kansas should expect to hear plenty about evolution next year. Five State Board of Education members face re-election in 2006, and a debate the board expects to have this summer on science standards is likely to be the biggest issue.”

Pedro Irigonegaray finally got a chance to present the pro-science argument last Thursday. According to this report by Scott Rothschild of the Lawrence (Kansas) Journal World, the board didn’t like what they heard.

“Board member Martin, of Clay Center, her eyes filling with tears, said, ‘This board has been accused of being close-minded. I guess we will leave that up to the public.’"

At least she got that right.

Also noted is Gov. Sibelius' reponse:

"I think it casts some doubt throughout the country and the world whether or not we are up to the task of educating kids in the 21st century," Sebelius said.

As noted previously, this ain't the way to attract bioscience/biotechnology money to Kansas. However, it's clear the creationists on the Board of Ed have their own agenda. No matter how much of making fools of themselves they indulge in, their vote is likely set in stone (like their small minds), and one can expect a temporary acceptance of the minority report in favor of 'questioning' evolution (read that as putting religion back in the classroom). That's been reversed before in KS, and we're nowhere near the final chapter on this.

Stay tuned.

And try this link for a good laugh, courtesy of Pharyngula.

Comments

[DemFromCT]

You can't make this stuff up:

After three days and 23 witnesses, Irigonegaray took the podium, laying out a case against the evolution critics.

The hearings were a show for proponents of intelligent design and a waste of taxpayers' money, he said.

The three conservative board members overseeing the hearing had already decided they would choose the standards criticizing evolution, he said.

He said the science standards that criticized evolution included a religious bias that would open up the state to a legal challenge because it violated the separation of church and state. Morris replied that no such constitutional separation existed.

Irigonegaray read a letter written by Steve Case, a pro-evolution scientist from Kansas University, who was co-chairman of the science standards committee.

In that letter, Case accused Abrams of misleading the public about Abrams' intentions.

But Abrams and Calvert accused the mainstream scientists of using underhanded tactics to try to discredit their witnesses.

In closing remarks, Abrams said evolution teaching could persuade young students who hadn't developed abstract thought processes that a godless theory "could be viewed as the only way we came to be."

[Mike S]

I think they're looking into the future when the SC has more wingnuts.

He said the science standards that criticized evolution included a religious bias that would open up the state to a legal challenge because it violated the separation of church and state. Morris replied that no such constitutional separation existed.

[Meteor Blades]

The Adamant 8 on the board can bring me over to their side if they will just ensure that public school biology texts include the true origins of human life in Kansas, to wit, the creation of the Osage:

The father of our nation was a snail, who passed a quiet, happy existence on the banks of our own river. His wants were few and well supplied. He seldom hunted, going out only when driven by hunger to seek food, and taking whatever could be most easily obtained. Thus lived our great forefather, the snail.

A storm came and the river burst over its banks and swept everything before it. The snail, seated on a log, was carried along down the stream and deposited at last upon a bed of slime. He was contented and had enjoyed the travel, since it had required no exertion. Now, he found himself in a strange country. It was very warm and the sun came out and baked the earth in which he was embedded. It was impossible to move. Then, feeling a change, he began to grow and developed into a man, tall, strong and perfect. At first, the new being was stupefied; but with returning memory, he realized that he had once been a snail, and immediately set out for his former home.

Arrived on the banks of the Osage River, he became faint from hunger. Game was plenty, but he knew not how to catch it. There were birds and fish, but no means of reaching them. He lay down to die. A soft voice broke the silence. The man looked up and saw, mounted on a noble, snow-white animal, a being like nothing seen on earth. It was tall and mighty, having eyes like stars. The Osage trembled. The gentle voice said:

"Why does he who is the kernel of the snail look terrified? Why is he faint and weary?"

"I tremble because I fear thy power and quail before the lightning of thine eye. I am faint because I lack food."

Then said the Great Spirit (Waucondah):

"Be composed. The Master of Breath punishes not till sin is committed. Thou hast not sinned; be calm. But art thou hungry?"

"I have eaten nothing since I ceased to be a snail."

The Great Spirit drew from under his robe a bow and arrows, and taught the man to shoot. He killed a deer and was told to cover himself with its skin. The Great Spirit made fire and told him to use it for cooking the meat. One day, when hunting, the man went to a river to drink, and saw, in the water, a beaver hut, on which the chief of the family was sitting. The animal asked who he was and what he was looking for; and was informed that the Osage had no home and came to the river to quench his thirst. The beaver said:

"You seem to be a reasonable man. You may come and live with me. My family is large and there are many daughters. Should any of them be pleasing in your sight, you may marry."

The man accepted the offer and married one of the beaver's daughters. They had many children, from whom the Osage people are descended. To this day, the Osage (now in Oklahoma) refrain from killing the sacred beaver.

Who needs to learn about DNA?

[Kagro X]

Hey, I think I just saw John Cornyn in a bar, hitting on the Osage's wife.

[Bluto]

Why do these people always talk about putting religion BACK in the classroom? I was schooled in the 50s and 60s. I don't remember ever havng religion, the big ten, or the bible in the classroom. Hence I can't tell when it was removed. Is someone revising history here?