left biblioblography: Viewing The Wreckage Of Our School Systems: 'Intelligent Design' Has MUCH To Answer For

Saturday, March 15, 2008

Viewing The Wreckage Of Our School Systems: 'Intelligent Design' Has MUCH To Answer For

creationism1

Cross posted at God Is For Suckers!

While I'm not going to blame the ID movement for all of the US school systems' problems, there's a big issue that gets fairly unexplored: that of funding.

Academia is always notoriously short on funding. Having once worked for a liberal arts college, I know this. And we have these folks who're pushing their religious agenda (who should in fact, be donating all the millions of dollars they spend on this frivolous nonsense into the schools) contributing to the wreckage of today's American schools.

We have these frightening statistics: that in 2006, 55% believed 'gwad' created humans in their present form. 27% think that 'gwad' used evolution to bring us to where we are now, and 13% think that it was an unguided process. Further down the page, I found it amusing that the statistics favor evolution among Internet users. Hmmm...I wonder if this is indicative of anything?

Despite constantly experiencing defeats in the courts (we'll exclude Kansas from those, though it appears that there's been a flip-flop as of last year), from Edwards v. Aguillard to the debacle in Dover, these people keep getting their asses handed to them.

But this doesn't stop some 'philanthropist' millionaires from pitching in their '2 cents'. Money better spent feeding the poor and improving the schools, I might add.

The central point here is, that this ridiculous polarization (especially of those vehement anti-evolutionists who obviously have little more than an abysmal understanding of the topic) is costing us, the US citizen, hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars. Pretty much for a one-sided point of view that has rendered absolutely zero, zilch, nada (or any other word you might substitute for fucking nothing) in the arena of science.

On a personal level, I'd like our representatives in the government to pro-rate all the tax-payers' expenses in regards to this ludicrous expenditure of our hard-earned money: let the creationists/IDiots pay out of their wallets. Let their tax money get spent on this foolishness. Hey! Howzabout anyone who 'believes' in evolution (my eyes rolling) get a freakin' tax cut out of this.

(I know, I know: it doesn't work that way. A guy can wish, can't he?)

Let's forget all about the SOCAS. Oh, wait, we can't, can we?

I'll top this off with an eloquent ending from Jerry Coyne (yet another evolutionist that creationists misquote), from his excellent article titled:

THE CASE AGAINST INTELLIGENT DESIGN The Faith That Dare Not Speak Its Name

In the end, many Americans may still reject evolution, finding the creationist alternative psychologically more comfortable. But emotion should be distinguished from thought, and a "comfort level" should not affect what is taught in the science classroom. As Judge Overton wrote in his magisterial decision striking down Arkansas Act 590, which mandated equal classroom time for "scientific creationism":

"The application and content of First Amendment principles are not determined by public opinion polls or by a majority vote. Whether the proponents of Act 590 constitute the majority or the minority is quite irrelevant under a constitutional system of government. No group, no matter how large or small, may use the organs of government, of which the public schools are the most conspicuous and influential, to foist its religious beliefs on others."

So, creationists? You want 'intelligent design' taught in the schools, alongside the proven method of evolution? Fine. You pay for it. But you would be better off contributing your time and efforts and cash to actually improving conditions (do spare me the 'evolution is contributing to the weakening moral fiber' refrain the lot of you gibber about: it's old news), rather than harping about and combating a proven scientific fact that spans more fields than minutes you have in your attention span.

Till the next post, then.

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9 comments:

vjack said...

You should submit this post to the next Carnival of Education. They're mostly Christian but they've been very good at accepting things along these lines I've written.

Krystalline Apostate said...

Hey, thanks vjack.
I wonder if they balk at the occasional obscenity, though.

Stardust said...

You could always make edits to the obscenities before submitting. This should be shared.

Krystalline Apostate said...

Bernarda, I've deleted your comment.
I'm a far cry from 'intellectually dishonest'. In fact, of the 2 of us, I think that I'm the more rational & evidential. But that's a matter of perception, I suppose.
We've spent years arguing over your pet peeve, & frankly, I'm more than a little sick of it. Whenever I hit a nerve, or too close to home, you revert to type: you lash out w/your usual irrational fallacies. Poison the well, ad hominem, etc.
Fact is, you're not a popular contributor at GiFS. When I had you banned, there was a little conversation about it, but mostly it was shrug, she's gone.
Hanging about & whining about getting kicked out of somewhere you're not wanted is fairly pathetic, to be honest. A tad thuggish, I might add.
You're not wanted here. Understand that. & if you start playing martyr @ the NGB, I have mod privileges over there as well. I'll show you thuggish.
You don't bother me, I won't bother you.
Capish?

Stardust said...

If bernarda reads this...KA was invited to join GifS BECAUSE of his intellectual honesty.

Bernarda is so rabidly hateful towards Israel and the Jewish people, I have wondered if she herself might be Arab (Palestinian) or of Arabic descent.

We don't always agree amongst ourselves on politics (especially on issues concerning the Middle East crapola) and other issues at GifS, but we do disagree respectfully amongst ourselves. Even when debate gets heated we try to refrain from making personal attacks against our own fellow moderators and our regular commenters. Bernarda treats regular "friends" who disagree with her like crap. And when you crap on one of our moderators, that is not cool.

KA is an important team member and moderator at GifS and he is there to stay, so why would bernarda want to continue to go there when someone she doesn't like is one of the moderators? I see it as simply she likes to antagonize KA.

There are plenty of blogs and forums on the internet. I am sure she can find other places she can visit and keep getting banned from.

KA...keep on keepin' on.

Krystalline Apostate said...

Thanks, Stardust. That means a great deal to me. Appreciated.
(Oy, I think I got a bit o' somethin' in me eye, I do.)

Anonymous said...

Stardust, why do you think I posted here, rather than say, send you an email, say, to ask you to reconsider? It don't matter. I try to say what I think to the person involved, and at his site.

If I have an issue, it is with KA, not you or anyone else at your site. You of course run your site as you please. Which friends of yours have I treated like crap?

As I mentioned, KA uses the same tactics against other people. He has his hobby horse. To set the record straight, I did not initiate ad hominem attacks on KA at your site or elsewhere.

Probably KA will cancel this post as well. It is his privilege.

At least this has the advantage of showing that atheists don't always agree and that we are not a block which has an authority telling us what to think and do.

bernarda

Anyway, as KA doesn't like me, I see no reason to stick around here.

Stardust said...

as KA doesn't like me

Seems like the feeling is mutual. You obviously don't like him so why comment on the blog of a person you despise and insult?

Which friends of yours have I treated like crap?

KA, for one and anyone who disagrees with you. If we stick to just dissing fundie Xians, you are fine, but disagree with you about anything, especially the problems in the Middle East, and you become rabid and insulting to people.

I have nothing more to say to you about it.

Krystalline Apostate said...

As I mentioned, KA uses the same tactics against other people. He has his hobby horse. To set the record straight, I did not initiate ad hominem attacks on KA at your site or elsewhere.
No, no, no. I've been accused of being a 'hypocrite', 'intellectually dishonest', as well as your bleating call, 'AD HOMINEM!' (which you holler @ the drop of a hat, when someone asks you a question that even hints towards a personal question).
No. You attacked my honesty & my character, here, @ GifS, & the NGB. You only reigned yourself in when I became a member of the team @ GiFS (because after all, you want to preach your gospel, don't you? What was it again? 'Palestine free, from sea to shining sea', ain't it?)
You're a liar, a raging anti-Semite, & the blogosphere would be better off w/o your rancid anger, your woefully inadequate personality & debate skills, & your automaton cut 'n paste.
Goodbye, & good riddance.