There is a new anti-science bill in Arizona. Go read about it here. It is interesting that these anti-science bills are sounding more and more like pro science bills except for just a few words that allow, encourage, and even require funding for the teaching of climate science denialism and creationism.
Michael Zimmerman has a nice write up on how the big boys in creationism have been rather flustered by a former High School Student (now College Student) Zach Kopplin who, as I’m sure you know, has been challenging creationists in halls of government and elsewhere for a few years now.
When Ham was asked if he had seen an article about Zack Kopplin, a Rice University sophomore who has been fighting creationism since his high school days in New Orleans, he responded simply and clearly: “Yes — he is a product of the system — brainwashed by secularists — is so ignorant about what science really is — we are writing a blog about it.”
Speaking of creationism and stuff, see how teaching it gets funded with public money!
And, from Big Sky Country, we have this:
When the time came for Montanans to speak about a creationist bill, no one but its author could be found to speak for it. Dozens of scientists, educators, theologians, and concerned parents came to the legislature to insist: “No creationism in Montana.”
Here’s the video:
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Love my home state Montana – the reddest of red states but still a bunch of iconoclasts who respect the hell out of education.
If you scratch the red off a Montanan, there’s often blue pretty close to the surface.
The Botanical Society is having its annual meeting in New Orleans this summer, so we’re constructing a symposium titled, “Yes, Bobby, evolution is real.” We’ve invited Zach to make a presentation. Should be fun especially now since Jindal wants to sound “smarter”.
I noticed some time ago that whenever I found an effective (IMHO) way to argue a point, within 24 hours that point would be turned on its head and made against whatever it was. I’d call it a whole cottage industry, but it’s bigger than that.
The organized nature of the attack machine will not surprise an observant person, but it does take people of good will by surprise. It is hard to believe in so much concentrated and petty evil.
Greg Laden – absolutely. I don’t live there anymore and haven’t for a while, but we’ve got a Democratic Governor and two Democratic Senators, even though McCain carried the state in 2008 and Romney in 2012. Only the state legislature is majority Republican and that’s largely down to Gerrymandering rather than actual majority vote as most of the population lives in towns that are pretty blue (Missoula, Bozeman, and Billings).
I was always impressed that for such a poor state, education was rated so highly and usually voted for in bond measures at the local level. It’s a great place to raise kids, although not so great for non-professional adults to find work which is why I don’t live there – I’d be unemployable! 🙂
My sister and her family lived in Montana for several years. It was interesting to watch her transition from radical lefty from the 60s to supporter of the Sagebrush Rebellion, while keeping many of her progressive values.