I always love the fact the Bill Nye is SO damn polite when he talks about this subject, even though you KNOW it must be irritating the crap out of him that he has to defend something that he feels every child in America should be taught without any controversy.
However perhaps if he were to see exactly the kind of garbage these Creationists are subjecting children to in this country he might be a little less diplomatic.
Here is a clip of Creationist Kent Hovind destroying the ability of a room full of young children to develop critical thinking skills. (By the way if you so angered by this clip that you want to knock Hovind on his ass don't bother, he is currently serving a ten year sentence in federal prison for tax fraud.)
As you can see from the clip, there is no talk of a choice, but simply the refutation of evolution as irrefutably wrong. And it is said in front of children at their MOST impressionable ages.
In my opinion that is child abuse.
And even though Hovind may no longer be allowed to spread his poison, there are many more that have gladly taken his place, including Ken Ham the founder of the Creation Museum in, where else, Kentucky. And as I shared earlier, in places like Louisiana there are elementary school classes receiving funding from the state that present the most ridiculous versions of religion based "science" imaginable.
This is a BIG problem in this country and one that I think needs to be aggressively addressed by respected scientific spokespeople like Neil deGrasse Tyson and Bill Nye, who I feel have sometimes been a little TOO cautious in their responses. While they are carefully choosing their words so as not to offend the religious, our children are being dumbed down to the point that THEIR next contribution to the world of technology might be a a slightly improved version of the stone wheel.
P.S. By the way somebody suggested this link for the next idiot that says they don't believe anybody really know the actual age of the earth. Perhaps somebody should send it to Marco Rubio.
I just came back from Kentucky. The only thing I liked about the place was that there was absolutely no line to see Lincoln at the Cineplex (as there would have been in my hometown. )
ReplyDeleteSad, really.
"in, where else, Kentucky"-----Well, we can't all live in sophisticated places like Alaska.
ReplyDeleteWe'll always need someone to serve us an espresso or some fast food, so who cares if these kids epically fail at learning....
ReplyDeleteThe "Age" of the earth is not debatable. You are letting these freaks have standing when you frame it as a 'debate.' The same way we give credibility to whack-jobs that happen to hold office but really don't belong in decision making bodies.
ReplyDeleteI spent 6 hours in the Natural History Museum in NYC this weekend. Most of the families (and there were VERY MANY), had parents who read or commented on the displays - and the science behind the displays - as a learning experience. However, in the room of the "extinct mammals," I happened to be beside a woman was explaining to her kids that early mammals were extinct because "god did not think he had a need for them."
ReplyDeleteFortunately, the next parents assured their children that it all had to do with evolution/climate change, other issues rooted in science.
Hooray for good parents!
+ 1 Good Parents take the time to create teachable moments" in their kid's lives.
DeleteSomeone should add that lady to "the extinct mammals" exhibit - I'm sure she'd be flattered! ;o)
It's pretty difficult to imagine Bill Nye angry. Don't know if it's the bow tie, his way of speaking or his passion to teach science and apply it to something anyone can relate to.
ReplyDeleteThat's the mark of a good educator, but even a good educator won't change the mind of people with Rubio's mindset.
If the most basic tenets of one's religion can be absolutely proved to be wrong
ReplyDelete...wouldn't a sane person re-think his belief system?
When speaking of those who have the mind set Rubio is displaying, religion and sanity are incompatible words.
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