Oklahoma, Dawkins and book learnin' an' such
According to the Thoughts from Kansas blog, Oklahoma legislator Todd Thomsen has introduced a resolution condemning the University of Oklahoma for inviting Richard Dawkins to speak on campus. Below is the text of the resolution:
WHEREAS, the University of Oklahoma is a publicly funded institution which should be open to all ideas and should train students in all disciplines of study and research and to use independent thinking and free inquiry; andWHEREAS, the University of Oklahoma has planned a year-long celebration of the 200th birthday of Charles Darwin and the 150th anniversary of Darwin’s theory of evolution, called the “Darwin 2009 Project”, which includes a series of lectures, public speakers, and a course on the history of evolution; and
WHEREAS, the University of Oklahoma, as a part of the Darwin 2009 Project, has invited as a public speaker on campus, Richard Dawkins of Oxford University, whose published opinions, as represented in his 2006 book “The God Delusion”, and public statements on the theory of evolution demonstrate an intolerance for cultural diversity and diversity of thinking and are views that are not shared and are not representative of the thinking of a majority of the citizens of Oklahoma; and
WHEREAS, the invitation for Richard Dawkins to speak on the campus of the University of Oklahoma on Friday, March 6, 2009, will only serve to present a biased philosophy on the theory of evolution to the exclusion of all other divergent considerations rather than teaching a scientific concept.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 1ST SESSION OF THE 52ND OKLAHOMA LEGISLATURE:
THAT the Oklahoma House of Representative strongly opposes the invitation to speak on the campus of the University of Oklahoma to Richard Dawkins of Oxford University, whose published statements on the theory of evolution and opinion about those who do not believe in the theory are contrary and offensive to the views and opinions of most citizens of Oklahoma.
THAT the Oklahoma House of Representatives encourages the University of Oklahoma to engage in an open, dignified, and fair discussion of the Darwinian theory of evolution and all other scientific theories which is the approach that a public institution should be engaged in and which represents the desire and interest of the citizens of Oklahoma.
THAT a copy of this resolution be transmitted to the President of the University of Oklahoma, the Dean of the College of Arts and Science at the University of Oklahoma, and the Chair of the Department of Zoology at the University of Oklahoma.
There's some discussion of this idiocy over at RichardDawkins.net. Check it out ... http://richarddawkins.net/article,3641,n,n
And yes, Oklahoma has regular people too. See "Oklahomans for Excellence in Science Education" ... http://oklascience.org/
Well, any nutcase can introduce resolutions like that. The question is: Did the resolution actually pass?
Of course, even one person wanting to introduce a resolution like that is discouraging. But, if there are a majority of legislators wanting it, then it's a disouragement of a much different magnitude.
I saw Dawkins speak here two nights ago. It was excellent. The lecture was sponsored by an on-campus student group called "Campus Atheists, Skeptics, and Humanists". They mentioned before the lecture (to a packed auditorium of about 4,000 people) that the event was the largest student-sponsored event of the school year. Now, that was encouraging!
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Eleutherophobics of the World...Unite!!!
CNN
We can pop open a bottle of champagne when that percentage dips below 50%, M. Spector. But, alas, I will probably not live long enough to see that happen. Nevertheless, I'm confident it will eventually happen.
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Eleutherophobics of the World...Unite!!!
Illinois legislators (not to be outdone in their down home chauvinism) have passed a bill that states, the designation of "planet" will be restored to Pluto each moment it passes directrly above Illinoian air space, a billion or two kilometres out there.
Oh, yes, the reason...it was someone from Illinois who first identified Pluto out there in space in (1930?), and whose work should not be diminished by those in the scientific community who say it isn't big enough for planetary status.
That would be Clyde Tombaugh.
The real kicker here is that Pluto never passes directly over Illinois airspace!
"The real kicker here is that Pluto never passes directly over Illinois airspace! "
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But, but..you realize what this does for the credibility of Illinois' legislators!
Do you think that American lawmakers are showing signs of desperation in a search for safe subjects to debate, are trying to mollify voters concerns, with a public shaken by the recent failures of both god and mammon?