A battle over teaching ‘intelligent design’ in school has
been raging in Dover, Pennsylvania. The school board had voted in a policy requiring 9th grade students
to hear a statement on intelligent design before learning about evolution (a
well established scientific theory). The school board has been pushing to get ‘intelligent
design’ taught in the schools. This has outraged many people in Dover
who don’t want Christian fundamentalist ideology imposed on their children in
school, at the expense of learning actual science. This past Tuesday, 8 of 9
school board members were voted out and replaced with candidates who don’t want “intelligent design” taught in schools.
While this demonstrated that many people will not put up
with moves towards theocracy, the battle to defend science is by no means over.
This past week the Kansas School Board approved curriculum that allows for
intelligent design and creationism to be taught in schools alongside evolution.
President Bush actually supports intelligent design being taught in schools. And
Pat Robertson, a prominent Christian fundamentalist leader who recently
publicly called for the assassination of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, had this
to day about Dover, Pennsylvania:
“I’d like to say to the good citizens of Dover.
If there is a disaster in your area, don’t turn to God, you just rejected Him
from your city. And don’t wonder why He hasn’t helped you when problems begin,
if they begin. I’m not saying they will, but if they do, just remember, you
just voted God out of your city. And if that’s the case, don’t ask for His help
because he might not be there.”
Here is Pat Robertson, who is an ardent supporter of Bush,
and has personally met with the President on numerous occasions, essentially
threatening people in Dover because
they don’t want fundamentalist religion taught in their school.
‘Your
government is moving each day closer to a theocracy, where a
narrow and hateful brand of Christian fundamentalism will rule.’