Ever want to know how old the Grand Canyon is?
Well, don't ask the park services. They can't tell you.
Why not? As you might expect, it's due to pressure from Bush appointees, ignoring the protests of its own scientists as well as every scientific organization.
The National Park Sevices also sells creationist books, defending the act by saying that their book store is like a library and intends to give the broadest view possible. Of course, when the book was adopted in 2003, they rejected 22 other books, adopting only the creationist text. Furthermore, park policies as well as law reveals that the "park bookstores are more like schoolrooms rather than libraries."
When the book was adopted, it was promised that it would undergo a review to judge its merit. Three years later, and no review has even begun.
aaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh
ReplyDeleteAll this stuff makes my head hurt. And yet I can't stop reading about it.
Good posting - good blog - keep up the good work - and have a happy new year.
Can we just make up a story about finding evidence of eden in some far away galaxy and offer to build a generation ship for all creationists and their supporters to go there with? Do you think they would go for it?
ReplyDeletePerhaps I am being too harsh but I am having some serious issues with the resurgence and apparent growth of creationism... and it's influences.
Well this just makes me sick. Thanks, I'm going to post a link back.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year!
Happy to see a fellow angrey scientist from Kansas!
ReplyDeleteI grew up in a fundamentalist Christian household and learned the sorts of things taught in this book as the gospel truth. But a few proper science courses - where I was encouraged to ask questions and answer them rationally - set me straight.
ReplyDeleteI am very disappointed that the park service still sells this book. I am outraged that the park service is being prevented from presenting knowledge obtained scientifically and that is, as far as we can say anything is true, is fact.
Hopefully, organizations like PEER, angry scientists, and the general, educated public will start to effect change.
Maybe now that we have TWO count them TWO Democratic representatives in Kansas a good old fashioned letter writing campaign is in order. Maybe moveon.org would take this issue up as well.
ReplyDeleteOh it gets even better. If you go to the NPS Grand canyon web site there are no direct links to canyon geology. You would think the most important feature of the park would merit serious discussion on the web site but noooooo!
ReplyDeleteYou need to go out of your way to search the archives.
Beautiful minds think alike. I have a very similar post on my blog:
ReplyDeletehttp://angrylabrat.blogspot.com/2007/01/clueless-conservatives-and-geology_02.html
Good blog, Angry Astronomer, from one angry scientist to another!
Is rationalist fundamentalism any better than religious fundamentalism?
ReplyDeleteOh it gets even better. If you go to the NPS Grand canyon web site there are no direct links to canyon geology. You would think the most important feature of the park would merit serious discussion on the web site but noooooo!
ReplyDeleteYou need to go out of your way to search the archives.
I grew up in a fundamentalist Christian household and learned the sorts of things taught in this book as the gospel truth. But a few proper science courses - where I was encouraged to ask questions and answer them rationally - set me straight.
ReplyDeleteI am very disappointed that the park service still sells this book. I am outraged that the park service is being prevented from presenting knowledge obtained scientifically and that is, as far as we can say anything is true, is fact.
Hopefully, organizations like PEER, angry scientists, and the general, educated public will start to effect change.
Can we just make up a story about finding evidence of eden in some far away galaxy and offer to build a generation ship for all creationists and their supporters to go there with? Do you think they would go for it?
ReplyDeletePerhaps I am being too harsh but I am having some serious issues with the resurgence and apparent growth of creationism... and it's influences.