Today's Talking Point

[lollardfish]

To compete with China in the 21st century, we need to teach our students the best possible science. Teaching creationism - by any name, and intelligent design is only the latest in a long list - is unpatriotic.

Notes: Fear of the Soviets was critical in the defeat of creationism in the courts during the 50s and 60s. Biology and biological development (i.e. evolution) are going to become only more important branches of science in the next century - for economic reasons, medical reasons, but also military reasons.

Comments

[groomporter.livejournal.com]

I've always thought a lot of people would be able to accept evolution easier if they just view it as a theory of change, not as a theory of creation. I've never gone to track down Darwin's exact words, but when I was in public high school we were actually taught that Darwin said life was "created" and then evolved to its current state.

[mia-mcdavid.livejournal.com]

Well, the space race was a great thing for humankind in the knowledge and capabilities it gave us.

And, fear is a way better motivator than just about anything else, in my disappointed observation. Look how fear of terrorists caused everybody to cede authority to Shrubya, even when we knew he'd take us into this stupid war.

So, I guess we need some really good agit-prop about how the Chinese are going to take over the world.

The thing that really did us in was the absence of another superpower. This might help . . .

[groomporter.livejournal.com]

North Korea! Give the armed forces an Oriental holiday!
Seriously though, is anyone else old enough to remember the old "Domino Theory" -The fear in the 50's and 60's that the communists were going to take over one country after another like falling dominos. I'm willing to bet that conspiracy mongers around the world are looking at Bush's efforts at regime change in the same way.