virus: Banning the teaching of evolution

Sodom (sodom@ma.ultranet.com)
Thu, 17 Jun 1999 10:33:05 -0400

Have any of you been paying attention to what is happening in the US congress right now? There seems to be a serious assault upon basic freedoms and science. According to Tom Delay of Texas the problem regarding violence has to do with the teaching of evolution in schools. I have been looking for the exact quote but cannot find it, so this is my best recollection of his exact words. In a sarcastic tone when discussing gun violence: "It couldn't be because school children are taught that they are nothing more than glorified apes that sprung from some primordial mud". Yes that's right - it was even suggested in the house that the teaching of evolution be BANNED from public school. I would say that this was the first time recently that I have actually been afraid of the right wing!

The problem is that these people are White. They are of the opinion that school shootings are a new phenomena and that now it is imperitave to stop the shootings. - forget that school shootings have been going on in urban schools for 20 years (I wonder how much this attention will help urban schools)- I suppose when it happens to THEM it is ok - but when it happens to US that is different. I suppose not one of you will be surprised.

What is the point of this post you ask? UTism and some sort of meme that will interfere with UTism. Is it possible to get the average person to somehow double think when this meme raises it's head? Frankly, I have no idea how. Even with such a meme, the immediate benefits to the "US" may be limited and seen as insignificant from within UTism. Are there benefits that can be demonstrated to those within the grasp of UTism that will help them rethink a strategy?

Bill Roh