[cross posted at Daily Kos]

In an article at worldnetdaily there is now another attempt at making the evolution/creationism debate into a “free speech” issue.

www.worldnetdaily.com :

Darwin-only challenger claims libel

Parent says ‘evolution spokeswoman’ trying to discredit effort

Posted: April 23, 2005

1:00 a.m. Eastern

© 2005 WorldNetDaily.com

A parent suing a school district over its teaching of evolution says he was libeled by the education establishment’s chief spokeswoman on Darwin, Eugenie Scott, in an attempt to discredit his efforts.

As WorldNetDaily reported, Larry Caldwell filed a civil-rights lawsuit in federal court against the Roseville Joint Union High School District and school officials in Sacramento, Calif., alleging his constitutional rights to free speech, equal protection and religious freedom were violated when he was prevented from introducing a curriculum that changes how the theory of evolution is taught, without introducing religious content.

(emphasis mine)

Now if you can’t convince someone that creationism is science you can try for a libel suit.

“It just shows that even after they’ve been told in detail the specific facts, they are not willing to rely on the truth in this debate,” Caldwell said. “It just confirms to me they have a strategy of using misinformation.”

<snip>

Scott’s article, Caldwell says “is typical of how the Darwinists ‘debate’ this issue – they tell lies about our side and try to discredit and marginalize everyone on our side by stereotyping us as ‘religious nut cases’ who are trying to inject Genesis into science classes, or to “ban evolution” from science classes.

According to Caldwell’s new debate rules, a call for creationists to supply evidence following the Scientific Method – before allowing biblical teaching in a SCIENCE class – is equivalent to “lying”. Supplying overwhelming evidence that discredits the limited Biblical world view is just trying to discredit “everyone on our side.” You know . . . just to be mean.

“What does that say about the strength of their argument on the merits of how Darwinism should be taught in our public schools?” he asked

<snip>

The lawsuit asks the court to reform the district’s practices to “ensure that citizens of all political viewpoints and religious beliefs will be able to enjoy their constitutional right to bring education policy proposals before the school board and other school officials on an equal basis, without illegal discrimination.”

Obviously, they are not actually familiar with any of the “arguments” from the scientific side.

I’ve written a few proposals for my local School Board to follow Caldwell’s lead:

  • I want a section that teaches that the planets are just dots printed on a series of 7 crystal spheres. These spheres surround our flat Earth, which is, indeed, the center of the Universe. Planets are no longer allowed to have moons either.
  • Magma is actually fire and brimstone. The Earth is hollow and is inhabited by Satan.
  • Our chemistry classes no longer have a good lab with Alchemy. I feel in our new economy the creation of the “Philosopher’s Stone” would do wonders – both in health care and the creation of gold bullion.
  • I want Astrology – including the teaching of making charts (both Western and Chinese star signs included) to be taught in all Astronomy classes. This will allow our students a better chance of being employed by the “Psychic Friends Network.”
  • Diseases such as Schizophrenia are truly possession by demons and can only be cured by an exorcism. I want medical schools to teach this forthwith because I know my Constitutional Rights.

Until these classes are accepted by my lying, libelous and mean-spirited school boards I will hold my breath until blue.

Or if someone has a big bucket of sand – I’ll just stick my head into it.

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