# Anti-ID Professor beaten in Kansas **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [December 6, 2005, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-id-professor-beaten-in-kansas/334382 "2005-12-06T17:38:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2005, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-id-professor-beaten-in-kansas/334382/1 "2005-12-06T17:38:56Z")
[Link](http://www.kansas.com/mld/eagle/living/education/13337930.htm) > [@](#): > > LAWRENCE - A professor whose planned course on creationism and intelligent design was canceled after he sent e-mails deriding Christian conservatives was hospitalized Monday after what appeared to be a roadside beating. > > University of Kansas religious studies professor Paul Mirecki said that the two men who beat him made references to the class that was to be offered for the first time this spring. > > \< snip \> > > “I just pulled over hoping they would pass, and then they pulled up real close behind,” he said. “They got out, and I made the mistake of getting out.” > > He said the men beat him on the head, shoulders and back with their fists, and possibly a metal object. > > Wempe said Mirecki drove himself to the hospital after the attack. > > Mirecki told the student newspaper, the University Daily Kansan, that he spent between three and four hours at the hospital. He said his injuries included a broken tooth. > > “I’m mostly shaken up, and I got some bruises and sore spots,” he told the Lawrence Journal-World. I guess this is what Christians mean when they talk about “love your enemy”; they love beating on people. I’ve made it clear I feel religion is about barbarism and ignorance, and this sort of thing is why. I’d also like to bring a news flash to these thugs : You’re wrong. Your beliefs are nonsense, and beating people won’t make you any righter. Terrorizing people into silence won’t make you right; forcing your garbage into the classroom won’t make it right. You’ll _always_ be wrong. Barbarians. ---
**Author:** ![Ponder\_Stibbons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponder_stibbons/32/343_2.png) [@Ponder\_Stibbons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponder_Stibbons)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2005, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-id-professor-beaten-in-kansas/334382/2 "2005-12-06T17:42:08Z")
Back before the civil war, as anti-slavery forces got louder and louder, pro-slavery politicians from the South got more and more violent. There was even a famous case where a southern Senator beat up an anti-slavery northern Senator and was roundly congratulated by his colleagues for his “feat”. ---
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2005, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-id-professor-beaten-in-kansas/334382/3 "2005-12-06T17:49:11Z")
> [@Der Trihs](#): > > I’d also like to bring a news flash to these thugs : You’re wrong. I’d like to point out that it’s entirely possible to condemn the actions of these thuggish idiots without adding this irrelevant, insulting (to plenty of dopers who are far smarter than you), and unproveable postscript. ---
**Author:** ![Twin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/85f322/32.png) [@Twin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Twin)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2005, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-id-professor-beaten-in-kansas/334382/4 "2005-12-06T17:50:54Z")
> [@Der Trihs](#): > > I guess this is what Christians mean when they talk about “love your enemy”; they love beating on people. You are so right. All Christians love beating people up. Just like all the soldiers over in Iraq are thugs. :rolleyes: You must have hit Home Depot’s doorbusters sales after Thanksgiving. That’s my only explanation for all the broad brushes you have been painting groups with. Having said that, I hope the guys who did this are found and sent to prison. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2005, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-id-professor-beaten-in-kansas/334382/5 "2005-12-06T17:53:20Z")
Stupid, ignorant, intolerant, backward. No mere words can describe these cretins. ---
**Author:** ![Weirddave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/919ad9/32.png) [@Weirddave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weirddave)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2005, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-id-professor-beaten-in-kansas/334382/6 "2005-12-06T17:55:06Z")
> [@Twin](#): > > You are so right. All Christians love beating people up. Just like all the soldiers over in Iraq are thugs. :rolleyes: > > You must have hit Home Depot’s doorbusters sales after Thanksgiving. That’s my only explanation for all the broad brushes you have been painting groups with. After reading the OP, my first thought was “Jesus, doesn’t this guy have _any_ brushes that aren’t 6 feet wide?”. You beat me to it. ---
**Author:** ![Cliffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2005, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-id-professor-beaten-in-kansas/334382/7 "2005-12-06T17:55:25Z")
[Unfortunately (I guess), those in the wrong don’t have a monopoly on barbarism. That people espousing the Christian faith have engaged in such behavior is proof that those dudes have their heads up their asses, but don’t be surprised if a secular humanist throws a punch or two a week from now. (Lord knows I’ve been sorely tempted.) –Cliffy ---
**Author:** ![Wolfian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/7ea924/32.png) [@Wolfian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wolfian)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2005, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-id-professor-beaten-in-kansas/334382/8 "2005-12-06T17:55:30Z")
There’s a _Smallville_ joke to be made here, but I’m not finding it. > [@MaxTheVool](#): > > I’d like to point out that it’s entirely possible to condemn the actions of these thuggish idiots without adding this irrelevant, insulting (to plenty of dopers who are far smarter than you), and unproveable postscript. What **Max** and **Twin** said. The people who did this are assclowns without doubt, but to label all of Kansas based on their actions isn’t right. ---
**Author:** ![Excalibre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@Excalibre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Excalibre)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2005, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-id-professor-beaten-in-kansas/334382/9 "2005-12-06T17:59:59Z")
> [@MaxTheVool](#): > > I’d like to point out that it’s entirely possible to condemn the actions of these thuggish idiots without adding this irrelevant, insulting (to plenty of dopers who are far smarter than you), and unproveable postscript. Um, belief in Intelligent Design _is_ incorrect. Many fundamentalist Christians seem to believe in some form of factual relativism, but here in the real world we don’t believe that matters of fact vary from person to person. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2005, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-id-professor-beaten-in-kansas/334382/10 "2005-12-06T18:00:47Z")
> [@MaxTheVool](#): > > I’d like to point out that it’s entirely possible to condemn the actions of these thuggish idiots without adding this irrelevant, insulting (to plenty of dopers who are far smarter than you), and unproveable postscript. I’m pretty sure **Der Trihs** was only talking about creationism, not Christianity and (if that’s the case) then he’s correct. Creationism is bullshit, it’s proveably so, and beating people up will not make it any more true. Having said that, this assault does not prove anything about Christians as a group. Only that (as we know) some people are assholes no matter what they believe. Religion seems to aggravate things, though. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2005, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-id-professor-beaten-in-kansas/334382/11 "2005-12-06T18:24:43Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > I’m pretty sure **Der Trihs** was only talking about creationism, not Christianity and (if that’s the case) then he’s correct. Nor was he talking about Kansans. Reading comprehension, folks. It isn’t just for breakfast anymore. Speaking of Kansans, last weekend I hooked up with my cousin for the first time since… Well, since Star Wars first came out. It was a blast to hang out with him. He and his wife are proof positive that a good number of Kansans are kind, witty, and above average in intelligence. In fact, that’s true of the vast majority of Kansans I’ve met, and that’s quite a few. Don’t let a couple of ignant violent yahoos ruin the reputation of an otherwise fine state. (Then again, whenever I hear stories about ignant violent yahoos, my mind immediately conjures up Kansas, Texas, and Florida. Probably coincidence.) ---
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2005, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-id-professor-beaten-in-kansas/334382/12 "2005-12-06T18:41:13Z")
> [@Ponder Stibbons](#): > > Back before the civil war, as anti-slavery forces got louder and louder, pro-slavery politicians from the South got more and more violent. There was even a famous case where a southern Senator beat up an anti-slavery northern Senator and was roundly congratulated by his colleagues for his “feat”. Actually, it was a southern Representative who beat up a northern Senator, although not for being anti-slavery. Sumner (the Senator) had just given a speech that day that had delivered some fairly vicious personal insults to Andrew Butler (a southern Senator) who was not present at the time. Since the southern Representative was a relative of Butler, he felt duty-bound to defend his kinsman’s honor. Normally this would be done with a duel between gentleman, but the Rep didn’t think Sumner was a gentleman and so he just beat him with a stick. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2005, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-id-professor-beaten-in-kansas/334382/13 "2005-12-06T18:44:17Z")
> [@Der Trihs](#): > > I guess this is what Christians mean when they talk about “love your enemy”; they love beating on people. You’re wrong. Your belief that this is what “love thy neighbor” means is nonsense, and imputing to a whole group of people the actions of a few idiots won’t make you any righter. ---
**Author:** ![Daisy\_Mae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/46a35a/32.png) [@Daisy\_Mae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daisy_Mae)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2005, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-id-professor-beaten-in-kansas/334382/14 "2005-12-06T19:00:34Z")
> [@Neurotik](#): > > Normally this would be done with a duel between gentleman, but the Rep didn’t think Sumner was a gentleman and so he just beat him with a stick. Quite gentlemanly of him! ---
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2005, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-id-professor-beaten-in-kansas/334382/15 "2005-12-06T19:04:54Z")
> [@Excalibre](#): > > Um, belief in Intelligent Design _is_ incorrect. Many fundamentalist Christians seem to believe in some form of factual relativism, but here in the real world we don’t believe that matters of fact vary from person to person. Well, I happen to agree with you, but it didn’t seem to me that the OP was talking about ID specifically, but about Christianity in general. (Which I _still_ tend to think is wrong, but not in some proveable sense, whereas I believe ID is proveably wrong, at least as far as it attempts to claim that the theory of evolution is wrong.) ---
**Author:** ![Daisy\_Mae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/46a35a/32.png) [@Daisy\_Mae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daisy_Mae)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2005, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-id-professor-beaten-in-kansas/334382/16 "2005-12-06T19:07:30Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > You’re wrong. Your belief that this is what “love thy neighbor” means is nonsense, and imputing to a whole group of people the actions of a few idiots won’t make you any righter. I can’t speak for the person you’re addressing but they mentioned “love they enemy” not they neighbor. Perhaps they were referring to what Jesus is supposed to have said : 43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. 44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; -Matthew 5: 43-44 ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2005, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-id-professor-beaten-in-kansas/334382/17 "2005-12-06T19:10:58Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > You’re wrong. Your belief that this is what “love thy neighbor” means is nonsense, and imputing to a whole group of people the actions of a few idiots won’t make you any righter. He’s not wrong, he’s just using the wrong size brush. It’s clear from this incident that at least two self-professed Christians\* are sorta kinda missing the whole point of the Jesus thing. \*Which I’m taking on faith for now. ---
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2005, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-id-professor-beaten-in-kansas/334382/18 "2005-12-06T19:11:21Z")
> [@Cliffy](#): > > [Unfortunately (I guess), those in the wrong don’t have a monopoly on barbarism. That people espousing the Christian faith have engaged in such behavior is proof that those dudes have their heads up their asses, but don’t be surprised if a secular humanist throws a punch or two a week from now. (Lord knows I’ve been sorely tempted.) > > –Cliffy While I certainly agree that there are idiots of all stripes, I’ll actually be quite surprised if such a punch is thrown. In general, it’s easier to get really worked up about something by belief than by lack of belief. There are some really passionate Chicago Bears fans out there. There really aren’t any people who are really passionate in their not caring one way or the other about the Chicago Bears. ---
**Author:** ![Revenant\_Threshold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@Revenant\_Threshold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revenant_Threshold)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2005, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-id-professor-beaten-in-kansas/334382/19 "2005-12-06T19:13:33Z")
Boo. A good, worthy pitting ruined by a crap OP. Insult ID proponents all you like, hell, insult the christians who did this, but like others have said, could you _use_ a broader brush? ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2005, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-id-professor-beaten-in-kansas/334382/20 "2005-12-06T19:15:02Z")
> [@Daisy Mae](#): > > 43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. 44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; -Matthew 5: 43-44 Ah, this explains a lot. Nowhere does it say “Love complete strangers who have done you no harm. Fail to follow them in thine pickup camel and beatest them to a bloody pulp, then ridest out into the flattest of deserts.” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-id-professor-beaten-in-kansas/334382.md?page=2)