I found it interesting that Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo have been mentioned in this thread. I haven’t lived in Michigan for 20 years and the first thing i thought when I saw the list of co-sponsor names was that they were probably all from Grand Rapids, Holland, Kalamazoo, Big Rapids, and maybe Battle Creek.
I am not implying that Pontiac/Waterford, Mt. Clemens, or Warren could not produce this silliness, but the legislators’ names all suggested southwest Lower Peninsula to me.
Gaaaaaaaaah.
I come in to GD for the first time in weeks, and I find this.
I really need to watch more news. Or read the rag that Xploder quoted (we’re from the same city).
This honks me off. I mean, REALLY honks me off. You wanna teach creationism? Fine. Teach it in a religion class. I have no objection to elective courses in religious history in the public schools (I myself am Pagan, but find the history of Judeo-Christianity utterly fascinating). Just don’t stick this stuff in a required science course, please. Not until you’ve got something besides the Bible to back it up.
Well, I would do that if I still lived in my home town (tomndebb called it right, I’m from Holland). However, a letter would show I’m now living in Chicago, and Rep. Kuipers would probably not care about my opinion if he knew I was an out-of-stater.
Wartime I hope that you’re correct. Both houses currently have a strong Republican edge. There have been some nutso bills that came out and went away, but this seems to have quite a few sponsors, and I’m not at all certain that the vote won’t fall onto party lines.
The results will be posted. If if gets passed, you won’t even have to load up the page, you’ll be able to hear me scream. :eek:
Something I noticed on a short visit to the US was the significant role of the huckster in the US. From Seaworld to TV talkshows to televangelists (to courtroom lawyers if your TV is anything to go by), there seems to be a horde of direct descendants of the snake-oil salesman, in cheap suits, whipping up hysteria: “Friends, you got trouble, right here in River City!” We have a few of those on street corners and they’re generally regarded as nuts. The Scopes trial was a battle of hucksters. The creation argument makes just as as good or better sound-bites as evolution, so it’s grist for hucksters’ mill.
Huckters are integral part of US culture in all areas, not just religion. Besides blowing stuff up and killing people it’s what we’re good at. 
Wartime Consigliori wrote:
I’ve read that statement as being attributed to Mark Twain. Then again, the attributor may have been in error.