Tuesday, September 19, 2006
Up North!
RSR hates to steal PZ Myers thunder, but we've noticed that there's more than one strong supporter of evolution in the land of 10,000 lakes.
Marshall Helmberger, writing in the Timberjay Newspaper out of Ely -- launch site for many of RSR's paddling expeditions into the Boundary Waters Canoe Area, a rugged wilderness containing more than one million acres of forest and waterways in the Superior National Forest -- writes:
At the RSR household we're all big fans of NPR's "Prairie Home Companion." We think we know where Garrison Keillor, another Minnesotan, comes down on evolution wars. too.
What is it about Minnesota -- the cold winter weather, perhaps -- that seemingly helps our northern neighbors see this issue more clearly than others?
Marshall Helmberger, writing in the Timberjay Newspaper out of Ely -- launch site for many of RSR's paddling expeditions into the Boundary Waters Canoe Area, a rugged wilderness containing more than one million acres of forest and waterways in the Superior National Forest -- writes:
Despite all the evidence, it is a disturbing fact that the percentage of Americans who believe in evolution has fallen in recent decades. And that is certainly not the result of any lack of evidence for evolution. Sad to say, organized religion— especially the growing number of fundamentalist sects— must share a good bit of the blame for this trend. These groups are actively engaged in the diseducation of America and it’s frightening to think of the long term implications of this organized effort. This is a nation where science and sound education have played key roles in our success. To abandon science, and remove critical information from our student’s classrooms is flirting with disaster.
At the RSR household we're all big fans of NPR's "Prairie Home Companion." We think we know where Garrison Keillor, another Minnesotan, comes down on evolution wars. too.
What is it about Minnesota -- the cold winter weather, perhaps -- that seemingly helps our northern neighbors see this issue more clearly than others?
