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December 21, 2005

"Breathtaking Inanity"

Despite the fact that Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia is Satan himself, there are times when I am in awe of our judicial system. Good awe. Sometimes a judge manages to wade through a sea of rhetoric and emerge with a decision that makes such logical sense that all you can really do is give them a (virtual) pat on the back and say, "Well done."

So "Well done," U.S. District Judge John Jones. Yesterday you ruled against the teaching of so-called "intelligent design" in science classes in a Pennsylvania school system. At some point I plan on reading the full decision (PDF), but for now I'm enjoying the image of Jones sitting back and saying, "What do they think I am, STUPID? This is just creationism masquerading as science. DUH."

(Yes, District Court judges say "DUH" every now and then.)

From the ruling:

"To be sure, Darwin's theory of evolution is imperfect. However, the fact that a scientific theory cannot yet render an explanation on every point should not be used as a pretext to thrust an untestable alternative hypothesis grounded in religion into the science classroom or to misrepresent well-established scientific propositions."

DUH.

johnjones.jpg
Judge John Jones, smart guy
Teach intelligent design all you want, people! You just can't teach it in a science class. How would you like it if the school board mandated the teaching of evolution during Biblical Phrases 101? It doesn't belong there, and the idea that the concept of a "creator" is anything BUT religious and should be taught in a freakin' SCIENCE CLASS is just ...

... wait for it ...

... "breathtaking inanity."

*swoon* U.S. District Judge John Jones, you have your first groupie.

I love it when the judiciary gets bitchy.

In his ruling, Jones said that while intelligent design, or ID, arguments "may be true, a proposition on which the court takes no position, ID is not science." Among other things, the judge said intelligent design "violates the centuries-old ground rules of science by invoking and permitting supernatural causation"; it relies on "flawed and illogical" arguments; and its attacks on evolution "have been refuted by the scientific community."

It is a great day, people. A great day indeed.

Additionally, a hearty "Well done" to the voters of Dover, PA, who cast out (yes, Biblical reference there) in the November election eight of the nine school board members who started this dumb thing.

Posted by Highwaygirl on December 21, 2005 07:07 AM to the category Current Affairs
Comments

Yes, yes, YES!!!!

And, in a hysterical bon mot, especially for an atheist, thank f*ckin God that we have such a reasonable judge on the bench somewhere!

Posted by: mike at December 21, 2005 10:29 AM

I completely agree with this decision, but you can see why the president seems to want to go around the courts.

Posted by: Indigo at December 21, 2005 07:55 PM

Wow, Indigo, I never thought about that, but you're right. Even though that judge is a Republican appointed by Bush, the man clearly has a brain in his head (the judge, not Bush).

Man, it's got to suck as a president not to be able to pull the strings on your own judges. Heh.

Posted by: Highwaygirl at December 21, 2005 09:57 PM


Yes, they finally pegged it.
It shouldn't be taught in Science class
because it's not a scientific theory.
Not exactly rocket science.

Case closed.

Posted by: yando at December 22, 2005 05:30 AM
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