Warren Chisum: Is Our Children Learning Science?

Warren Chisum (R-Wingnut) and Chair of the powerful House Committee on the Creation Evidence Museum, distributed a memo to all House members this week that is not only pro-creationism and a bed time story about how man co-existed with the dinosaurs, but it is decidedly anti-Semitic. The memo was written by a legislator buddy of his from the progressive state of Georgia (see here and here).

Some of the stuff in the memo is really very special. I've been fighting these anti-science, anti-evolution wingnuts my whole professional life. Read it yourself and, seriously, don't you wonder what in God's name (no disrespect intended, I am being serious here!) Chisum was thinking giving this to all House members?? An excerpt:

Indisputable evidence - long hidden but now available to everyone - demonstrates conclusively that so-called secular evolution science is the Big-Bang 15-billion-year alternate "creation scenario" of the Pharisee Religion. This scenario is derived concept-for-concept from Rabbinic writings in the mystic "holy book" Kabbala dating back at least two millennia.

And, then we get a URL. www.fixedearth.com. I think that deserves its own special post. So, peruse the site yourself, if you want, or wait for the muse recap.

Chisum issued an apology for releasing the anti-Semitic document:

AUSTIN – House Appropriations Chairman Warren Chisum said Wednesday that he's "willing to apologize" for giving colleagues a document that contains what the Anti-Defamation League called "outrageous anti-Semitic material."

"The stuff that causes conflicts between religious beliefs, you know, I'd never be a party to that," Mr. Chisum said. "I'm willing to apologize if I've offended anyone."

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Mr. Chisum said he hadn't looked at the Web site and didn't realize that he was distributing that type of material. He expressed chagrin that he didn't vet the material more carefully.

He said he believes creation and evolution should both be taught in schools, and he separated himself from what he called "goofy stuff" on the Web site.

"I did not go to the Web site, which I understood maybe I should've done," he said.

Here's my problem. Well, three problems. The MEMO was decidedly anti-Semitic. Bad on him for not reading the website, but the memo has enough clues: Rabbinic, Pharisee and Kabbala! Maybe Chisum should take the TAKS test so that his reading comprehension score can go into the public record.

So, it's obvious he didn't read the memo carefully before he distributed it to all 150 House members. He's the Chair of Appropriations - in charge of spending our tax dollars. THIS is the guy we have in charge of that? Someone who is not detail oriented?

And, thirdly, let's not forget the wingnuttedness. Our education system is in an even more dire situation than I had predicted, if we are going to have to argue if we are going to teach science in science class or the Bible in science class. Here we go. Again.