Bertvan:
>>For me, this evolution debate is reminiscent of McCarthyism. Your sincerity
>>and passionate belief in what you claim to defend is obvious. As were those
>>people who believed Communism was the magic answer to the world's problems,
>>as well as those who believed it was a powerful, sinister menace hiding
under
>>every bed. I didn't share either belief, but I deplored the tactics of
>>those who tried to stifle debate by threat and intimidation.
Susan:
>I have seen some passionate arguments and I can see how those can be
>intimidating, but I would like for you to quote some specific *threats*.
>Are you talking about the McCarthy era specifically? or has someone
>threatened you on this list?
Hi Susan,
After reading of the Dean Kenyon affair, where a tenured professor's classes
were taken away from him for voicing skepticism of neo Darwinism outside the
classroom, do you suppose any untenured professor would openly voice his
support for the design concept? Do you think any teacher who let it be known
there were people skeptical of Neo Darwinism in the highschool classroom
wouldn't feel threatened by the ACLU? Recently someone reported a
symposium held at a university on Darwinism. The only scientist
participating on the Darwinist side was said to be a psychologist. I suspect
some of the biologists who refused to participate may have done so because of
fear or reprisal. I have a relative in academia. While not even a
biologist, he is careful of what he says on the subject. And frankly, I
regard calling people with whom one disagrees "liars" a threatening tactic.
bertvan
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