Please sign petition.

[Rog]

I dont know if this is the correct forum, but since it is an American right being mistreaded with, I am posting it here. I have been encountering so harrestment on the issue of evolution in my filed of work, a co-worker pointed me out to this site. please take a look.
Academic Freedom Petition

[Jack]

I'm sure people interested in honesty in academia wouldn't be so underhanded to try and present a petition that asks for what already exists just as a pretext to continue the pointless effort to introduce the discredited (Un)Intelligent Design claim into science classrooms. But one has to ask, what's the point of this?

Any teacher who teaches evolution as absolute fact is incorrect and needs to be told to teach it as what it is, a scientific fact without any viable alternative yet presented that accounts for all the natural evidence of change and adaptation among living species. Just as any mathematics teacher who teaches that 1+1=153 needs to be corrected.

Of course anyone reading further would find this petition is being presented by a Christian group who espouses anything but honest education.

The Academic Freedom Petition, www.academicfreedompettion.com is a project of Discovery Institute’s Center for Science & Culture.

(from that same source)

The Discovery Institute is a conservative public policy U.S. think tank based in Seattle, Washington, best known for its advocacy of intelligent design and its Teach the Controversy campaign to teach creationist anti-evolution beliefs in United States public high school science courses.[2][3][4][5][6] A federal court, along with the majority of scientific organizations, including the American Association for the Advancement of Science, say the Institute has manufactured the controversy they want to teach by promoting a false perception that evolution is "a theory in crisis", through incorrectly claiming that it is the subject of wide controversy and debate within the scientific community.[7][8][9] In 2005, a federal court ruled that the Discovery Institute pursues "demonstrably religious, cultural, and legal missions",[10] and the institute's manifesto, the Wedge strategy, describes a religious goal: to "reverse the stifling dominance of the materialist worldview, and to replace it with a science consonant with Christian and theistic convictions".[11][12]

Discovery Institute - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

They promote such nonsense as "Expelled: No Intelligence Required (an ironically honest title). Since this movie sums up the overt goals of the Discovery Institute (the Wedge Document describes their covert goals) and their petition, let's look at some independent reviews of the movie:

The New York Times leads with: One of the sleaziest documentaries to arrive in a very long time, “Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed” is a conspiracy-theory rant masquerading as investigative inquiry. Mixing physical apples and metaphysical oranges at every turn “Expelled” is an unprincipled propaganda piece that insults believers and nonbelievers alike. In its fudging, eliding and refusal to define terms, the movie proves that the only expulsion here is of reason itself. From the LA City Beat: One might accuse Michael Moore of similarly facile, manipulative techniques – and I have – but Moore has never gone to lengths nearly as outrageous as the makers of Expelled. (For what it’s worth, he’s also funnier.) In the third act, Stein and company move beyond mere visual associations, when they build a case linking Darwinism to Nazism – which is not merely insultingly lame, but also ranks as one of the cheapest, most offensive exploitations of the horrors of the Holocaust I’ve ever witnessed (and I’ve witnessed plenty). Expelled is another expression of the right wing’s victim complex. It’s classic paranoid thinking: Since we’re pure and correct, any setbacks we suffer must be the result of an Evil Conspiracy. Communists are fluoridating our water. Purity of Essence. We couldn’t be doing substandard academic work. Our poor advancement must have to do with a blacklist! (Stein himself used this idea to bully Norman Lear into giving him a writing job.) From Slant Magazine: For a film about American freedom of expression and the necessity for open dialogue, it’s hard to imagine Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed being more one-sided, narrow-minded, and intellectually dishonest. To their film’s catastrophic detriment, Stein and director Nathan Frankowski fail to provide concrete examples of the flaws in Darwin’s theory, content instead to simply have speakers (many with impressive credentials) state that it’s problematic and then treat such unsupported statements as verifiable truth. Nor, ultimately, do they examine the obvious and crucial religious underpinnings of the “intelligent design movement,” whose onscreen adherents deliberately refuse to speculate on the source of this creative “intelligence” because their opinion on the identity of this fundamental biological architect—God—would conclusively reveal Expelled as propaganda for a Christian-right movement whose own champion, Ronald Reagan, Stein ultimately depicts as his spiritual counterpart. From E! Reviews: A flunkout of a documentary, this features Ben Stein—still best known for his monotone “Anyone…anyone?”—advocating creationism, er, intelligent design, in science classrooms. Stein’s credibility is blown on this poorly constructed diatribe, and you’d be smart to save your bucks. Plus, he’s tedious and unfunny. With a heavy, heavy hand, the pic punctuates every scene with over-the-top archival footage—the Berlin wall, Stalin and other Cold War imagery. Despite insisting “intelligent design” isn’t pro-God propaganda, Stein argues we’re waging a religious war (cut to cannon fire) with Darwinists smiting the faithful with—gasp!—atheistic ideas. Most outrageously, he plays the overused Nazi card—he tours an old concentration camp and notes Hitler himself was influenced by Darwin. Yes, kids, studying evolution leads to this (cut to dead prisoners). Expelled pretends it wants to encourage debate but shuts down and edits around every Darwinian scientist who attempts to explain complex issues, as Stein makes snide remarks in voice-over. The Waco Tribune: [The] film’s arguments are a rhetorical mishmash of straw men, red herrings, guilt by association, quote harvesting, gotcha interviews and post hoc ergo propter hoc (after this, therefore because of this) associations that may cause your head to pop. It’s a propaganda form highly polished by director/activist Michael Moore on the other end of the political spectrum. Those coming to Expelled hoping to learn something about any research behind ID, a fair appraisal of weaknesses in evolutionary theories or — perhaps the film’s most glaring and telling omission — how Christian evolutionists reconcile faith and science will leave sorely disappointed. The latter is quickly dismissed by a chain of quotes that brand them as liberal Christians and duped by militant atheists in their efforts to get religion out of the classroom. From TV Guide: It’s hard to pinpoint the most insulting aspects of this obvious propaganda piece from Ben Stein, the eye-drops spokesman, conservative writer and pundit whom most people remember from a bit part in FERRIS BUELLER’S DAY OFF. But surely the film’s greatest offense is the utter shamelessness with which it exploits the Holocaust, veering far off topic for a side trip to Nazi killing centers at Hadamar and Dachau in an attempt to tar Darwin with the old “Evolution led directly to eugenics and the Final Solution” brush. The camera’s slow tracking shots through the death camps are followed by a similar creepy crawl through Down House, where Darwin wrote On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection. None of this has anything to do with the validity of evolutionary theory or intelligent design, and only serves to point up how any theory can be used to justify evil ends. From the Salt Lake Tribune: The scholars Stein and the film’s producers interview say they just want an open debate where creationism - pardon, intelligent design - and Darwinist evolution can be discussed side-by-side. What’s wrong with that? Stein asks with mock-innocence. Alas, the movie’s makers (Stein and co-writers Kevin Miller and Walt Ruloff, and director Nathan Frankowski) don’t debate honestly. Stein mocks university officials for not “getting off [their] script,” but says nothing about the repetitive talking points from the ID crowd. The ID folks complain that the term “evolution” is too vaguely defined, and yet never adequately define what “intelligent design” is. They swear they aren’t espousing religion, then try to discredit the leading evolutionary biologists - such as Richard Dawkins and P.Z. Myers - because they are atheists. Oddly enough, the tactics employed in “Expelled” undercut the movie’s argument, most notably in the interviews with Dawkins and Myers and in Stein’s trip to Darwin’s British home (now a museum). Either the filmmakers suckered these participants under false pretenses, or the evolutionists are more open to debate than Stein suggests. Perhaps the intelligent-design proponents know that in a truly open debate, their argument isn’t fit enough to survive.

(Even more)
It's even been panned by religious right writers.

Anyone who wishes to challenge evolution is welcome to do so. But you need more than a convoluted supposition without any research or evidence in order to reverse years of honest research and debate. The Dover School District found that out in 2005. Creationism under any disguise has no place in a science classroom.

[Rog]

So did you sign it??

[Jack]

Of course not. It's dishonest, purposely misleading and supports a concept I'm in complete opposition to. Did I fail to make that clear?

[Diogenes]

Any teacher who teaches evolution as absolute fact is incorrect and needs to be told to teach it as what it is, a scientific fact without any viable alternative yet presented that accounts for all the natural evidence of change and adaptation among living species. Just as any mathematics teacher who teaches that 1+1=153 needs to be corrected.

well said.

And I checked it out...no offense but there's a lot of sites that just plain make s_it up...and there's more than a few of those sites linked to...

but, yes, TV Guide did post that review, so I'm assuming the other reviews are likely on target too.

TV Guide Review:
Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed Review

I wouldn't sign it either.

[Killroy]

Quote by: Rog I dont know if this is the correct forum, but since it is an American right being mistreaded with, I am posting it here. I have been encountering so harrestment on the issue of evolution in my filed of work, a co-worker pointed me out to this site. please take a look. Academic Freedom Petition

This does not add up.

You say that a co-worker pointed out this this site to you , and you started this thread at 01:05 pm today , 08 Jan. 09 .

Yet you have been a member since May 16, 2008 , long enough to post 816 replies .

Why did you wait 8 months before you started this petition on this forum ?

[Jack]

It's too long to quote, but Roger Ebert's review of Expelled, and by extension ID, the Discovery Institute and the true purpose of this petition, is an excellent read.
Win Ben Stein's mind - Roger Ebert's Journal

[Jack]

Killroy, it could be his co-worker just showed him this today. Who knows? It's not relevant. There's plenty to debate on the topic without getting sidetracked by motivations.

[Compugasm]

Quote by: Rog I am posting it here.

I hate to burst your bubble. But an internet petition is worth exactly two farts.

[Kamehameha34]

It's funny that people are still trying to sell that giving absurd, untested ideas a fast-track to the classroom equates to any brand of freedom of thought.

Also ironic is the frequent misuse of the word 'freedom' by religious conservatives. It's almost developed a negative connotation.

[Jinei]

I want to know why they aren't encouraging the "scientific strengths and weaknesses" of the theory gravity, atomic theory, germ theory and plate tectonic theory. Our children are being forced to believe in gravity without debate!!!!

I'll sign no such petition.

[Rog]

Quote by: Killroy This does not add up. You say that a co-worker pointed out this this site to you , and you started this thread at 01:05 pm today , 08 Jan. 09 . Yet you have been a member since May 16, 2008 , long enough to post 816 replies . Why did you wait 8 months before you started this petition on this forum ?

What does how long I have been posting here have to do with my co worker pointing me out to that site?

[Rog]

If you agree with the motive or not should not matter, what does matter is that the freedom of speech is being violated.

[Chancellor]

Quote by: Rog I dont know if this is the correct forum, but since it is an American right being mistreaded with, I am posting it here. I have been encountering so harrestment on the issue of evolution in my filed of work, a co-worker pointed me out to this site. please take a look. Academic Freedom Petition

Government indoctrination centers (public schools and state-run colleges/universities) are secular institutions with the sole purpose of indoctrinating the masses in the those things the government wants them to believe. There is no place for conflicting views. Don't be so stupid as to think these government indoctrination centers give a rat's ass about acadmic or intellectual freedom - toe the party line or get the hell out!

[shawmutt]

Evolution belongs in a science class, design philosophies (intellegent or otherwise) belong in a religion class--end of story. I read an interesting article on a bill trying to make its way through the Oklahoma senate and the rebadging of creationism as "academic freedom":

Oklahoma: Doomed | Bad Astronomy | Discover Magazine

As far as that crapumentary "Expelled" (that yes, I wasted 90 minutes of my life watching), I just direct people to Expelled Exposed: Why Expelled Flunks

[Killroy]

Quote by: Rog What does how long I have been posting here have to do with my co worker pointing me out to that site?

Make up your mind , you said 'this site' last time , as in This Site.

What did that site think of you , after your co worker pointed you out to it ?

Was it impressed ?

[Chancellor]

Quote by: shawmutt Evolution belongs in a science class, design philosophies (intellegent or otherwise) belong in a religion class--end of story. I read an interesting article on a bill trying to make its way through the Oklahoma senate: Oklahoma: Doomed | Bad Astronomy | Discover Magazine As far as that crapumentary "Expelled" (that yes, I wasted 90 minutes of my life watching), I just direct people to Expelled Exposed: Why Expelled Flunks

I don't agree that evolution belongs in a science class (at least to the extent that it deals with human origins) but, instead, in a philosophy class (since the entire issue of human origins is a philosophical one). But, as I said earlier, government schools are secular institutions intended to promote the government party line: no conflicting views allowed!

[shawmutt]

I don't agree that evolution belongs in a science class (at least to the extent that it deals with human origins) but, instead, in a philosophy class (since the entire issue of human origins is a philosophical one).

The biological evolution of humans is a scientific issue, I'm not sure what kind of evolution you are referring to.

But, as I said earlier, government schools are secular institutions intended to promote the government party line: no conflicting views allowed!

Anti-establishment conjecture not based on reality.

[Dan_77]

Quote by: Rog If you agree with the motive or not should not matter, what does matter is that the freedom of speech is being violated.

Apparently you were too busy studying intelligent design in your academic career to take a Constitutional law class.

The Supreme Court has stated on many occasions that the right to freedom of speech does not include the right to false or fraudulent speech, which "ID theory" is when it purports to be areligious or scientific.



Anyway, as far as petitions go, I prefer this one:

Clergy Letter Project. Website Banners. Project Links

It's an open letter signed by over 11,000 clergy members, stating that evolution is "a fundamental scientific truth" and imploring our schools not to treat it as just "one theory among many".

[grandpa]

Quote by: tivodan1116 Apparently you were too busy studying intelligent design in your academic career to take a Constitutional law class. The Supreme Court has stated on many occasions that the right to freedom of speech does not include the right to false or fraudulent speech, which "ID theory" is when it purports to be areligious or scientific.

I'm certainly not in favor of creationism, but the idea that the "Supreme Court" determines what is and is not free speech is simply ridiculous. That view is just as superstitious as "intelligent design," as far as I'm concerned.

That being said, ID is not scientific. It cannot be tested, so it therefore has no place in a science classroom. In fact, it discourages scientific inquiry.

Grandpa h.