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February 27, 2007
What Is It With Doctor-Senators in Tennessee?
Is there some strange neuralchemy (my word) that occurs when a Tennessean with a medical degree achieves the elected office of Senator (whether state or U.S.), that redefines all of the subject's memory on matters of science? First we had an episode during the embarrassing national incident around a poor brain-dead woman in Florida, where the sitting U.S. Senate Majority Leader, Bill Frist, M.D., perpetrated a fraudulent "diagnosis"; and Frist also advocated for "Intelligent Design" non-theory to be included in public science education.
Now we have a state Senator, Raymond Finney, M.D. (Maryville), who is behind a resolution that, if passed by the Senate (the House need not be involved), will demand that the Tennessee Department of Education respond publicly to a series of questions on the origin of the Universe. (Why the Dept of Ed has any say on that is way beyond me.) These questions are shockingly incoherent, taken together — and again, they come from an educated mind.
“Is the universe and all that is within it, including human beings, created through purposeful, intelligent design by a Supreme Being, that is a Creator?”“Since the universe, including human beings, is created by a supreme being (a creator), why is creationism not taught in Tennessee public schools?
“Since it cannot be determined whether the universe, including human beings, is created by a supreme being (a creator), why is creationism not taught as an alternative concept, explanation, or theory, along with the theory of evolution in Tennessee public schools?”
It is beyond reprehensible that our upper legislative body is wasting valuable time on promoting this academic fraud. I thought, innocently enough, that a Republican-controlled Senate would benefit the state by balancing a Democratic House and administration, and would help us focus on things like controlling spending, cutting taxes (on groceries, say), and promoting private economic growth.
However, before you make up your mind for sure to agree, read this "interview" with the Senator by SayUncle. I should warn you to avoid having any food or drink, unless you want it all over your machine.
Education , Government | By joe lance | 11:31 PM