OPINION
MONDAY, JANUARY 24, 2005
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
EDITORIAL BOARD
www.kansan.com
No creationism in school no evolution in church
As members of an academic community, students of the University of Kansas should be aware that as a result of the election, the Kansas State Board of Education now has a 6-4 anti-evolution majority consisting of those who are supportive of teaching "alternative theories" to counter evolution.
Kansas received in 1999 when the board voted to remove references to the theory of evolution on state assessment tests that are intended to measure student competency. The embarrassment ended when the standards were repealed in 2001, but the controversy returns as the standards are once again being revised and supporters of Intelligent Design theory denounce evolution in the curriculum.
It is essential that students be taught the theory of evolution and they can then decide personally what they would like to believe. Although our middle school and high school years are behind us, we still have an interest in preserving the educational integrity of our community.
Having a thorough education is advantageous to college students. Entrance exams, such as the SAT, include questions based on the knowledge of the subject. At the university, evolution is taught as a fact beyond a reasonable doubt.
Students who did not receive a satisfactory explanation of natural selection may also hold common misconceptions such as man descending from monkeys instead of what the theory truly states; that both have a common ancestor. Also, it is the cornerstone of modern biology.
Opponents of evolution attempt to attack Darwin by using Intelligent Design theory which provides a more sophisticated rebutal of natural selection than pure creationism as it does not specify the designer as God. On their Web site, intelligentdesignnetwork.org, "objectivity in the origins science" is stated as their aim. The theory says natural selection cannot adequately explain the complexity of life today and everything must have been created by an intelligent designer.
However, ScientificAmerican.com reports that they lack credibility and the backing of the scientific community who continue to view evolution as the best explanation of the diversity of life. Also ID theorists have been accused of disguising their religious agenda in scientific jargon to prove the existence of God.
Evolution is uncontested scientifically
but like all sciences, it welcomes scrutiny and alternative theories. A philosophical or religiously based argument has no relevance in science. Science consists of forming and testing hypotheses based on observable evidence.
The lack of scientific backing and religious motivations of ID theory and their religious motivations bring forth many concerns with the theory being taught as an alternative to evolution.
Primarily, science has nothing to do with proving or disproving the existence of God and furthermore to teach such a theory as science in the classroom in the United States would be unconstitutional. The 1987 case of Edwards v. Aguillard stated that creationism should not receive equal time because it violated the First Amendment clause prohibiting the establishment of religion.
The concern over separation of church and state has been a heavily discussed issue since the elections as it became apparent how increasingly polarized our country has become. The New York Times reported on April 8, 2001 that George W. Bush holds the position "that children should be exposed to both creationism and evolution in school". Will separation of church and state potentially be in danger over the next four years?
There will be four hearings in which the evaluation of state science standards will be open to the public. Information on these meetings are on the Kansas Department of Education Web site, www.ksde.org.
These are more than just school board hearings. Depending on one's perspective, one could partake in the fight for schools to present alternatives to evolution. After all, some feel that its claims threaten the validity of their religious convictions. Or it could be seen as the struggle against anti-intellectualism and the violation of the constitution.
The debate should not be framed in terms of choosing either science or religion. The curriculum should reflect teaching religion as religion and science as science. Evolution has no place in Sunday school just as Creationism has no place in a science class.
Sarah Stacy writing for the editorial board
Free for All
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What's with all this traffic? Ah yes, the dorm dwellers are back.
I'm just wondering how much more liberal propaganda is going to be in the Kansan, because I'm getting tired of this anti-Bush crap.
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Hey Free For All, get ready to know John and Ryan.
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This just in: John and Ryan caught a dragon — with their bare hands.
Did the Jayhawks get lost in the snow?
Four more years.
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PAIGE'S PERSPECTIVE
Paige Higgins/KANSAN
'Jesus' not an agent for self-interests
COMMENTARY
Jesus Johnson, with his cross sitting in the shadows of his shoes as he sat in Jesusmaryandjoseph, Kansas, straightens his bow tie and combs his flowing mullet in all its glory.
With the television in the background rejoicing the glorious news of the re-election of George W. Bush, Jesus thought, "Life is good".
As a youngster, Jesus learned the important moral values he would need to live a pious life from the First Christian Church on Main Street. Yet, Jesus thought to himself, the rest of the world isn't as safe as this sleepy hollow in Kansas, a haven tucked away in the arms of the good Lord.
"George Bush." Jesus exclaimed to his wife Charlene, "is just the soldier the good Lord needs in leading this country down the righteous path."
Four months earlier, on a cool spring morning, Jesus arose from a peacefulsleep, reading a passage from the Good Book.
That Monday morning had begun like any other; however, upon turning on the radio, Jesus' calmness quickly changed into a feeling of uneasiness and disgust.
The radio announced San Francisco's defiance of the law of California: the legalization of gay marriage.
DEVIN SIKES
opinion@kansan.com
As the months passed and the election approached, Jesus held rallies across Kansas, preaching that "Dub-Ya" was God's chosen one to lead America down the righteous moral path.
"Dat dem der faggots Rosie O'Donnell and her lesbian girl friend are queerer den a dang $3 bill." Jesus thought angrily.
The final month before the election.
Jesus became more nervous than ever.
News polls and national media had the election going down 40 the wire.
"Sure to be as close as 2000." Rather exclaimed.
"Kerry, the ridiculous flip-flooper can't make up his mind!" stated O'Reilly, who snickered with the classy grin of a car salesman. The townsfolk gathered in the First Christian Church on Main Street to watch each presidential debate, cheering raucously when Bush spoke and booing demonically after John Kerry's rebuttal.
On the night of Nov. 1, Jesus kissed his son, John David, on the forehead and tucked him in bed. Slipping into his night-gown, he turned off his lamp, prayed to the Lord for his omniscient guidance and slipped away into a comfortable sleep.
Weeks after the election, Jesus began to see his Christian brothers demanding a constitutional ban on gay marriage, abortion and other moral values they shared.
Spitting out Skoal into his Mountain Dew can, Jesus realized that he had used hate as the catalyst to promote self-interest politics.
In a country that is the land of opportunity for so many, Jesus realized he was
one of many whose hate infringed upon the dreams and goals of others.
Jesus was not alone: People of all colors, creeds and backgrounds had lobbied for their respective interests instead of the most important article, the proliferation of their country for future generations.
"Concentrating all on self," Jesus thought, "a country will never be able to establish a solid economy, progressive educational system and a responsible social state which protects its citizens.
"All men are created equal," "read Jesus aloud at Sunday service, "We will hardly reach this goal whilst selfishly pursuing our political advantages the way we all have."
Passionately, Jesus exclaimed, "A country is only as good as its weakest link and we've got a lot of work to do!"
The crowd burst into cheers, cats and dogs embraced one another and the silly rabbit got his Trix. Like his Jewish predecessor, Jesus was not a follower, but a leader providing inspiration and hope for others.
In a country where over forty percent of its citizens believe that it is not necessary to believe in God to be moral and have good values, according to The Economist, Jesus believed that perhaps America wasn't in such bad shape after all. In a spectacular moment of inspiration and spontaneous humility, Jesus bought everyone a Coke and all was right with the world.
Devin Sikes is a Wichita senior in philosophy and Spanish.
Bush gets it right with immigration policy
As someone who voted for John Kerry, I must admit that George W. Bush has done well for himself since the election. Naming the most diverse cabinet in American history and deploying more troops to Iraq to end the mess faster.
A PRINCE IN THE PULPIT
Bush also plans to overhaul the nation's immigration policy. As it stands, our borders are closed. Gone are the days of "Give us your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free" from the Statue of Liberty.
PETE PRINCE
opinion@kansan.com
Now, the tired in boats from Cuba, the poor in truck-beds from Mexico, and the huddled masses from southeast Asia are repeatedly forced back to their homelands. Bush says that the United States needs an immigration system "that serves the American economy and reflects the American dream." Under his proposed system, more than 8 million illegal immigrants could obtain temporary worker status in the United States.
America is a nation of immigrants; we have always valued immigration, and depended on it. There are jobs in the United States that Americans aren't willing to take. Oftentimes, immigrants from poorer nations are willing to take these jobs and they provide for their families by doing so. With the changes that Bush is proposing, our labor laws will protect the new immigrants and they will be able to earn better wages. The border patrol would no longer have to track down immigrants who plan on working hard and obeying our laws.
entering our country.
Rather, the border patrol would have more time and money to stop drug trafficking and preventing terrorists from
Bush proposed this plan early in 2004 and again in December. It is important that he reaffirmed his commitment to this plan after suspicions that he initially proposed it as a campaign ploy to increase his appeal to Latinos.
Congress is split on this immigration issue, but not by party. Democratic senator Ted Kennedy has stated that the current immigration policy "is unjust and unacceptable."
Republican representative Thomas Tancredo said that he will oppose any policy that rewards lawbreakers.
The Latino community is also split over the proposed policy. LULAC supports Bush, saying that it is a step in the right direction, but Raul Yzaguirre, president of the National Council of La Raza — which claims to be the nation's largest Latino civil rights organization — said that the plan "appears to offer the business community full access to the immigrant workers it needs, while providing very little to the workers themselves." But Bush's proposal offers a legal way for immigrants to come to America and work under good
labor laws and to earn a decent wage.
Our immigration system should be built with a chance for anyone wishing to live in the U.S. to find and hold a job. A short time period, 6 months or a year, should be offered to immigrants to live here and land a job.
Then they can work towards citizenship as they continue to live in our communities. If an immigrant is unable or unwilling to find and hold a job, then send them back to their homelands after the allotted time period.
Immigrants should be offered the same benefits as any American and should be protected under our labor laws. They're treated so poorly in this country, even in Kansas in the slaughterhouses of the meat packing industry, workers are subjected to dangerous environments but have no voice because they are here illegally. Under a new system, those workers might have a chance to better those conditions.
The proposal does not support amnesty — giving away citizenship like candy. But, it does offer a way for these immigrants to work, and make a home for themselves. They can also pursue American citizenship. Since the birth of our nation, we have housed all people looking for a better life. If you do not have Native American blood in your body then you are a descent of immigrants. We need to open our borders again to people pursuing the American dream, wholeheartedly, and legally.
Pote Prince is a Lake Elmo, Minn., graduate student in secondary education.
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