Remember Paul Erlich--

[tblue37]

who wroteThe Population Bomb? Well, I didn't realize he took his PhD at Kansas University (where I teach English, BTW).

He has a letter to the editor in today's Lawrence Journal-World, mocking the recent Kansas Board of Education's decision on teaching Intelligent Design in Kansas schools:
http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2005/aug/14/malign_design/?letters_to_editor

Malign Design
Sunday, August 14, 2005

To the editor:

I have a message for members of the Kansas School Board. As a biologist with a Ph.D. from Kansas University (1953), I wish to support the teaching of the theory that the world was created by the Flying Spaghetti Monster — about which you have already heard from Bobby Henderson (www.venganza.org). It seems to me that the very existence of the evolution-creation controversy and that many of you support teaching “intelligent design” as science, is in itself a powerful argument against intelligent design. Rather, it supports my more scientific theory of malign design (proven by thousands of years of theologians generating theodicies and the creation of George W. Bush).

But a scientist must keep an open mind, and it would bother me if children in Kansas were not exposed to the critical issue raised by the existence of the Flying Spaghetti Monster (FSM), but not emphasized by Henderson. If we need a malign designer like FSM to explain Dubya, don’t we need a super malign designer to create the FSM (MDFSM)? And then a superduper malign designer to design that malign designer (SDMDFSM)? And so on, the way back.

We owe it to our children to make them learn about each malign designer in turn, so they can grasp the true magnificence of the Flying Spaghetti Monster those designers created and which then created us all.

I trust you will add these issues to what promises to be a great scientific curriculum in a state long poisoned by having among its scientists some of the great figures of evolutionary biology.

Paul R. Ehrlich,

Bing Professor of Population Studies
Stanford University,
Stanford, Calif.

BTW, you might also be interested in the essay I wrote for my Teacher, Teacher website after the first time the Kansas BOE pulled a stunt like this back in 1999:
"Scopes Revisited?: The Kansas Board of Education's 1999 Decision on Evolution"
http://teacherblue.homestead.com/scopes.html

There was a lot of confusion back then about exactly what the BOE decision entailed, and this piece clarifies that.

I also point out that most Americans neglect to vote in local and state elections, although those elections are very important:

The Republicans who won their primaries against the BOE incumbents campaigned specifically on that issue, promising to undo what last year's BOE decision had done. That is evidence that the revised standards were pushed through by a committed activist minority, while an apathetic majority simply was not paying attention.

Too many Americans discount the significance of local--or even state--elections, and vote only in prominent national races. But local and state elections are the training ground for those who will move into positions of power at the national level. And although national elections are important, those who hold political office at the local and state levels have a more direct and noticeable impact on a citizen's day-to day life.

At the end of the essay I also make this prediciton, which, unfortunately, has proved to be true:

The Kansas Board of Education's decision was a wake-up call to Kansans of diverse political persuasions, and it got them to the polls to vote for BOE candidates who would restore macroevolution to the state's testing standards. But people are busy--and perhaps a little lazy, too. The public will probably doze off again, until some other widely publicized political decision reminds them that it is dangerous to neglect our responsiblity to participate in the political process.

[kentuck]

1. Excellent point !

"It seems to me that the very existence of the evolution-creation controversy and that many of you support teaching “intelligent design” as science, is in itself a powerful argument against intelligent design" :)

[Dogmudgeon]

2. How could we forget?

The piece is beautiful!

I especially "liked" his book The End of Affluence. He was only 30 years ahead of his time.

And the Right wing hates Ehrlich.

--p!

[vickitulsa]

5. I've assumed they did

hate Ehrlich, that is -- the right wing. Of COURSE they would!

After learning so much from reading The Population Bomb in 1974, I have periodically checked to see if Ehrlich continued to try to alert people to the dangers of overpopulation. He has, he never stopped.

One bright fellow, and sure to be anathema to the Right, since he is also able to debunk their bunk and show them to be the idiots they so often are -- especially in the realm of Science or anything remotely connected to it.

I think "believing" is fine for those who wish to do that; but the minute any believer tries to push his own personal version of "how things is" on me or my culture, or any other culture, for that matter, he has overstepped his legitimate, appropriate bounds and should be stopped in his tracks.

Too bad this doesn't happen in some important cases ... hell, we ended up with a "true believer" in the White House.

Hah! Now that last sentence fragment had a bit of ironic truth in it, didn't it? ;)

Sad days ... very sad days for so many thinking, caring people. :cry:

But then we can't give up fighting the proponents of religion-based government, either. In me, disillusionment, disappointment and sadness lead immediately to a renewed determination to do what the Apostle Paul advised and "fight the good fight"! For indeed the reward is great.

Hmm, I wonder if some of those on the so-called "religious right" in America observe how Islamic extremists and terrorists cram their distorted form of their religion down their kids' throats and beat it into their heads and figure they'd better do the same thing with OUR kids to fight back against such tactics? ....nah, that's probably too logical to fit their thinking, ya reckon? *mock mock*

[Dogmudgeon]

6. He also wrote The Race Bomb

Like Ashley Montagu, he tore apart the mythology of racism.

Unlike Ashley Montagu, he named names and spat fire.

--p!

[vickitulsa]

10. I'll have to find a copy of that one.

I did read The End of Affluence, and thought at the time that if anything, he'd hit his stride even more strongly in that one than in The Population Bomb. How could this fail to wake up Americans? I thought to myself.

Guess I was too young then to recognize that citizens of the good old U.S. of A. can sleep mighty damn soundly....

Discouraging, isn't it? *sigh*

[Dogmudgeon]

11. It's not sleep

It's exhaustion.

People are aware of these issues. But they already feel like they've been sucked dry. They're putting it out of their minds.

We need to find ways of giving people hope. Just telling them that their lives are about to be up-ended and that they'll probably die cold, sick, and hungry a few years later isn't something that people are receptive to.

I wish I could find my copy of The End of Affluence -- there was a lot of stuff in there that was uncanny in its prescience. For all the psychic predictions I've ever heard or read, Ehrlich was far more spot-on, even to the point of singling out Walter Mondale for praise.

The hope isn't so much that we can "avoid" Peak Oil or climate distruption. The hope is that we can build a much better world that doesn't have its hands around the throats of its people. I think it can be done.

--p!

[Jackpine Radical]

13. Amen.

[vickitulsa]

14. Oh man you're so right there!

And as spot-on in what you said in this post as Ehrlich in his writings, no kidding!

It would be far simpler, wouldn't it?, if Americans WERE merely "asleep." In that case, waking them up would be much easier than the task that we face as things are now. Nudging exhausted people out of their deliberate denial or determination to ignore what is wearing them out with worry and frustration will take some persistence and a huge dose of sensitivity and patience.

I happen to believe that, as in the old hippie mantra Desiderata, "everything is unfolding exactly as it should," however! The way all the BushInc lies about the invasion of Iraq and the real story behind the attacks of 9/11 are coming to light, along with so many others of their devious and hitherto successful charades and plots, gives me great hope. HOPE is the key word here, IMO, and it looks like I've found some folks who agree with me about this. I've been saying it to everyone who'll listen to me for quite a few years.

I believe the nationwide -- and even worldwide -- responses to Cindy Sheehan's impromptu "camp-out" near Crawford reveal a huge truth about perceptions of the Bush administration. And it seems to be a kernel of truth that, along with the exposing of so many lies from the White House about almost every issue critical to our lives and times, will lead to more true revelations that global citizens cannot ignore.

As long as these expositions continue to point to a central, genuine culprit who can be stopped by right-thinking persons willing to take action, there is HOPE. And as the tide of truth keeps rolling in, building strength every day, almost every HOUR these days, the hope will grow.

Maybe THAT will be enough to enliven the exhausted. I believe I can see it happening right now, already. And my heart is encouraged.

[SheilaT]

3. Are you at

the University of Kansas or Kansas State University?

Despite having lived here 15 years I get very puzzled when people say Kansas University, and can never figure out which one they mean.

My oldest is at K-State. He's in engineering and will be taking an English class this semester.

[tblue37]

4. I am at KU--the University of Kansas,

home of the Jayhawks.

"Kansas University" always means KU. "K-State" is what we call Kansas State.

My niece will be a junior at K-State this fall. She absolutely loves that school.

Tell your son to visit the websites I put up for my students (but which are very popular all over the world). They can help him when he has to write essays for his English class. (I also answer readers' queries about essay-writing and grammar and usage).

Grammar and Usage for the Non-Expert
http://www.grammartips.homestead.com/index.html

Essay, I Say
http://www.essayisay.homestead.com/index.html

If he ends up having to study poetry in a literature course (a very real possibility), he might also find another of my sites useful:

For Poets--and Readers of Poetry
http://www.tinablue.homestead.com/index.html

[proud2BlibKansan]

7. Rock Chalk!

I am an alum.

You should come to our meetups. We have a couple members from Lawrence who come.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=153x2325

[tblue37]

8. Does this mean in Lawrence?

Wed, Aug 24 at 7:00 pm at the Flea Market.

I don't have a car and I don't go downtown much, so I don't know if there is a meeting place in Lawrence called "The Flea Market," or if that is in another town.

If the meetings are in Lawrence--or if I could catch a ride from someone to another town--I would probably attend.

Proud2Blib, we have "conversed" on threads before (ones concerning education). I would be happy to get to know you in person.

[proud2BlibKansan]

9. No it is in KC

but Mabus and Comer Perro are both from Lawrence and they come. We also have had some meetups in Lawrence and may come back there in the future. We do seem to be growing members there.

[Ernesto]

12. I remember watching Johnny Carson back in the early '70's

2 of his favorite guests were Dr. Erlich & Carl Sagan.....
Heck I even joined a local chapter of Zero Population Growth.
Guess I always was a pinko.