An Alabama State Representative Shows His Ignorance

Reported on the Times Daily, and a number of other sites, "Lawmaker wants intelligent design resolution".  If you read the article I think you will agree with me, Rep. Mack Butler has been taken in by the Discovery Institute marketing material.  Here's a few quotes from the article (my comments after each one):

"“In the development of critical thinking, we need to make it welcoming at least for a student or teacher to bring up another theory . . ."

Rep Butler, what 'other' theory?  Intelligent Design is not a scientific theory; therefore, it should not be presented in science class as if it was.  Didn't you hear about Dover Pa when they tried the same thing?  Or do you want one of your school districts to be the subject of an expensive and embarrassing lawsuit?

" . . .some teachers may be unsure of the expectation concerning how they should present information when controversy occurs on such subjects"

Apparently Alabama teachers are untrained in the teaching profession, at least in Rep Butler's mind.  Teachers should already know how to deal with controversy, especially within their subject specialties.  So if someone brings up any topic that might be controversial, like human trafficking, drug use, or racism -- are teachers in Alabama ill-equipped to deal with such topics?  I seriously doubt that it's a teacher issue.  Rep Butler is using teachers as a kind of scapegoat to justify his actions.  Let's not forget that this same politician tried a similar bill (which failed) and did manage to get a Student Religious Freedom bill passed just last year.  God forbid a politician be honest in his motivations. 

" . . .respond appropriately and respectfully to differences of opinion about scientific subjects required to be taught"

Really, differences of opinion, that's all this is?  So on the one hand we have over 150 years of evidence and scientific achievements . . . and on the other hand . . . we have a religious concept dressed up in an ill-fitting lab coat without a single shred scientific supporting it  . . . and this pandering politician thinks it just a matter of opinion.  I think this does indicate what his opinions are worth.

"“I’ve never minded evolution being taught, but I think the door should be open to other theories as well,” Butler said. “… I think it’s a well-rounded person who knows both sides of the argument, whether they believe what I believe or what Darwin believed.”"

Belief is not important, what matters is the evidence, what works, what has support more than conjecture and wishful thinking.  That's what counts.  Darwin didn't simply 'believe' in evolution, he spent decades studying nature and developed an explanation that matched the actual evidence.  Can any proponent of an alternate 'theory' say the same?  Not even close!

Let's take another track.  Can anyone identify a doctor who uses Intelligent Design for diagnosis and treatment?  How about an engineer who uses Intelligent Design to build a bridge?  Can anyone . . . we can play this game all day if we wanted, can't we?  While the DI would like to claim anyone using their brain is an example of Intelligent Design, that's nothing more than another tactic of misdirection.  The training, the experience, the skill did not come with any help from the DI's idea of Intelligent Design!