Hi, everyone! I finally figured out what this is all about. It's a
multi-player chess game where messages are the moves. So, here's my move.

-----Original Message-----
From: Jim Rosso <jrosso at mediaseek.com>
To: tweeters at u.washington.edu <tweeters at u.washington.edu>
Date: Tuesday, November 10, 1998 10:50 AM
Subject: Re: Tweeters - for fun?



>
>Those of us who
>understand

Where have I heard that before?

> that the only way to understand biology is through a thorough
>understanding of evolutionary sciences

A very narrow view-point indeed! This would even eliminate the most
important activity on earth - bird watching!

> are concerned with the many forces
>that are trying to destroy that type of education. It requires a constant
>vigilence to keep track of these forces so we can manage to keep the U.S.
>somewhat involved with modern science.

I taught Darwinism for 7 years in a public school quite a while back and I'm
not sorry that I did. What I do regret is that I did not know then that
there is some data that doesn't quite fit within the concept of classical
Darwinism and I should have been teaching that information as well. Of
course, this information was not brought to my attention while I was
studying to become a teacher and the situation has not changed any. I
wonder why?

I also think that an understanding of animal/human behavior and anatomy and
an understanding of ecology could be very useful to a student of biology
even if that student had no knowledge of evolution. Native Americans did
very well for thousands of years with an working understanding of these
subjects minus evolution.

>It is difficult to remain polite and
>considerate with people who are determined to undermind the education
>effort.

Difficult but not impossible. "Word rage" doesn't get much done.

> If they wanted to just go off and talk to themselves that would be
>fine but they keep trying to make in-roads into the education system and
>that is when they cross the line, in my opinion, and to me it is not a
>matter of being nice or having any kind of fun. It is quite serious.

What is even more serious is that in our local school system it is possible
for a student not to receive any science instruction at all for 1 year!
Why? Because the school is constantly having to deal with a whole range of
real and imagined problems. So basic education gets less and less time and
money. Is it reasonable to note that these problems are coming from a
society that has generally rejected the Bible and the wisdom/values that it
teaches? I read somewhere that when a nation must devote about 25% of its
gross national product to non-productive efforts ( or .00000001% peeking
into its president's sex life), then it is in trouble. We must be getting
close...

Now I have a question. Do you get just as serious when other
religious/special-interest groups inject themselves into the public
education system who are as nonscientific as these apparently lunatic
Christians with whom you are doing battle? Such as those who agree with
your stand on evolution? Just curious.

Your move. Anyone's move. Anyone still awake?


Dave Spencer
merdave at televar.com