At 08:37 AM 11/10/98 -0800, Bonnie Stout wrote:
>Hello All,
>
>I have an excellent graduate research project for an aspiring psychology
>student: "Electronic Mail and the breakdown of rules of civil discourse".
>
>I am on 4 bird-related mail-lists for fun and a chance to learn a few
>things. I have learned a few things: when people send email they seem to
>be much more willing to be rude, insulting, and even downright mean to
>total strangers. Interesting.

I'm much worse in person. Ask Steve Hermann :)

>Three MEGA (or should I say MACRO) peeves of mine are double-standards,

Then why do you post in support of scientific creationism? They refuse
to follow the standards of science, i.e. delineate testable hypotheses
and if the data doesn't fit, reject that hypothesis and devise a new
one. They postulate that the Bible is a literal history of creation,
and reject data that doesn't fit that hypothesis.

And want us to teach this as science.

That, my dear Ms. Stout, is a double standard, and you should not support
it.

>blanket generalizations about anyone,

Professional scientific creationists, in particular those who work for the
ICR are lying scum. That's a fact - whatever their knowledge of science.
Their spokesfolks are documented liars. The web address I shared earlier
includes the necessary documentation.

Why should blanket statements which are true be a pet peeve of yours?

> and arrogance by anyone.

Give me arrogance over ignorance any day, especially when the ignorant
insist on repeatedly displaying their ignorance in public.

> Hence the
>only reason I entered this evolution debate.

Next time, get your facts straight.

>
>Come on everybody! Lets relax and enjoy the birds!

I didn't start this discussion. You've parroted some of the most common
creationist lies and misconceptions about evolution, and having done so,
you want us to leave you alone rather than correct you.

Not fair. If you're going to enter a debate, you have absolutely no right
to ask that others not debate you.

> If we can't discuss
>other issues without rage and bigotry than let us not waste our breath and
>everyone's download time. There are more important things in life, as my
>30 year-old friend who is dying of cancer would tell you.

There are few things more important in life than stomping out dangerous
lies. You've mentioned one of them. Enjoying birds, while more fun
than fighting to bury scientific creationism, is by no means anywhere
near as important.

>Come on! Be NICE and have FUN!

I *AM* having fun. And I am being nice.



- Don Baccus, Portland OR <dhogaza at pacifier.com>
Nature photos, on-line guides, and other goodies at
http://donb.photo.net