Monday, June 16, 2008

BOBBY JINDAL CONTINUES TO BE A BIG ASSHOLE

My adopted state's governor is now GOP hot shit. Really, just shit, when you get right down to it. From Crooks and Liars:

Face The Nation: Jindal Thinks Intelligent
Design Should Be Taught With Evolution


REID: But how about you personally? Where do you stand personally on the issue?

Gov. JINDAL: As a parent, when my kids go to schools, when they go to public schools, I want them to be presented with the best thinking. I want them to be able to make decisions for themselves. I want them to see the best data. I personally think that the life, human life and the world we live in wasn’t created accidentally. I do think that there’s a creator. I’m a Christian. I do think that God played a role in creating not only earth, but mankind. Now, the way that he did it, I’d certainly want my kids to be exposed to the very best science. I don’t want them to be–I don’t want any facts or theories or explanations to be withheld from them because of political correctness. The way we’re going to have smart, intelligent kids is exposing them to the very best science and let them not only decide, but also let them contribute to that body of knowledge.


Click here to watch the video.

Ah yes. A variation on the old "teach the controversy" point of view, which uses reasonable sounding language to undermine science education. That clever Bobby. He's so reasonable, isn't he? He wants kids to be exposed to "the very best science." How reasonable of dear smart Bobby.

Problem is, "intelligent design" isn't science. It's philosophy masquerading as science. To be fair, science is also philosophy, but it is a very very specific kind of philosophy, with its central tenet being that the physical universe is best understood through use of the scientific method. Including "intelligent design" in any science curriculum does nothing but make a joke of science education.

That is, science requires evidence, and there is no evidence for "intelligent design." Really, as far as I understand it, "intelligent design" isn't even good philosophy: it's essentially "gee whiz, the universe is so amazing and complex that God
had to have created it." It's kind of stupid, actually. I mean, I don't have a problem with "intelligent design" being included in, say, elective philosophy courses, or courses on comparative religion, or social studies classes because "intelligent design" is an important concept as far as understanding a lot of American politics goes. But it is not science, and has no place in the science classroom.

Which means that Bobby Jindal is a stupid asshole and has no place in the Governor's Mansion up in Baton Rouge, and definitely has no place in Washington D.C. in, well, any capacity at all. Certainly not as Vice President.

Bobby, Bobby, Bobby. You're every bit as retarded as your chosen namesake from the Brady Bunch.


Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal

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