May 13, 2005

Intelligent design advocates are drawing attention to what they call a "smoking gun" memo that outlines the strategy of pro-Darwinian forces in the debate over science standards in Kansas.

At issue is an Internet post by Liz Craig, a spokeswoman from the group Kansas Citizens for Science. In it, she delineates her plan for dealing with those on the Kansas Board of Education who fall on the creationist side of the science standards debate.

In the online discussion, Craig described how she intended to use the press in an effort to portray creationist and intelligent design advocates as uninformed and foolish. Her strategy, she remarked, is "the same as it was in 1999: notify the national and local media about what's going on and portray [critics of evolution] in the harshest light possible as political opportunists, Evangelical activists, ignoramuses, breakers of rules, unprincipled bullies, etc."

Dr. John West of the Seattle-based Discovery Institute, the nation's largest intelligent design think tank, believes Darwinists do not want to talk about science but instead want to demonize their opponents. What is happening in Kansas is "supposed to be a science debate," he says, "but the pro-Darwin groups seem allergic to talking about the science. They'd rather sling mud, and it makes you sort of wonder whether they have any scientific arguments offer at all."

According to West, Darwinists are engaging in little more than a smear campaign. "I think that's something the public ought to wonder about," he says. "If all they can do is sling mud, then what's going on here?"

The Discovery Institute spokesman says the evolutionists are showing their desperation. "For months they've been saying there aren't any scientists who challenge any part of Darwin's theory," he notes. "And then, lo and behold, we have these hearings where we have a parade of scientists with PhDs in biology, geneticists from Cornell University, a biochemistry professor from the University of Georgia."

Laymen creationists and intelligent design supporters have plenty of well-informed and well-respected scientists echoing their criticisms of evolution science, West points out. There are numerous experts, he notes, from "major secular research institutions, who are in fact saying, 'Yeah, there are some really significant problems with Darwin's theory.' These are the scientists that weren't supposed to exist."

West believes many in the pro-evolution scientific establishment avoid true debate with creationists because the evolution supporters are not prepared to defend their position. Ironically, he adds, the very language many Darwinists use to attack their opponents instead is a good description of their tactics.

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Discovery Institute ( http://www.discovery.org )