Religion vs. Reality in Missouri
Via Orac comes this tale of religious kneejerking that shows just how big a problem it is in America.
I urge you to read the whole thing, but the basic story is a band made t-shirts with the theme "Brass Evolutions" using the famous cartoon sequence of a monkey changing into a man. It’s a cute idea, and no big deal, right?
Right?
Not so right. Some parents complained about the shirts because they depicted — gasp!– evolution (never mind that it’s a cartoony version that’s really not even terribly accurate). Assistant Superintendent Brad Pollitt decided to make the students turn in their shirts so as to not offend any parents’ sensibilities.
The sheer dumbosity of this already has my head reeling. You might think at first that this isn’t a huge deal: it’s just another example of narrow-minded thinking we’ve seen so much of from creationists.
But in fact it’s a lot worse than that. From the original article:
Pollitt said the district is required by law to remain neutral where religion is concerned.
I’m afraid that is simply not true. Like, really really not true.
First, by taking away the shirts, he was not being religion neutral. He was kowtowing to a specific religion. That action immediately contradicted his words.
Second, think about what that sentence means. If being religion-neutral means not offending any religion, then nothing at all could ever be taught at school. Certainly not science, which clashes in almost every conceivable way with Fundamentalist creationist doctrine. You can’t teach anything past 6000 years ago under Pollitt’s reasoning. No astronomy, no biology, no history (Sumerians were around long before 4000 BC). Some interpretations of Islamic law state that music is forbidden. Does traife food touch kosher food in the cafeteria (or is it served on the same plates)? Does anyone wanna go through Leviticus and see what rules from there the school breaks?
If we are to believe Pollitt, then they’ll have to ban the Pledge of Allegiance because Jehovah’s Witnesses don’t worship idols. That’ll go over well, I’m sure.
This whole idea of "religion neutrality" is a crock, and clearly is being used to the advantage of one narrowly-defined religious viewpoint. There’s a difference between being neutral — which Pollitt clearly was not being — and not promoting one religion over another.
Being religion-neutral in the sense Pollitt means is conceptually impossible. You cannot appease every religion, because many common modern religions contradict each other. However, we can be religion-neutral by actually refraining from making any decisions based on religion. That’s what that First Amendment is all about.
So what we have here is yet another shot in the battle over religious freedom (both of and from) in this country. I suspect the band leader could pursue a First Amendment case here.
But if he chooses to pursue it, he may have an uphill climb… it depends on how many people there hold the same view as band parent Sherry Melby, one of the people offended by the very concept of evolution:
“I was disappointed with the image on the shirt.” Melby said. “I don’t think evolution should be associated with our school.”
Yes, because teaching the very fundamentals of biology in a school?
Heaven forbid.
Speaking as a transplant to MO I can offer this perspective: The Denver/Boulder corridor seemed to me an island of sanity amidst an ocean of fundamentalist insanity. Moving to Missouri was a culture shock. I find the metropolitan areas to be a bit too conservative and controlled by religion for my taste. The rural areas make St Louis look like Berkeley in the 60’s. People fly Christian Identity flags *above* their American flags in their front yard. If you aren’t familiar with CI or the Dominionist movement you should look into it. “Extremist” is not sufficient to describe them. Allowing the teaching of anything other than strictly The Bible is their view of being religion-neutral.
Primates evolved to play woodwinds, not brass.
Mr. Plait,
Just like your buddy Peasy Meyer, you seem to have missed the point of our outrage. I wrote a response to this debacle as well, but apparently reality looks different when you’re obsessed with accuracy like you are. *shrugs*
http://carlsagansdanceparty.wordpress.com/2009/08/31/explain-that-science-news-831/
Whats more, I already “pwned” your take on the moon landing and you never responded to that either. Whats the deal Plait, can’t handle criticism?
http://carlsagansdanceparty.wordpress.com/2009/08/07/explain-that-science-2-the-moon-landing-080609/
As a proud Sedalianite, I hope that my town keeps on pushing out these brassy types.
-Harry Trunckles
I agree Harry, I have lived near Sedalia and have come to expect more from the fine people that live there. I have no doubt this is a small minority getting over on the majority again.
Very good Mr Plait. Too bad they will never listen to reason.
And is this Harry Trunckles guy serious? Or is he just trolling for cross linking? I think the latter…
Brian,
Have you accepted Jesus Christ as your personal savior?
(it may get old hearing that, but remember, thats how we Sedalions greet each other)
In answer to your question, of course I’m serious! Jazz is a huge threat to our youth, but it pales in comparison to the evils of science.
-Harry Trunckles
ROFL! I hope you’re making the Evil Eye sign when you say that. Ooooh! Scary.
Harry:
You’ll have to work on your spelling if we are to believe you are really a whack-job fundy.
You should intersperse more errors than you have, and liberal use of CAPS LOCK button will aid your Poe style.
Michael Kingsford Gray,
I’m doing the best that I can. Cut me a bit of slack, OK?
-Harry Trunckles
Great post Phil! I’m originally from Missouri (moving back soon) and the rampant creationism was always a pain in the neck. Its nice to see the spotlight on it.
two things that stand out as more disturbing amongst the general background of sedalia disturbia are: the teacher who equates evolution with religion and the student who says (paraphrasing) “the theory of evolution never crossed my mind, i just think the shirts look cool”
Won’t somebody sue that Pollitt person?
“Pollitt said the district is required by law to remain neutral where religion is concerned.”
Quite right. But … where’s the religion on the shirt? I can’t see it.
Don’t you see the sillhouette of Pope Pious XII fourth from the left?
I thought that was a grilled cheese.
Now that’s funny. Nice comedy material Harry. That job at the Onion is surely yours.
Jazz is not dead. It just smells funny.
– Frank Zappa
Deano
Mr. Zappa,
I assume by comedy, you must mean my mockery of evolution, which is indeed humorous. Seriously? Mankind came from dolphins? Gimme a break.
-Harry Trunckles
“Mankind came from dolphins”?
TROLL!
OMG! Frank Zappa is alive, and commenting on this blog!? Great to hear from you, Frank! We missed ya!
The article illustrates a problem that supersedes the creation-evolution debate, namely the complete absence of critical thinking in most areas of thought in the average individual’s life, of which leads to such absurd conclusions as the positive right not to be offended.
The general public needs to learn that there are better ways to react to disagreement than emotional outbursts and coercion. Such “narrow minded thinking” seems to be at an endemic level in society now, and perhaps all of history.