It's Over in Dover
Only a fool would have expected a different decision. But the breadth of Judge Jones' decision is breathtaking. ID is as dead as dead can be. Oh, yeah, there will be a lot of caterwalling and gnashing of teeth, but the idea is dead. The "Wedge Strategy" has become the wedgie stratergy ... and it itches, and there is a lot of butt-to-nose- fingering going on with the fundies.
The trial itself was a hoot. Consider that one of the main proponents of ID, Michael Behe, said on the witness stand that under his definition of science, astrology fits. Or when presented with 79 peer reviewed papers that appeared in the scientific literature that show that the blood clotting system is anything but "irreduceably complex", waved them off with a shrug. Or when asked why the designer gave better eyes to squids and octapi than he gave to humans, remained silent.
And the biggest slam-dunk of all: This quotation from the decision....
"The citizens of the Dover area were poorly served by the members of the Board who voted for the ID Policy," Jones wrote. "It is ironic that several of these individuals, who so staunchly and proudly touted their religious convictions in public, would time and again lie to cover their tracks and disguise the real purpose behind the ID Policy."
It's an easy goal when the net is only a foot off the floor.
The usual and expected bat squeeze has issued forth from the Discovery Institute; (1) one of those damn "activist" judges" - actually an appointee of GW Bush, (2) an athiest cult of scientists, or (3) it's all the fault of someone else.
Although Defendants attempt to persuade this Court that each Board member who voted for the biology curriculum change did so for the secular purposed of improving science education and to exercise critical thinking skills, their contentions are simply irreconcilable with the record evidence. Their asserted purposes are a sham, and they are accordingly unavailing, for the reasons that follow...
This links to the entire decision.
I wonder if they had hired that constitutional genius Dee Wampler who said on radio this morning that God is a part of our sacred documents such as the Constitution they might have won ... naw just a funny thought.
Now the question is, how much will the bill be that is presented to the citizens of Dover, PA for this exercise in insanity? The judge allowed for all plaintiff attorney fees, costs, and damages, although the ACLU rarely asks for damages.
Or since the citizens of Dover threw all the rascals out in November the ACLU might let them off the money hook.
The trial itself was a hoot. Consider that one of the main proponents of ID, Michael Behe, said on the witness stand that under his definition of science, astrology fits. Or when presented with 79 peer reviewed papers that appeared in the scientific literature that show that the blood clotting system is anything but "irreduceably complex", waved them off with a shrug. Or when asked why the designer gave better eyes to squids and octapi than he gave to humans, remained silent.
And the biggest slam-dunk of all: This quotation from the decision....
"The citizens of the Dover area were poorly served by the members of the Board who voted for the ID Policy," Jones wrote. "It is ironic that several of these individuals, who so staunchly and proudly touted their religious convictions in public, would time and again lie to cover their tracks and disguise the real purpose behind the ID Policy."
It's an easy goal when the net is only a foot off the floor.
The usual and expected bat squeeze has issued forth from the Discovery Institute; (1) one of those damn "activist" judges" - actually an appointee of GW Bush, (2) an athiest cult of scientists, or (3) it's all the fault of someone else.
Although Defendants attempt to persuade this Court that each Board member who voted for the biology curriculum change did so for the secular purposed of improving science education and to exercise critical thinking skills, their contentions are simply irreconcilable with the record evidence. Their asserted purposes are a sham, and they are accordingly unavailing, for the reasons that follow...
This links to the entire decision.
I wonder if they had hired that constitutional genius Dee Wampler who said on radio this morning that God is a part of our sacred documents such as the Constitution they might have won ... naw just a funny thought.
Now the question is, how much will the bill be that is presented to the citizens of Dover, PA for this exercise in insanity? The judge allowed for all plaintiff attorney fees, costs, and damages, although the ACLU rarely asks for damages.
Or since the citizens of Dover threw all the rascals out in November the ACLU might let them off the money hook.
posted by John Stone at 3:55 PM
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