As one commenter at Aetiology pointed out, support for Intelligent design/creationism is included in the Republican Party of Iowa State Platform:
3.4 We support the teaching of alternative theories on the origins of life including Darwinian Evolution, Creation Science or Intelligent Design, and that each should be given equal weight in presentation.
What I don't know is if this is typical of other Republican platforms in other states, or how frequently each candidate uses these points in their own campaign. I've still not heard back either from Nussle or Culver regarding Intelligent Design, either...
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Okay, I put this in the other thread, but it's probably more relevant here.
11.7... We deplore extremist scare tactics not based on sound scientific evidence.
Yay for theocracy!
I should also mention that it's really hypocritical:
Religion as practiced by the religious right is all about scare tactics:
If you are gay, you are going to get AIDS. You are going to hell where you will be tortured forever.
If don't accept Jesus as your personal saviour, you will go to hell and be tortured.
Be fearful.
Oh, you ask for our reasoning? It's all in the good book, no evidence required.
The Minnesota Republican Party platform has a similar plank.
"We support the teaching of alternative theories on the origins of life including Darwinian Evolution, Creation Science or Intelligent Design, and that each should be given equal weight in presentation."
Others to be includedwould presumably be Scientology's Xenu story and the Flying Spaghetti Monster. And each should be given equal weight, remember. Should prove interesting.
If they go into native American and African creation myths, there goes at least an entire semester.
Good luck with that, if you're waiting for an e-mail. You need someone to hit them with these questions at a public appearance, with the microphones on.
I was astonished a few months ago (and very angered) to find out it's on the South Dakota Republican platform as well. That post of mine touchd a nerve; it got 95 comments. I'm still amazed that any party, local or otherwise, would actually be so backwards as to support anti-evolution as their official platform. This is precisely why we must continue fighting this sort of garbage.
The very same platform calls for "allowing" people to display the Ten Commandments and recite the Pledge of Allegiance. Presumably, Iowa has an epidemic of people arresting and imprisoning without trial anyone found mumbling the Pledge of displaying the Ten Commandments anywhere.
I need to get out of the city more often, apparently, so I can find sufficient reason to flee this soy-buried wasteland of thought.
Take a vacation. Visit rural Alabama or Mississippi. That should give you some perspective on appreciating what you have.
So, i can turn my brain off and vote by party now? How could Republicans be so stupid?
This is from the platform of the Texas Republican Party:
Theories of Origin - We support the objective teaching and equal treatment of scientific strengths and weaknesses of scientific theories, including Intelligent Design. We believe theories of life origins and environmental theories should be taught as scientific theory not scientific law; that social studies and other curriculum should not be based on any one theory.
http://www.texasgop.org/site/DocServer/2006_Plat_with_TOC_2.pdf?docID=2…
The platform has 31 pages of similar positions.
Republicans claim to be all about America, and love our "traditional" roots--our traditional roots mean religion and government should never mix. No matter how many dumb rednecks and shit-kickers populate this country.
Having participated on the Democratic side of the equation when it comes to putting together a party platform, I think it's important to point out that most of the planks get assembled by a small group of very hardcore party regulars. Platforms usually get voted on after candidates are nominated, meaning most people have gone home. Not defending the GOP, but nobody reads platforms, least of all candidates running for office.
According to NCSE (RNCSE, Nov-Dec 2004), the Republican parties of Alaska, Minnesota, Missouri, Oklahoma, Oregon, and Texas also have similar platforms.
Just goes to show how the religious right is hijacking the GOP.
Todd and friends,
I read platforms! And this one is spectacular. Another plank Tara and readers of this blog should love:
"We believe the vaccination of children, and medical decisions are best left to the parents without government coercion."
Or if you just need a good laugh try this one:
"We commend President Bush for his outstanding leadership in the war on terrorism, for his efforts to strengthen national defense and homeland security, and for his part in renewing a spirit of unity and love for our country."
Unity and love...that's what I think of when I think about W. Trust me, it only gets better (if you want to see more with commentary, hit my link). So, Stephen, you should just simplify your life and vote straight ticket, however no need to turn your brain off.
Minnesota Republican Platform has other gems that they support--cited below...
--Protecting educators from disciplinary action for including discussion of creation science, and adopting science standards that acknowledge the scientific controversies pertaining to the theory of evolution.
--Making the Eddie Eagle Gun Safety Program be made available annually in every Minnesota elementary and middle school. [goes nicely with some fairly fierce planks re the right to bear arms/conceal & carry, etc]
--Requiring sexual abstinence to be taught in public schools, that premarital sex and extramarital sex is wrong, and that the use of contraceptives is not safe sex.
--The right of clergy and houses of worship to support principles and candidates without the threat of losing their tax-exempt status.
--Maintaining clean air, water and land by addressing only those threats proven by peer-reviewed scientific research, using sensible and economically reasonable solutions. We oppose radical environmental proposals such as the Kyoto global warming treaty; we reject the imposition of the United Nations environmental regulations, such as the Rio biodiversity treaty, by any state or federal government agency unless ratified by Congress.
--Programs that reduce health care costs by introducing genuine market competition into the system and eliminating state mandated coverage of various illnesses and conditions. We oppose all proposals for socialized (i.e., 'single payer') medicine, and support the repeal of MinnesotaCare [subsidized insurance for the working poor] and opposing programs that ration health care.
Todd's right: state party platforms are essentially meaningless. Assignment to the platform committee is usually a way to reward someone who either raised a lot of money or did a lot of low-level work, but is temperamentally unsuited to working with others in positions of real responsibility. Thus platforms usually end up as seemingly random collections of perseverations, a bunch of bees in various bonnets holding a buzz-off.
"Visit rural Alabama or Mississippi. That should give you some perspective on appreciating what you have."
a windswept pancake, IMHO.
Republicans claim to be all about America, and love our "traditional" roots--our traditional roots mean religion and governmeepublicans claim to be all about America, and love our "traditional" roots--our traditional roots mean religion and government should never mix. No matter how many dumb rednecks and shit-kickers populate this country.