bluefacedpixie

12th February 1809.

I meant to post something about this a few weeks ago, when the world was celebrating the 200th birthday of Darwin, and the US was somewhat celebrating that and the 200th birthday of Abe (now that’s a co-incidence, even if Newsweek thinks its a footnote).

There are a few things I don’t understand about the US, even as I draw towards being here for a decade. And this one stumps me. Europe, with it’s history of blood, religion and persecution, accepts the science and reconciles itself to Evolution (ok, there may be some mistakes and fakes, but whatever…). America, the country that is so scientific it has sent people to the moon, split the atom, cured cancer, doesn’t. And some States don’t want to teach it, or also want to teach it with “Intelligent Design” etc. Although changes are being made there:

A federal judge has ruled that intelligent design is a religious view that does not belong in a science classroom. The ruling comes as school boards and legislatures across the country debate how to teach students about the origins of life on Earth.

So the Darwin reflections turn, once more, into debate.

I consider this state of affairs a Very American Peculiarity.