Ed Brayton is a journalist, commentator and speaker. He is the co-founder and president of 
The month isn't even halfway over yet, but we have found a worthy recipient of the Robert O'Brien Trophy as the idiot of the month. Hell, this guy might qualify as the Grand Poobah Dumbass of the century: Tom Willis. In this bizarre rant, Willis not only argues - quite seriously - that "evolutionists" should be ineligible to vote but that they should be "violently" removed from society. Seriously.
Perhaps you're not familiar with Tom Willis. He's the founder of the Creation Science Association of Mid-America, based in Kansas. He's probably the only creationist who is so ridiculous that I would rank him below Kent Hovind - and just pause for a moment to ponder just how ridiculous one would have to be to be worse than Kent Hovind. He's not just a creationist, mind you, he's also a geocentrist. Yep, he's that far gone.
He begins his ignorant rant:
Evolutionism was/is the apologetic foundation for the faith of predatory capitalism, Germany in WWI, the USSR (from 1918 to this day), NAZI Germany, Fascism in other European countries, and Socialism in all of Eastern Europe beginning about 1945. It was also a major justification in the defense of slavery in the 1800's against Christian opponents. In those nations evolutionist, anti-Christian, anti-creationists killed more people, from the late 1800's to today, than all the wars combined for the last 2000 years. Evolution formed the apologetic framework for justifying the harshest of cruelties during this period as well.This is not to say that evolution is the only excuse for human cruelty, merely that a logically consistent pursuit of evolutionary theory has been used to justify atrocious crimes on the grandest scale in human history.
Fascinating. Evolution, when applied in a logically consistent manner, leads to both "predatory capitalism" AND communism, to both Nazi Germany AND the Soviet Union. Tom, if an idea can be used to justify entirely opposite conclusions then it cannot possibly have been applied in a "logically consistent manner." This should be clear to anyone with an IQ above that of a randomly selected paint chip.
And you have to love the claim that evolution was a "major justification in the defense of slavery in the 1800s against Christian opponents." Do we really have to dig out the voluminous religious defenses of slavery offered by Christian ministers and by virtually everyone in the confederate leadership? Or the fact that the Bible explicitly endorses slavery? Or the fact that Darwin himself was an opponent of slavery while his most prominent creationist critics supported it? Nah, all of that would go right over Willis' head anyway.
Should Evolutionists Be Allowed to Vote?* They do not and can not know the purpose for Man. In fact, all of them believe Man has no purpose.
* Therefore, they cannot make informed judgments about how men should behave toward each other, or what would be "good" or "bad" for any group of men to do, or not do.
* Thus, they have no sane foundation upon which to base "laws" or rational for insisting that other men obey the laws.
* Thus, the religion they profess to believe renders them incapable of participating in any decision about what men ought to do. But, that is the purpose of all law.
* Therefore, in a sane society, evolutionists should not be allowed to vote, or influence laws or people in any way! They should, perhaps, make bricks to earn enough to eat.
Lest you believe he's just trying to be funny here, he makes it clear that he actually means it:
The arrogance displayed by the evolutionist class is totally unwarrented (sic). The facts warrent (sic) the violent expulsion of all evolutionists from civilized society. I am quite serious that their danger to society is so great that, in a sane society, they would be, at a minimum, denied a vote in the administration of the society, as well as any job where they might influence immature humans, e.g., scout, or youth, leader, teacher and, obviously, professor.
Yes, the fact that he advocates the violent expulsion of those he disagrees with from society while at the same time accusing other people of arrogance IS the punchline to the joke.
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Comments
Having read the article, I am now dumber than I was ten minutes ago. Happy, Ed?
Posted by: kehrsam | June 12, 2008 9:26 AM
Posted by: Herod the Freemason | June 12, 2008 9:30 AM
Posted by: Herod the Freemason | June 12, 2008 9:34 AM
*These statistics were compiled from the Tom Willis' Ass Statistical Survey.
Posted by: Wes | June 12, 2008 9:37 AM
Is there any way we can just sorta speed things up and give the lunatic 20% all of Texas, say, for their own little independent Kingdom of God, build a wall around them, and avoid the inevitable bloodshed?
Posted by: Gingerbaker | June 12, 2008 9:38 AM
Er... he thinks that evolution is a religion? Does he opine on whether Christians who believe in evolution should be allowed to vote (or are those persons not really Christians at all?)?
Posted by: kodiak | June 12, 2008 9:38 AM
Actually, if someone could, I'd love to have those resources (relatively) ready.
Posted by: Bachalon | June 12, 2008 9:42 AM
Apparently he hasn't updated his rant since 1991.
Fall of communism? Seventeen years ago? Bueller?
Posted by: chancelikely | June 12, 2008 9:46 AM
@Bachelon - check out the next topic in this blog, "Sandefur ...", where there is a long quotation from the Vice President of the Confederate States of America. Here are a few snippets of interest:
Posted by: TomS | June 12, 2008 10:04 AM
Technically, a premise can imply two opposite conclusions if the idea itself is a logical contradiction. I think you just disproved evolution. Or there's a flaw in Willis' logic. One of the two.
Posted by: Brandon | June 12, 2008 10:18 AM
Hmm... that sure sounds like this upright, God-afearin' man is advocating slavery.
Posted by: Chuck C | June 12, 2008 10:29 AM
Uh. The earliest slave trade (involving Europeans [Portugese] and Africans, post Renaissance) was around 1450. The UK banned slavery around 1806. Darwin's opus was written 1859. American banned slavery 1864. Evolution is soo evil it can transport itself back in time more than 400 years to start the slave trade, AND manage to get get slavery banned 53 years before it was written (except in the god-fearing USA).
Too bad Darwin didn't patent his time travel device, then jump forward to 1901 to collect his Nobel Prize. - DJ
Posted by: DingoJack | June 12, 2008 10:31 AM
I also hear it leads to peanutbuttersandwichism.
Posted by: Rev. BigDumbChimp | June 12, 2008 10:41 AM
Er... he thinks that evolution is a religion? Does he opine on whether Christians who believe in evolution should be allowed to vote (or are those persons not really Christians at all?)?
Kodiak, I've been running into this one quite a bit lately. My guess is that it is making a run through the creationist talking points ranks again.
Posted by: dogmeatib | June 12, 2008 10:41 AM
So I followed the link and saw this
I don't why, but that made me laugh like hell.Posted by: Taz | June 12, 2008 10:43 AM
Damn, that should have read "I don't know why"
Posted by: Taz | June 12, 2008 10:48 AM
Why do all the real nutters have to live here in Dumbfuckistan. Can we maybe introduce this fuckwit to the Phelps clan and see what happens?
Posted by: FastLane | June 12, 2008 11:03 AM
Whenever anyone criticizes me, you, PZ, Dawkins, Harris, Christina etc, for being so mean to Christians, or when they ask why we put so much time, effort, and ridicule into critiquing a belief system we don't adhere to ("Why are you so mad at God?"), I'll just send the Tom Willis link you have provided.
Thank you.
There really are people out there who would see us in camps, or worse, just for not having a wrong idea in our heads.
And speaking of Christina, this is one of my all-time favorites:
http://gretachristina.typepad.com/greta_christinas_weblog/2007/10/atheists-and-an.html
Posted by: Jason Failes | June 12, 2008 11:27 AM
I think we have to ask him "Why is slavery wrong?" And how do you justify that position with the Bible?
Posted by: KeithB | June 12, 2008 12:31 PM
"Evolutionism was/is the apologetic foundation for ... and Socialism in all of Eastern Europe beginning about 1945."
Funny how that coincided with the occupation of eastern Europe by the USSR isn't it.
Also curious: the Creation Science Association has the same initials as another, now defunct, organisation.
Posted by: NoAstronomer | June 12, 2008 12:37 PM
Perhaps Mr. Willis should visit the Gettysburg battlefield visitor center.
On display there is an interesting relic: a pamphlet circa 1850 entitled something like, "Slavery: Ordained of God."
I forget the author's name but there was a "Rev." in front of it.
Posted by: ZacharySmith | June 12, 2008 12:39 PM
One more thing; I note that the Creation Science Association holds regular Astronomy Safaris. I'll bet those are an absolute hoot! Does Phil know about this?
Posted by: NoAstronomer | June 12, 2008 12:41 PM
I'm actually a little surprised that this dolt would consider "predatory capitalism" to be a bad thing. He has all the appearances of a dyed-in-the-wool right-winger. Oh, and P.Z. actually has a .pdf of the Willis screed. Enjoy.
Posted by: Sadie Morrison | June 12, 2008 12:45 PM
kodiak asks - Er... he thinks that evolution is a religion? Does he opine on whether Christians who believe in evolution should be allowed to vote (or are those persons not really Christians at all?)?
Willis would also disenfranchise TEs:
This is even worse than the atheists. Historically, those who claim belief in God, but elevate human opinion or tradition over the Bible, have always performed as badly any atheist. If you had any say, would you allow such a person to influence, in any way, what citizens ought, by law, to do?
Posted by: Cheryl Shepherd-Adams | June 12, 2008 12:47 PM
I read the essay, and my own, personal, very favorite part was where, after Willis makes his final points that atheists/evolutionists clearly shouldn't be allowed to vote or teach in the United States of America because they wouldn't be allowed to vote or teach in the Kingdom of Heaven either -- and their evil delusion is "ordained by God" so God will have some butt to kick when he returns to take His vengeance -- he follows his whole big nasty, vile, ugly rant with a GREAT BIG SMILEY FACE!!!
"The facts warrant the violent expulsion of evolutionists from civilized society. Have a nice day!"
Posted by: Sastra | June 12, 2008 1:07 PM
USA UN Rep: USSR? Didn't you guys split up?
Russian UN Rep: That's what we wanted you to think!
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0701210/quotes
Posted by: Steve Reuland | June 12, 2008 1:23 PM
Kodiak...
Willis, in the essay, pretty much opines that the T.E.s are doomed also.
It is sure going to be crowded in hell...I hope I get a window seat.
Posted by: BobbyEarle | June 12, 2008 1:43 PM
I am quite serious that their danger to society is so great that, in a sane society, they would be, at a minimum, denied a vote in the administration of the society, as well as any job where they might influence immature humans, e.g., scout, or youth, leader, teacher and, obviously, professor.
HEY WAIT! Sally Kern said I was the most dangerous member of our society being that I am a fag. As I am an "evolutionist" fag I guess I get booted first!
That is like being sent home from work for an afternoon off, right?!?
Posted by: WBPNYC | June 12, 2008 3:00 PM
Do you think if we allow them to treat Evolution like a religion it'd be easier for us to teach it in schools?
Posted by: David | June 12, 2008 3:44 PM
Rev. Fred Ross. It's available on Google Book Search (I love Google Book Search):
http://books.google.com/books?id=UVQSAAAAIAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=Slavery:+Ordained+of+God
Posted by: Wes | June 12, 2008 4:20 PM
Yeah, the smiley face tacked on at the end is truly surreal. It's an elementary-school-level gesture contained within a rant illustrating a preschool-level emotionality which is expressed by someone who appears to possess (at best) a middle-school-level of literacy.
Posted by: Sadie Morrison | June 12, 2008 5:33 PM
... they wouldn't be allowed to vote or teach in the Kingdom of Heaven either ...
Heaven is a democracy?
Posted by: Pierce R. Butler | June 12, 2008 6:41 PM
Ed:
Fascinating. Evolution, when applied in a logically consistent manner, leads to both "predatory capitalism" AND communism, to both Nazi Germany AND the Soviet Union.
How amusing. The former group Willis mentioned was led by a nutcase who was convinced that a certain ethnic/religious group was somehow responsible for both Bolshevism and predatory capitalism at the same time as well.
I'm sure the irony would be completely lost on Willis.
(BTW, I'm starting an essay on how the terminally stupid shouldn't be allowed to post tiresome .pdf files to the internet. Think it'll get any attention?)
Posted by: Chris Krolczyk | June 12, 2008 7:04 PM
For a long time I have marveled at the various afflictions that bedevil the True Believers. The list is long and it is a rare congregant that displays only one or two. Willis seems to be suffering from the entire catalog of deficiencies in reason, logic, and, um, paying attention.
Is there a doctor or a coroner in the house?
Posted by: Crudely Wrott | June 12, 2008 8:38 PM
You're fooling yourself. We're living in a dictatorship: a self-perpetuating autocracy in which the working classes--
Posted by: Abby Normal | June 12, 2008 9:29 PM
Please! Please, good people. I am in haste. Who lives in that castle?
Posted by: King Arthur | June 12, 2008 11:55 PM
Interesting that people who rubbish creationism never seriously suggest that creationists should not be allowed to vote and should instead make bricks to earn a living (what the hell was that about anyway? We don't live in ancient Mesopotamia; there are building materials other than bricks nowadays.)
Well, this is just one nutter out there. Having been physically threatened by creationists repeatedly in the past (something which always struck me as strange, being acquainted with the teachings of Jesus as I am), this is below par stuff. Really ridiculous of course, but you can but laugh. It's just another manifestation of sexual repression; the man just can't get over the fact that he tosses off, and that leads to religious belief.
And as a side note, I love the generalisations this fucker makes. "ALL evolutionists believe this..."
Posted by: AlexWest | June 13, 2008 12:58 AM
{sarcasm}Yeah heaven is a democracy {/sarcasm}
- see what happened when satan tried to vote god out.
The Christian god of sadism only surounds himself with incompetant yes men, no dissent allowed.
Oh wait! Now I see what Bush is aiming for. -DJ
Posted by: DingoJack | June 13, 2008 1:38 AM
Well good Lords and Ladies.... I'd hate to read what Willis thinks about "evolutionists" who are also homosexual hippie Jews.
Posted by: Desertphile | June 13, 2008 12:09 PM
Tom Willis is the guy who wrote the 1999 Kansas science standards for Steve Abrams, and the guy behind the origin of creationist claim CC003, that Donald Johanson found "Lucy"'s knee joint at a great distance from the rest of the skeleton.
Posted by: Jim Lippard | June 13, 2008 3:46 PM
Re Willis and his slavery claim, you may be interested to know that (as a BA in history chap who majored in Civil War era slavery in college) I tried quizzing Willis directly to get him to specify some examples (like even one) of any slavery defender using evolutionary arguments. Since the prominent slavery defender was Rev Stringfellow of Virginia, whose argument had lots of Bible quoting but no evolutionism, I would have been genuinely interested in seeing such evidence had it existed. Anyhow, his snappy reply to me yesterday was that while he could have done so, he wouldn't, claiming this would naturally expand into a book length discussion in order to cover it. He then showed his concern for short emails by spewing two pages of rant on evolution and Marxism & Nazism, plus a lame defense of Biblical slavery. I have now tossed down the gauntlet to him, that he needs either to document his claim (hard to do if you don't have any actual examples of course) or retract the claim in his newsletter. Don't anyone hold their breath on these options btw.
Posted by: James Downard | June 20, 2008 12:05 AM