…and this is a 
Shame on the Cincinnati Zoo
Category: Creationism
Posted on: November 30, 2008 11:13 PM, by PZ Myers
The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden and the Creation Museum have made a joint marketing agreement and are selling "combo tickets" to get into both attractions for one price.
The Cincinnati Zoo is promoting an anti-science, anti-education con job run by ignorant creationists.
Unbelievable.
Here's a little bit about the Cincinnati Zoo. I've highlighted a few key words and phrases.
Part of the public school system in Cincinnati since 1975, the Zoo hosts a four-year college prepatory program - Zoo Academy. The Cincinnati Zoo is proud to serve as the leading non-formal science educator in Southwest Ohio. Over 300,000 students participate in the Zoo's educational programs annually.
The Zoo has long been successful at captive breeding, starting with trumpeter swans and sea lions back in the 1880s. The Lindner Center for Conservation and Research of Endangered Wildlife (CREW) was founded in 1986 to strengthen the tradition. The research conducted here has made the Cincinnati Zoo an international leader in the protection and propagation of endangered animals and plants around the world.
Rated by peer zoological parks as one of the best zoos in the nation, the Cincinnati Zoo continues to set the standard for conservation, education and preservation of wild animals and wild spaces. Over 1.2 million people visit the Zoo annually. The Zoo features more than 500 animal and 3,000 plant species, making it one of the largest Zoo collections in the country.
I believe the Cincinnati Zoo has betrayed its mission and its trust in a disgraceful way, by aligning themselves with a creationist institution that is a laughing stock to the rest of the world, and a mark of shame to the United States. I urge everyone to contact the zoo; write to their education and marketing and public relations departments in particular and point out the conflict between what they are doing and what their goal as an educational and research institution ought to be.
While you're at it, it might be even more effective to contact the newsroom at the Cincinnati Enquirer and the Cincinnati weekly, City Beat. Let's raise a stink and give these guys the bad PR they deserve.
Comments
Posted by: W. H. Heydt | November 30, 2008 11:41 PM
What are they going to do next? Build an ark?
Posted by: Karen | November 30, 2008 11:44 PM
Sent off an email to several family members in Ohio, and will put together something to send the zoo directly.
By the way, second email link is broken.
Posted by: woodstein312 | November 30, 2008 11:47 PM
If the zoo is part of the public school system there, as you have indicated in the post, this also appears to be a clear cut violation of the constitutional separation of church and state. Somebody should sue the hell of these morons for even considering this kind of blatant endorsement of creationism. I would if it was my kid going to school there.
Posted by: havoc | November 30, 2008 11:47 PM
Wow.
I'm a University of Cincinnati student and my family has season passes at the Zoo. I'm aghast. I never would have expected this.
I'll definitely put in my two cents...
Posted by: Southern Fried Scientist | November 30, 2008 11:59 PM
shackled beasts and shackled brains, all for one low price.
Posted by: Jeeves | December 1, 2008 12:06 AM
Augh! This is the stuff nightmares are made of. The Cincinnati Zoo has officially aligned themselves with an organization that writes things like the following:
"Walk through the Cave of Sorrows and see the horrific effects of the Fall of man. Sounds of a sin-ravaged world echo through the room. Finally, see the sacrificial Lamb on the cross, and the hope of redemption."
Posted by: Parsnip | December 1, 2008 12:07 AM
This is stunning. Of all of critical thinking's various fronts, I assumed creationism was the one superstition that science had chased back into the dark ages. Zoos are what fostered my interest in biology and natural sciences!
Posted by: Dr. J | December 1, 2008 12:11 AM
I've tried starting this a few times...I can't even begin to express how idiotic this is. Do the people at the Cincy Zoo have any common sense at all? Can they really be this clueless?
I don't know which is more moronic, this or the Air Force thing 2 stories down the page. Absolutely disgusting.
Posted by: DrBadger | December 1, 2008 12:15 AM
I thought that the creation museum wasn't doing so well financially. So except for promotion of creationism, I don't know why the cincy zoo get involved with them?
Posted by: Peter S | December 1, 2008 12:17 AM
Please don't just bitch about this in the comments sections. Take 3 minutes to write an email to the zoo and tell them how idiotic this idea is.
Posted by: Michael Hawkins | December 1, 2008 12:21 AM
This is just awful. Anyone who has a blog should be sure to make posts about this malarkey, too.
Posted by: Isabella | December 1, 2008 12:21 AM
I sent a message to the Zoo's PR department. I am also sending an email to the Cincinnati Enquirer and Citybeat newspaper.
Posted by: AlexS | December 1, 2008 12:21 AM
havoc: I sent an e-mail to the News Record suggesting they have someone write an opinion article on this. Maybe if more students would join in requesting this, they will write about this in Wednesday's issue.
Posted by: Graham | December 1, 2008 12:24 AM
I sent them an E-mail explaining what the creation museum teaches (basically flintstones) in case they weren't aware and said:
"It's frankly disturbing and shameful that the Cincinnati Zoo would wish to so thoroughly destroy its hard-earned reputation as a promoter of public science education by jumping in bed with such a blatantly anti-science organization."
I sent one copy to their public relations address and one to the CREW (scientists).
Posted by: Kristoffer | December 1, 2008 12:25 AM
Disgusting.
And I was just beginning to get rid of my headache.
Posted by: Capital Dan | December 1, 2008 12:28 AM
Here's what I shot out:
I am writing in regards to the willful promotion of anti-science, anti-education, and outright ignorance demonstrated through your partnership with the Creation Museum. It pains me, as a college-educated individual and a proponent of the natural world, to see a valued educational institution such as yours enter into an arrangement with an entity that not only fails to further education, but actively seeks to work against it.
Moreover, as you are a part of the Cincinnati Public School System, it would strike me as contradictory to the First Amendment's separation clause for you to enter into a partnership designed to promote the myth of creationism from the singular point of view of the Christian Bible. In other words, not only are you betraying those in the public school system who trust you to respect the beliefs of all their students by not placing one belief above the others, you are also, quite possibly, violating the First Amendment of the Constitution of the United States of America.
I sincerely hope you will remedy this by ending this promotion and cutting your ties with the Creation Museum. I can understand that you wish to partner with area businesses and attractions; however, you should investigate and carefully vet those potential partnerships to make certain they are not a detriment to the education I hope your institution strives to provide.
Sincerely
I hope that works.
Posted by: Capital Dan | December 1, 2008 12:30 AM
Ooops... Botched my blockquoting mojo!
It's late, and I've been drinking.
Posted by: akg41470 | December 1, 2008 12:31 AM
Here's mine:
---
To whom it may concern:
As a former resident of the Cincinnati area and a visitor to the fantastic Cincinnati Zoo, I find the news of a "joint package" between your zoo and the appalling Creation Museum actually makes me physically angry. How can a museum of such stature lower itself to even RECOGNIZE a museum of such crack-pottery?
Such anti-science and purely religious tripe needs to be flat-out ignored by anyone serious in the scientific field, and especially to those educating children. In your position over the years, I'm very VERY surprised that a connection with the Creation Museum was even considered.
Find out who set up this combo package and fire them. This is a corruption to your zoo, the Cincinnati area and to the children that are about to fall into this trap.
Posted by: Reece | December 1, 2008 12:31 AM
I just sent a "letter of concern" using tactful, polite language. I'm sure their inboxes will have enough scorn from the rest of the world.
A suspect few of my fellow Ph.D. candidates from Cincinnati were a little less cordial in their correspondences, as their state tax dollars are no doubt helping this madness.
Separation of church and state? Meh, who needs it.
Posted by: Anthony | December 1, 2008 12:35 AM
Strangely, I don't seem as disturbed by this as everyone else responding so far. If someone is the type of person that would be interested in visiting the creation museum then likely getting them into the zoo as well (where they can be exposed to real biology and science) is a huge benefit. Of course, there is still the big issue of the "association" with the creation museum so for that reason I'd still have to be against the entire concept in the end.
Posted by: Shamar | December 1, 2008 12:39 AM
Well, let me set aside all the intellectual responses for the moment, and just say........the Cincinnati Zoo can KISS MY ASS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(okay, I'm done now)
Posted by: Jason A. | December 1, 2008 12:41 AM
I sent them this:
Posted by: Jason A. | December 1, 2008 12:46 AM
Anthony #20:
Yeah, I thought about that. But I think the damage from credibility the Creation Museum will get out of this far outweighs the benefit of getting creationists into a real zoo
Posted by: responder | December 1, 2008 12:49 AM
@#23:
Also, they gave the museum something they can quote in PR blurbs
"Come visit the newest partner in the Cincinnati Zoo system, the Creation Museum!"
That's no good.
Posted by: BobC | December 1, 2008 12:50 AM
A pro-science zoo and an anti-science museum, all for one low price. This could only happen in Idiot America.
Posted by: John Phillips, FCD | December 1, 2008 12:55 AM
Anthony, if what you said was likely, then I would agree with your take on it. However, the problem is that more likely, as happens at some museums now, you will have organised trips where the 'guide' will be a creationist putting their own spin on what the visitors see. Thus few if any of those visitors will hear or see the real story, only a creationist spun version. Not only that, they will spin the marketing agreement as an endorsement of their creationism. Why do you think they are so eager to sneak ID into science, partly to have some of the respect many hold science in rub off on them and hence appear to validate their beliefs.
Posted by: Kubenzi | December 1, 2008 1:00 AM
I have pictures of myself at the Cincy zoo when i was 2 years old and almost every year since.
Of all the crazy stories i have read on Paul's blog this is the first one to actually make me feel like i have been in a car accident or hit by a ton of bricks.
Posted by: Zeno | December 1, 2008 1:05 AM
I wrote a note to the Cincinnati Zoo's education link:
Posted by: Jason A. | December 1, 2008 1:07 AM
Anyone know if they get a significant amount of funding from private sources? I'm guessing the kind of people who donate to zoos aren't the kind of people who would be happy about this...
Posted by: RickrOll | December 1, 2008 1:09 AM
This kind of creeping, fungus-quality to ID "science" is what is the most deplorable thing about it. If it was adamantly its own creature, then it would be simple enough to dismiss it, which is our entire point. This kind of symbiosis is a perversion of any intellectual institution.
"Somebody should sue the hell of these morons for even considering this kind of blatant endorsement of creationism. I would if it was my kid going to school there." -SECONDED
Posted by: Quiet Desperation | December 1, 2008 1:10 AM
Pfft! This is the Creation Museum here. The zoo animals are an order of magnitude or two *freer* than the minds at the other place. ;-)
I actually sent an email complaining. See? I'm not *totally* useless. Just mostly.
Posted by: Wendy | December 1, 2008 1:19 AM
I wrote this (don't know how to put the fancy line next to it.) I sent this to the zoo and the news people all at once. Sorry, I know it's long, but I think it sounds pretty good:
Hi there,
Today I heard that the Cincinnati Zoo has struck a deal with the much-ridiculed Creation Museum. They're now selling combo tickets! I'm sending this to all of you at once, thought I'd kill a few birds with one stone.
Cincinnati Zoo, you should be ashamed of yourselves. In your own words, you are "the leading non-formal SCIENCE educator in Southwest Ohio"* and yet you are actively promoting ANTI-SCIENCE by associating yourselves with the Creation Museum.
For those that aren't in-the-know, the Creation Museum** is a museum dedicated, essentially, to the book of Genesis. Lovely idea in theory, but in practice this museum is an insult to the scientific method. It shamelessly denies the evolution of life, and an Earth older than 6,000 years, both for which there is a multitude of evidence. It tells its visitors that the planet REALLY completely flooded just a few thousand years ago (despite evidence to the contrary), that a 600 year old man REALLY built a giant ark and REALLY loaded up two (or seven, depending which story you read) of every single animal on the planet (despite the glaring physical impossibilities), and that dinosaurs and humans REALLY lived together in harmony (despite evidence to the contrary). I could go on, and on, and on. Don't even get me started with the triceratops with a saddle on its back!!!
A zoo. In cahoots with a museum that's modeled a dinosaur wearing a saddle. A SADDLE. Are you starting to see the incompatibility?
This museum is the epitome of anti-science. There isn't a shred of science to it, and that's exactly what's so repulsive about this combo ticket deal. Any scientific institution, like the Cincinnati Zoo, that associates itself with such an anti-scientific entity does NOT deserve to call itself a "leading science educator"*! A place of learning that annually welcomes 1.2 million visitors and 300,000 students to its educational programs has an obligation to not lead those impressionable minds astray, and to provide those students with FACTS!
I'm appalled, SO appalled. Cincinnati Zoo, your good reputation once preceded you. You have effectively destroyed any and all credibility associated with your name.
Enquirer and City Beat, I certainly hope you'll look into this matter further. I know I'm not the only one gawking in disbelief!
Sincerely,
Cincinnati Zoo Boycotter.
* http://www.cincinnatizoo.org/about/history.html
** http://www.creationmuseum.org/
Posted by: Jon R | December 1, 2008 1:22 AM
As a life long citizen of greater Cincinnati, I apologize. Angry emails are on the way.
Posted by: Rey Fox | December 1, 2008 1:33 AM
Letter sent. This is just disgusting. That they can refer to the Creation Museum as a "fantastic attraction" on their web site is like a slap in the face of anyone seriously interested in the descent and conservation of wildlife.
Fuck the creationists.
Posted by: Jason | December 1, 2008 1:55 AM
I can't seem to find anything on the Zoo's ticket sales website about this partnership and ticket combo. I followed a link to the ticket combo on the creation museum website, and it looks similar, but I'm pretty sure its not actually affiliated with the zoo.
creation museum ticket link:
https://tickets.cincinnatizoo.org/mainstore.asp?vid=0
Cincinnati Zoo ticket website:
http://www.cincinnatizoo.org/tickets.html
Am I overlooking something?
Posted by: RickrOll | December 1, 2008 1:56 AM
"It shamelessly denies the evolution of life"- Wendy. Not true, the believe in SUPER evolution, that the hundereds or thousands of "kinds" (read "bullshit semantics") proliferated into all the different Orders, families, genus[es?] and species in only a couple hundred years.
But onto less depressing things: COWBOY BEBOP (ironically, it's gateway shuffle lol)!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6zDfxZ4NcE
(sorry in advance for the derailment this may cause)
Posted by: Feynmaniac | December 1, 2008 1:57 AM
Did you know....
Not only was Charles Darwin the first leader of the Soviet Union, but Sir Issac Newton was a Field Marshal in Napoleon Bonaparte's army?
Gregor Mendel led the Vietcong's guerilla activities?
Niels Bohr was both Jack the Ripper AND Count Dracula?
Posted by: Feynmaniac | December 1, 2008 2:00 AM
Damnit, that lost post was suppose to go here .
That's what I get for trying to make jokes at 2 in the morning.
Posted by: Jason | December 1, 2008 2:07 AM
I call bullshit on the partnership/ticket combo. After comparing the websites and they way the tickets are purchased, I think its fake. I'd say we should bring this to the zoo's attention, but I guess they'll figure it out pretty quickly in the morning.
Posted by: Jason A. | December 1, 2008 2:09 AM
#35 - Interesting. But the terms of use link at the bottom of the creationist ticket page includes this:
Which really seems to make it zoo affiliated. Could whoever did this be trying to hide it out of sight from everyone but the creationists?
Posted by: Jason A. | December 1, 2008 2:17 AM
Yeah, the purchase procedure on the two websites is different. The regular zoo tickets purchasing takes you to a 'https://secure2.gatewayticketing.com/cincyzoo/' address and asks for your login information. The one with the creation museum tickets is 'https://tickets.cincinnatizoo.org' and only asks for your billing information.
I wonder if perhaps some sneaky creationist working at the zoo might be trying to pull it off without official approval? Jennifer Carskadan named in the customer service link on the creationist ticket page (who ISN'T mentioned on the official zoo contact list, they have departmental emails instead of individuals) would be a good suspect.
Posted by: Stephen | December 1, 2008 2:28 AM
@#35 and @#39: that is indeed a bit odd. But both pages use the cincinnatizoo.org domain, so they can't be unconnected.
Posted by: Kassul | December 1, 2008 2:33 AM
e-mails sent.
Pretty disgusting money-grab, and I have a hard time believing that this would make them all that much in the way of revenue. Not enough pieces of silver to justify the cost of the zoo's metaphorical soul I'd think.
Wonder what sort of response the zoo has to such e-mails? Somewhat personalized responses by some minimum-wage employee? Regular " we appreciate your input and will work hard to address your concerns" form letters? Nothing at all?
Inquiring minds want to know, and with luck, I'll find out =D
Posted by: IAmMarauder | December 1, 2008 2:37 AM
Going to https://tickets.cincinnatizoo.org gives you a page with the following text:
"Welcome to the Cincinnati Zoo Online Discount Program for Corporations, Associations, and Schools. This is where Corporations and Associations can purchase admission to the Zoo and where Schools can make reservations for a Zoo Field Trip."
If you click on the "Buy Tickets" button on the right hand side it goes to a "Mainstore" page with the Zoo/Museum combo.
I am not sure if this an official combo offered by the zoo, or just that the museum is simply taking advantage of a discount program (and somehow got to put its own text on the page).
I guess a reply from the zoo might set the whole thing straight.
Posted by: Moody834 | December 1, 2008 2:38 AM
My 2ยข: a letter to the CZ's PR dept. cc'd to the Cincinnati Enquirer and City Beat.
Posted by: SSweet | December 1, 2008 2:50 AM
This is rather like the NAACP offering a joint membership deal with the Aryan Brotherhood. Under its former director Ed Maruska the Cincinnati Zoo achieved great renown for taking on many small, uncharismatic and "difficult" species, and having remarkable success with them. The current director has no background in science -- as is the trend, he is from a "marketing" career.
If this is not bogus, it would be grounds for a request to the AZA to re-evaluate the accreditation of the zoo.
Posted by: Lago | December 1, 2008 2:58 AM
Most things we laugh at in here are just that,,,"laughable," but this is truly sick and deserves our full attention.
I say we make this a major mission for us to stop, and/or find the ones responsible so we can allow their actions to ruin their names. People need to be accountable for this effin' crap.
OK...back to sleep..
Posted by: Amerist | December 1, 2008 2:59 AM
Bad zoo! No biscuits!
Alright, I know that the economy is having trouble, but...what? Does the Zoo have some sort of weird nepotism going on? That's got to be the only explanation for this sort of behavior, how else could they agree to this sort of weird bedfellows?
@Feynmaniac, "Niels Bohr was both Jack the Ripper AND Count Dracula?" Just wait until Schroedinger and Dirac hear about what the cat has been up to...
Posted by: Michael | December 1, 2008 3:28 AM
I believe the Cincinnati Zoo has betrayed its mission and its trust in a disgraceful way, by aligning themselves with a creationist institution.
Quite frankly PZ, if you can celebrate Christmas as you do, a holiday you claim not to be religious but love to celebrate it because of the materialism aspect of it...lol...Then the Cincinnati Zoo is basically doing almost the same thing, they are also celebrating X-mas by marketing it which is why they have a joint ticket price with the Creation Museum.
Posted by: Douglas Watts | December 1, 2008 3:30 AM
No offense, but this is what happens when high profile folks start blaring on the atheism trumpet as if it is the only note you have. I'm looking at you, P.Z. Myers. About 80 percent of religious people believe in the truth of biological evolution. Saying that all people who believe in any religion are idiots and fascists splits off 80 percent of the supporters of biological evolution.
Posted by: Jason A. | December 1, 2008 3:36 AM
Michael #49:
Uhh... no. Nobody is saying anything about the zoos ability to celebrate christmas, have you read anyone here complain about their festival of lights? We're complaining that they're partnering up with a place that spreads deliberate, intentional anti-science lies to further their religious agenda. The issue here is the extreme lack of quality in the Creation Museum as an educational resource.
"basically doing almost the same thing"
Hah. Basically, almost, eh? You don't even believe what's coming out of your own mouth.
Posted by: Janine ID AKA The Lone Drinker | December 1, 2008 3:38 AM
I am so looking forward to reading about Douglas Watt having his head handed back to him later this the morning.
Posted by: Jason A. | December 1, 2008 3:40 AM
Oh, check this Michael guy's link, he's a creationist troll. That explains the dishonesty. Quote from his blog:
Ever heard of tidal heating?
Not to mention, how the heck does 'the hypothesis of evolution' even factor in to that reasoning?
Posted by: Mike | December 1, 2008 3:40 AM
Douglas Watts @ #50:
You're talking out of your ass. Please provide a quote where PZ said something to the effect of:
"all people who believe in any religion are idiots and fascists"
Posted by: siddharth | December 1, 2008 3:41 AM
Fact check. Where's the citation for the silly claim?
Posted by: Jason A. | December 1, 2008 3:47 AM
Douglas Watts #50
Wait a minute, which is it? Is it 80 percent of religious people believe in evolution, or 80 percent of the supporters of evolution are religious?
You're just making stuff up, aren't you?
Posted by: RickrOll | December 1, 2008 4:03 AM
jason (OT), wouldn't tidal heating be an awesome source of energy?! Just imagining a setup on IO that collects geothermal energy! It would be nearly an endless source of energy!
Wattson (yes, you are Watt's son): anything relavent to say? There was no claim that all religious persons are idiots, and i can think of one person in particular: John Shore -who daily reaches across the isle from imaginary land to atheists, and is a smart person to boot- that completely icnonographs (i know, probly a made up word) what you intend to say [http://johnshoreland.com/]. PZ made no such slur on this post. Give it a rest.
Posted by: Your Mighty Overload | December 1, 2008 4:04 AM
Michael at 49
Christmas is a pagan festival that the Christians stole - it has nothing to do with Jebus whatsoever. PZ is as free to celebrate the winter solstice as anyone else. PZ is free to celebrate anything, and so are you.
Posted by: Rey Fox | December 1, 2008 4:04 AM
So...if we say that religion is stupid and harmful, then respected biological institutions will start kowtowing to it? I don't quite follow you, Doug.
Michael's just spouting his usual free association drivel, and laughing at himself again, he's best ignored.
Posted by: Robert Byers | December 1, 2008 4:27 AM
From canada
You ain't seen nothing yet. The future is staring at you. You will not be able to resist the continuing organizing of creationism with its healthy public opinion numbers to have its place at the table of origin discussions before ones countryman where everybody shares in the prestigous stuff of the land. The zoo is a public achievment in reality.
Yes it gives public credibility to creationism by a respected place of natural world knowledge.
It is credible because so many americans in their hearts believe its credible. Your democracy is built on the idea that what the people think does matter. Right or wrong. Its respect with the intelligence of the common man.
Just as these people must respect professions who engage in and get paid for researching the truths of origins. Respect but contend on the points where there is error.
Complaining about this Zoo is a spirit of censorship, control of dissent , and dictactorish.
it won't destroy evolution. Yes evolution however evolution will go to the ashheap of history.
Posted by: RickrOll | December 1, 2008 4:31 AM
Dude, the religious right is killing th GOP, they are in the dust of the rest of american society. With no power, these guys will soon be nothing more than a few rascist Southern Xenophobes.
i have three parting words for you R.B :Barack Obama. Secularist.
Posted by: Kel | December 1, 2008 4:32 AM
Yep, it was only a matter of time until Robert Byers entered this thread. Retard is as retard does.
Posted by: RickrOll | December 1, 2008 4:33 AM
oh, and last time i checked, 20% wasn't a majority, stupid. Additionally, anti-intellectual psuedoscience is intolerable and has no place in any learnig environment. Preiod.
Posted by: Steve | December 1, 2008 4:33 AM
I sent in my email. Looks like some idiot has started a competing email campaign.
http://im-from-missouri.blogspot.com/2008/12/sleazy-pzs-attack-on-cincinnati-zoo.html
Posted by: RickrOll | December 1, 2008 4:42 AM
oh kel did you hear John A davidson is back on (aardvarcheology)? I'm not sure what can be done, but i feel it to be good to note that he isn't far away, and that the alarm ought to be sounded.
By the by, i commented on that blog, Steve. We'll see if it get's through (you deny dogma but Biblical literalism is fine? have some intellectual honesty, for GOD's sake!).
Posted by: RickrOll | December 1, 2008 4:48 AM
it's time like this Steve, that i really wish i had hacker friends... seriously. These people should be e-bombed. totally erased from the internets. With any luck, people like this would be unable to even get thier internet up and running. "If 'if' and 'buts' were candy and nuts, we all would have a merry Christmas."
Posted by: John Morales | December 1, 2008 4:51 AM
Robert Byers, here's something about The Imminent Demise of Evolution for you to ponder.
Posted by: Shaden Freud | December 1, 2008 4:52 AM
#64
Oh no, it's Larry Fafarman, Holocaust revisionist extraordinaire!
BWAAAA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!
Oh well, that's one entire letter in support of the combo tickets. Carry on.
Posted by: currie_jean | December 1, 2008 4:56 AM
I've got to put down my mob torch for a second, just to ask - could it be that the Cincinnati Zoo has decided to do this as a way of *combating* creationist indoctrination?
IE, if you're going to take your kids to the Creation Museum, you might end up going to the Zoo too - to see some *actual* science in action.
Posted by: currie_jean | December 1, 2008 4:58 AM
Sorry - seems this was already addressed in comment #20.
*picks up the torch again*
Posted by: RickrOll | December 1, 2008 5:00 AM
John at 67: oooh, pretty background. Hey, wasn't "the end is nigh" an equally popular phrase? Doesn't that mean that these people expect the end of the universe before evolution is dispoven? Ha HA ha HA Ha hA!
Shaden: wow this dumb galoot really gets a hard on for PZ, huh? Creeeepy. It's like a cyber-stalker. What a lifeless mooch lol.
Posted by: Feynmaniac | December 1, 2008 5:12 AM
To Robert Byers #60,
I don't know how you keep slipping out of your straight jacket and going on the Asylum's computers, but beware. The guards will catch on eventually.
Also, please stop starting your posts with "from Canada", it makes us all look real bad.
Posted by: Acidhouser | December 1, 2008 5:26 AM
Oh I don't know, maybe its not all bad, perhaps the zoo is getting a unicorn exhibit. That would make it worth a visit!
Posted by: MartinM | December 1, 2008 5:51 AM
You appear to be suggesting that most religious people will abandon good science if some of its proponents disagree with their religious beliefs...
Posted by: MartinM | December 1, 2008 5:53 AM
Sodding blockquotes. Last sentence is mine, of course.
Posted by: Pimientita | December 1, 2008 5:55 AM
Wait...when did PZ ever say he celebrated Christmas "because of the materialism aspect?"
And what the hell does a combo ticket promotion between these two entities have anything to do with Christmas?
Sorry Michael, but your post fails on every level.
Posted by: Casey | December 1, 2008 6:49 AM
Sent a message to all three. What a joke!
Posted by: Kevin | December 1, 2008 7:00 AM
I live in Ohio and make regular trips to the Cinci Zoo. I wrote them a polite letter pointing out that linking up with the anti-science, anti-education creation museum seems contrary to their mission statement of conveying knowledge. I also noted that Zoos in Indy and Columbus are just as close and will be getting my business now.
Posted by: zensunni | December 1, 2008 7:13 AM
In the past I have been a frequent Cincinnati Zoo visitor. I have had annual memberships for myself and/or bought them for others. I believe in supporting the research and education programs conducted by your institution. However, since you have chosen to align with the Creationist 'Museum', which is completely anti-science and devoted to misinforming people, I cannot in conscience support the zoo any longer. It makes me sad that in an age when science education in this country is increasingly important and being increasingly neglected that you would choose to betray your supporters by aligning with and helping to legitimize a 'museum' teaching that animals have not evolved, that the earth is six thousand years old, and other lies that make science education harder. Shame on you.
Jason Eyink
Posted by: negentropyeater | December 1, 2008 7:16 AM
Douglas Watts #50,
Untrue.
Here are some figures from Pew research from July 2006, for the 4 largest groups :
Humans and other lving things have evolved over time
in () : Humans and other living things existed in present form only
Evangelicals 27% (65%)
Mainline protestants 62% (32%)
Catholics 59% (33%)
_________________
Average religious 44% (48%)
Secular 83% (12%)
National 51% (42%)
So it's not 80% of religious people believe in Evolution in the US, but 44% only. Still the national average is just above 50% thanks to secular groups (non believers, secular jews, unitarians, humanists...) who believe in Evolution overwhelmingly.
So, I wouldn't say that all religious people in the US are ignorants, idiots and fascists, but at least 48% of them.
The good news is that secular groups are steadily growing as a % of total population (18% in 2007), and religious steadily decreasing, so that the 51% figure of Evolution supporters should continue to increase in the future, whereas the 42% figure for creationsts should continue to decrease.
If the trend continues, we should reach 60% Evolution supporters and 35% creationists within the next 10 to 20 years, gradually converging towards what we observe in the rest of the developped world.
Posted by: Jonathan Hartley | December 1, 2008 7:29 AM
I sent them this (with copies to the newspapers):
"I have recently learnt that the Cincinnati Zoo is offering a 'combo' ticket giving entry to both the zoo and to the Creation Museum.
This is a very exciting and far-sighted development and I would welcome the opportunity to put the following proposal to you:
I have fairies living at the bottom of my garden.
As I am in the UK it would probably not be reasonable to offer a similar 'combo' ticket since the majority of your patrons would be unable to take advantage of it. However I have noticed that you have a reciprocal list of attractions and would welcome the opportunity to have the Fairy Kingdom included.
We are situated in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, a very popular destination for visitors from the USA, and I look forward to welcoming many Cincinnati Zoo membership cardholders.
Along side the regular entrance fee discount I would also like to offer visitors the opportunity to purchase, at a 30% discount, a 100g bag of genuine Fairy Dust. As I am sure you know Fairy Dust has many uses and will be especially effective if sprinkled in to the eyes before visiting the Creation Museum."
Posted by: John Phillips, FCD | December 1, 2008 7:37 AM
Jonathan Hartley, do you organise trips from Bristol, I could do with a day out :)
One small problem with your offer though, as I imagine creationists might have a problem with fairy dust.
Posted by: Ubi Dubium | December 1, 2008 7:48 AM
I sent this to the PR department: