Pharyngula

Posted by: Brownian, Most Vicious & Petty of Pharyngulites | June 22, 2010 8:31 PM

Too much, PZ. I have no quips to deal with this level of malignant stupid.

Posted by: James F | June 22, 2010 8:35 PM

"Homosexuality is a choice. That is a choice people make...to engage in this...deliciously decadent, sinful behavior in God's eyes!"

-David Cross, in faux preacher mode

Posted by: Brad Anderson | June 22, 2010 8:38 PM

Let me tell you, PZ, it's not easy. Having lived in Texas for the entirety of my life thus far as well as being raised a devout Christian, I know firsthand the level of suckitude. We're so deep in crazy here in Texas that I don't know whether standing up for my beliefs or escaping before the ship sinks is the better option.

This just goes hand in hand with the recent restructuring of high school history curricula. I'm ashamed.

Can we be saved? If so, that glorious future seems so distant...

Posted by: Travis | June 22, 2010 8:39 PM

That was disorienting. I just left a comment on a thread on this at another site and used this blog to find examples of other crazy Republican platforms. Then I come back and I find this place is talking about the same thing.

Posted by: Shala | June 22, 2010 8:40 PM

But shouldn't an Albertan appreciate the Texas platform as something to which they can aspire?

oh ho ho ho ho~

Posted by: 朴競花/박경화 (Gyeong Hwa) | June 22, 2010 8:42 PM

We believe theories of life origins and environmental theories should be taught as challengeable scientific theory subject to change as new data is produced, not scientific law.

So, we get to teach Egyptian origins of the Universe? And Native American ones too? And Aztec, and Mayans, and Daoist, and Shinto, and Aborigines, and Hindu, and Nordic, etc.

We oppose any criminal or civil penalties against those who oppose homosexuality out of faith, conviction, or belief in traditional values.

Yeah, they oppose women's right too since that also goes against "faith, conviction, or belief in traditional values".

Posted by: Caine, ghetto féministe | June 22, 2010 8:43 PM

Teachers and students should be able to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of these theories openly and without fear of retribution or discrimination of any kind.

No fear of retribution or discrimination of any kind as long as the teacher a/o student is christian, right? I betcha that wouldn't hold for teachers and students of non-xian beliefs, let alone those nasty, evil atheists.

Posted by: Janine, The Little Top Of Venom, OM | June 22, 2010 8:44 PM

The issue of sodomy will be don't ask, don't tell. Unless some just happen to be looking into a window.

Posted by: Algernon, elle sans chapeau | June 22, 2010 8:48 PM

Oh man, I really need to get out of this place.

Posted by: Travis | June 22, 2010 8:50 PM

raven,

While all this sounds plausible, Susskind has never provided much in the way of data or documentation for his theory.

Are we talking about string theory here?

Sorry, I had to.

Posted by: nejishiki | June 22, 2010 8:52 PM

Nice of them to single out a few theories.

What if we want to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of Marxian economics vis-a-vis neoclassical?
Or the Protestant reformation from the POV of the Catholic church?
Or the Revolutionary War from the British perspective?
Our children's hungry minds are aching for this knowledge! Feed them, Texas!

Posted by: Phulium od Elim | June 22, 2010 8:56 PM

We oppose any criminal or civil penalties against those who oppose homosexuality out of faith, conviction, or belief in traditional values.

Nice loophole if we can pull it off. Let's say, I rob a bank to pay for twenty-seven yards of society fabric and get arrested. It comes up in the trial that I opposed homosexuality out of traditional values[*]. Then I'd be off the hook. As I ought to be because folks like me are needed to keep are fabric strong.

[*] Had Lot's daughters been homosexual, they would have done it with each other rather than their old man and instead of repopulating the world out of duty, they'd just be having fun.

We oppose the legalization of sodomy.

Damned Straight! (and narrow) Any lawmaker going arround specifically writing up laws that specifically state that this specific type of non-procreation should be explicitly made legal is a law-maker with too much time on his hands. The first thing Jerry Brown did as Governor of California was to legalize oral sex and look where it got him. By the end of his terms Linda Ronstadht dumped him.

Realizing that conflict and debate is a proven learning tool in classrooms, we support objective teaching and equal treatment of all sides of scientific theories, including evolution, Intelligent Design, global warming, political philosophies, and others.

You have to admit that under current school policy scientific theories about political philosphies are seldom taught. Conflict is a proven learning tool; beat up an unpopular kid today.

Posted by: Pierce R. Butler | June 22, 2010 8:59 PM

I wonder if they're going to go high tech and install surveillance cameras in everyone's bedroom...

A webcam in every anus - and a barcode tattooed on every penis!

Posted by: Glen Davidson | June 22, 2010 9:03 PM

We believe theories of life origins and environmental theories should be taught as challengeable scientific theory subject to change as new data is produced, not scientific law.

Well, who doesn't?

That's what's especially annoying about attacks on science, they have to pretend that science isn't taught as contingent and changeable (ok, no doubt many teachers don't, due to ignorance). Of course, other times they complain about evolution because it can change, while their nonsense supposedly does not.

I wonder if evolution has ever been taught as "scientific law."

They need their lies, though, or they'd have to admit that ID/creationism has been thoroughly considered, and abandoned as the manure pile that it really is.

Glen Davidson

Posted by: KyBoiler | June 22, 2010 9:07 PM

Adopting a blastocyst is absolutely hilarious. Next step, Any woman that menstruates is guilty of murder because she didn't get her potential life fertilized in time.

Life is a special case of chemistry. The 8-100 cells in fertilized eggs that are already in deep freeze storage need protection... but screw the kids that don't have books in school. Their parents should've worked harder to send them to private christian schools.

Posted by: Kirk | June 22, 2010 9:13 PM

Realizing that conflict and debate is a proven learning tool in classrooms

My step brother was initially raised in Iowa, but around the age of ten or so he found himself in the Texas educational system.

And they were studying how to count syllables of words. And the word they were on was "lion", and he claimed it was a two syllable word. And the teacher patiently explained to him that he was wrong, that it's a one syllable word. "It's pronounced "lahhhn", honey."

Now moving on to the other subjects, they are also different in Texas ...

Posted by: raven | June 22, 2010 9:17 PM

One of the reasons the ICR lawsuit failed was the usual. Highly inept legal help, lawyers. Being stupid and fundie does have its downsides.

It didn't help too that they were blatantly trying to violate the US constitution. Creationism isn't even bad science, it is just bad religion.

Posted by: Algernon, elle sans chapeau | June 22, 2010 9:22 PM

We encourage the adoption of existing embryos.

LOL. That's cute.

These party positions are eventually going to fuck the Republicans over though. A lot of it is typical, but we all knew Bush didn't mean it. Governor Goodhair is a bit different. And I'm afraid that the party will continue to get more sincere in it's increasingly psychotic rightwing apocalyptic vision, and in finding candidates that are True Believers. The only thing Texas has had going for it, right or wrong, is employment. It's an area of growth right now when a lot of the US is still suffering.

But that means new people, from all over, coming here mainly for work and mainly into the cities.

So the cities are getting more and more distanced from the more rural areas. I really wonder how long the Republicans here can stay in bed with the teabag movement and not end up either having to lose the state to some libertarians (it won't be a democrat any time soon I don't think... although I'd vote democrat) or begin attacking the financial center of the state.

Posted by: Josh, "Raquel Dommage," Porte-parole Gay Official | June 22, 2010 9:25 PM

We encourage the adoption of existing embryos.

Indeed. Here's a special petri dish for ya. Got to town.

Posted by: Algernon, elle sans chapeau | June 22, 2010 9:27 PM

Having lived in Texas for the entirety of my life thus far as well as being raised a devout Christian, I know firsthand the level of suckitude. We're so deep in crazy here in Texas that I don't know whether standing up for my beliefs or escaping before the ship sinks is the better option.

How old are you I'm curious? I only say because it really seems to me that during the span of my own life here that most of these things have gotten a lot worse.

I think there's more going on because in some ways Texas seems to be transforming into a sort of center for right wing political extremism.

People in my life seem to point to the 80s as the time when the state went from slightly hick to really crazy. Remember this *used* to be the state of LBJ!

Posted by: Josh, "Raquel Dommage," Porte-parole Gay Official | June 22, 2010 9:30 PM

Adopting a blastocyst is absolutely hilarious. Next step, Any woman that menstruates is guilty of murder because she didn't get her potential life fertilized in time.

Imagine the convictions for throwing a tampon away. Seriously - it's that stupid.

Posted by: Kirk | June 22, 2010 9:37 PM

Imagine the convictions for throwing a tampon away.

Every sperm is sacred, and so is every used tampon.

Posted by: Erulóra (formerly KOPD) | June 22, 2010 9:41 PM

we support objective teaching and equal treatment of all sides of scientific theories, including evolution, Intelligent Design, global warming, political philosophies...

alchemy, phlogiston theory, the aether, Bigfoot, alien abduction, and so on...

Posted by: Aquaria | June 22, 2010 9:58 PM

And they were studying how to count syllables of words. And the word they were on was "lion", and he claimed it was a two syllable word. And the teacher patiently explained to him that he was wrong, that it's a one syllable word. "It's pronounced "lahhhn", honey."

Depends on the part of the state. In East Texas, Lion and lyin' sound the same.

However, vowels of all kinds become multi-syllabic.

For instance, "lunch" becomes "lu-unch." "There" becomes "they'er." And so forth.

Of course, at least a non-Texan might have a clue what they're trying to say. The poor thing will need a translator once he crosses into Louisiana.

Posted by: Brownian, Most Vicious & Petty of Pharyngulites | June 22, 2010 10:31 PM

But shouldn't an Albertan appreciate the Texas platform as something to which they can aspire?

Somehow I feel better about my own government. Thanks!

Posted by: Scott | June 22, 2010 10:35 PM

I've also lived in Texas all my life, and people like that make me want to go out and have promiscuous gay sex just to spite them.

Posted by: Carlie of the lacy, gently wafting adjectives | June 22, 2010 10:36 PM

Adopting a blastocyst is absolutely hilarious.

Some women who really want to be pregnant and have their own children, but can't produce their own embryos, use donated blastocysts. I'm not saying it's the most efficient way to obtain a child, but I wouldn't call it "hilarious".

Posted by: Algernon, elle sans chapeau | June 22, 2010 10:49 PM

Some women who really want to be pregnant and have their own children, but can't produce their own embryos, use donated blastocysts. I'm not saying it's the most efficient way to obtain a child, but I wouldn't call it "hilarious".

But that hardly qualifies as adoption.

Posted by: Caine, ghetto féministe | June 22, 2010 10:56 PM

Ol'Greg:

But that hardly qualifies as adoption.

No, it doesn't. The 'snowflake' people have been around for years; much of their upset has to do with the very large amount of blastocysts which simply sit in tanks. They are legally owned, but for whatever reason, a lot of owners choose to nothing with them outside storage.

The 'snowflake' people want them all used (for pregnancy) or "adopted" out and they do not want the legal owners to be able to donate their blastocysts to any type of research.

Posted by: Eamon Knight | June 22, 2010 10:56 PM

I hope Canada has room for us all when the Christian Reconstructionists and teaparty folks ascend to power.

Only if we dump our current neo-theo-cons first. Otherwise, I suspect our refugee policy will display an odd reluctance to accept pleas of "religious persecution" from American atheists....

Posted by: Tabby Lavalamp | June 22, 2010 11:11 PM

We are opposed to any granting of special legal entitlements, refuse to recognize, or grant special privileges including, but not limited to...custody of children by homosexuals

So in order to protect families they're going to tear families apart. - Sorry, I forgot the scare quotes that help to ease what little they have in the way of consciences. - So in order to protect families, they're going to tear "families" apart.

Posted by: Algernon, elle sans chapeau | June 22, 2010 11:19 PM

most women are hot and dress slutty

Glad you found the exit.

Posted by: mistereveready | June 22, 2010 11:37 PM

@ol'greg

sadly im financially unable to leave permanently.

i know this will probably require me to return my members only jacket for atheism, but sometimes i wish there was a designer species of alien or something, that way, even if its just the slightest possibility, that there could be a factory recall on humans. because there are so many defective people in the world that are in desperate need of repair.

Posted by: Usagichan | June 22, 2010 11:54 PM

Mattir @64

Ask

I really want Newton and gravity and things like that presented as theories, with both sides being covered. (What exactly are the sides to the gravity debate, anyway?)

and you shall receive.

The other side to the 'Newton Controversy' is of course Intelligent Falling.

Posted by: Charlie Foxtrot | June 23, 2010 12:00 AM

The date was pulled out of someone's rectum.

boop!

Posted by: Autumn | June 23, 2010 12:05 AM

@Eamon Knight,
I just read a book about Reagan, I think it was called "Tear Down This Myth" or something like that, and the author, although obviously left of center, pointed out a lot of things about Reagan that made me rethink my knee-jerk hatred. Reagan said a lot of stuff that was horrifically reactionary, but behind the scenes he was always making compromises about key issues. A good example is that, although his speeches about homosexuality were terrible, he never followed through with a lot of what the religious right expected him to.

Oh, and he also, and this is tragi-comic to the nth degree, once said that any response to a terrorist act that killed even a single civillian would be worse than the terrorist act itself.

Posted by: Autumn | June 23, 2010 12:12 AM

Okay, to clear up my linguistic mess, the last bit should read more like: if the US, in response to a terrorist attack, kills even a single civilian, then the US has commited the greater crime.
And I also know that Reagan did do a lot of very real damage, especially his utter failure as HIV/AIDS began its terrifying ascendence.

But it's still fun, when one hears some right-winger ranting about the libruls and their taxes, to ask them if they would like their income taxes returned to the rates seen in Reagan's time.

Posted by: mistereveready | June 23, 2010 12:22 AM

@Ol'Greg #70

i agree, i shouldn't give up. at least fighting stupidity.
actually richard dawkins was the one who helped me decide that i should be come a science teacher instead of a computer programmer. of course i never met the man, but i used to be a passive atheist. not really thinking or caring about the subject and trying not to make any statements that would bother others.

but his lectures about theist reminded me of my deep dislike of stupidity and how quickly it can dominate our lives. plus my incredibly sarcastic attitude fits the subject well.

my biggest concern atm is more about can i actually land a job if i openly state, or even try to teach evolution in class.

especially since that will eventually put me and other teacherers on the spot with the no talking bad about religion in class rule or whatever.

very careful wording will be needed to tell students that creationism is stupid shit, its a political ploy by delusionoids to push their god into the limelight.

if they can push creationism, i should be able to make "a demon haunted world" required reading. as much as i liked anne franks diaries, carl sagans book would have served me much better.

i'm from lousiana, and want to know how bad lousiana's education system can be? i didnt' know of carl sagan until this year >_>. and i'm expecting many omfg's & taunts about that. i don't want another child to have to suffer that.

Posted by: Azkyroth | June 23, 2010 12:25 AM

Not likely to do anything against fire. how else could the good ol boys who make these laws burn crosses on evil homosexual and unsavory people's lawns?

I'm pretty sure that actually thinking things through for once would literally kill them.

Good strategy.

Posted by: Cerberus, unnatural product of en-OMnomnom-ification | June 23, 2010 12:26 AM

They are so very scared.

The election of a black president has stirred up the silt on the riverbed and all sorts of critters are lashing out in defense of their muck.

This is the true face they've been hiding, but I think they have been resisting a lot of change for a very long time and it's working less and less each year and already the world has changed way more than they can accept.

These are the death cries of the Bigot Brigade. Sure, they'll make sure our lives are utter misery and they will do all in their power to take the country down with them, but I think it's starting to dawn on them how many of the old battles are things we've already won.

Try not to be a statistic everyone, but in the meantime, let's dance to their increasing irrelevance on the old battles at least and continue to fight on the issues the mushy middle still thinks these fuckers have a point on.

Posted by: Autumn | June 23, 2010 12:39 AM

One more thing,

"We believe that the practice of homosexuality tears at the blah blah jibber-jabber blah. . ."

Yeah, they only approve of homosexuality if it is done by a professional.

Posted by: Chgo_Liz | June 23, 2010 12:50 AM

Ol' Greg @ #55:

But that hardly qualifies as adoption.

It does to the resultant child.

I have a friend who learned in her 40s that she was the product of artificial insemination (the flip side of blastocyst adoption), because she was diagnosed with a usually-inherited type of cancer. The secret came out when she discussed this apparent anomaly with her parents.

On top of chemo, she had to work through grief, emotional pain, trust issues, and how to explain the truth to her children, including the fact that there is a huge hole in their genealogy that can never be filled. Who knows what medical issues lie ahead for them?

It's exactly like being adopted.

Posted by: Chgo_Liz | June 23, 2010 12:59 AM

Back on topic...

we support objective teaching and equal treatment of all sides of scientific theories, including evolution, Intelligent Design, global warming, political philosophies, and others.

Apparently they don't support the teaching of English syntax either, or else they really think that "political philosophies" are a subset of "scientific theories."

I don't mind when uneducated people take minimum wage jobs. It's when they take positions of authority, with 6 and 7 figure incomes and the ability to exert power over others, that I get pissed off.

Posted by: Cowcakes | June 23, 2010 1:31 AM

Pierce R. Butler @

...and a barcode tattooed on every penis!

I can just imagine all the bragging rights for having the longest barcode ;-)

But seriously these people are so fucked up a good rogering up the arse might knock some sense into them. ..... No it wouldn't but it would be entertaining to see.

Posted by: mistereveready | June 23, 2010 1:56 AM

Caine, Fleur du mal OM
I'm a direct descendant of ee cummings. jk.
But thanks. I am unnerved sometimes at how easily humans can settle for being uneducated and worse endorse not learning. In my area many people in general was proclaimed that going to school and learning things is a waste of time.

@Ol'Greg

More than half my class in 8th grade didn't know division. Some didn't know subtraction One girl in high school didn't know the difference between positive numbers and negatives. Luckily I wasn't one of them, but spent most of the year rehashing 1st grade material, which basically summarized every single year. I only learned of carl sagan i think from watching youtube watching clips of Cosmos.

I forgot, Carl Sagan too inspired me to want to go learn more about science. i always liked it, just not how it was taught. but Dawkins was the one who showed me how desperately it needs to be taught.

I bet there would be another civil war if those anti-gay right people ever lost their right to marry, fight for custody, visit their partners in hospitals, and etcetera.

What I find really tragically ironic is that a number of my relatives and associates who are black (i use that term loosely), went through segregation & racial prejudice, yet hate homosexuals.

I've been called a few nasty things & even attacked in school by both blacks and whites which is almost negligible. These people however, were actually beaten viciously, fire hosed, arrested, and even barred from various establishments. Told that they are evil and not even human and should not be allowed to marry outside their "species". Even a few knew people who were raped because if they said no to their white employers else be fired and or beaten, yet condone raping a homosexual female, because the cure to homosexuality is a good fuck or a good ass kicking to someone they are a "punk".

When I hear them speak such hatred against others and I feel like combat slapping them.
I'm like you know, first hand what discrimination is, yet wish that shit on others. All because of some stupid taboo and story book. So it's not just rich white people from the republican party, stupidity can arise anywhere. that's the problem, stupidity is an infestation from the ground up. Those politicians should keep to defending the second amendment and keep their cults out of political decisions.

Posted by: McCthulhu is taking ∞ to eat all the pi | June 23, 2010 2:32 AM

@Usagichan (love the odango, by the way):

The other side to the 'Newton Controversy' is of course Intelligent Falling.

This is the first time I have ever heard of Intelligent Falling. Thanks for bringing it up here. It gave me quite the laugh.

@thread: As for the latest brand of brown-shirt rhetoric from the GOP (Grand Order of Pricks), are these a-holes busing in extra stupid or do they cultivate it indigenously somewhere in the land of Hee-Haw? I was quasi-jesting about my fellow Albertans earlier, but at least gay marriage is legal in all of Canada. There may be a few dirt farmers there thinking the GOP line, but they could never run it as party policy.

Posted by: thrawn369 | June 23, 2010 2:54 AM

Did anyone notice they want to permanently close off citizenship? If only the children of citizens can be citizens, then no immigrants can ever become citizen.

Posted by: Manny Calavera | June 23, 2010 3:11 AM

Apparently the back half of all sexy male underwear is now made out of the fabric of society. Strange, feels like silk.

Posted by: Alice Bluegown | June 23, 2010 4:07 AM

Christ @ #95 - are you THE Jesus, or just one of those caberet impersonators?

WRT Republicans - can anyone actually explain to me why the party that supposedly favours 'hands-off' government seems so utterly determined to regulate people's sex lives, even down to specific uses of body parts? That strikes me as such glaring hypocrisy, I'm amazed their brains don't fuse from the disconnection.

Posted by: Gregory Greenwood | June 23, 2010 4:52 AM

Wow. Just, wow. The stupid really is strong with Texas Republicans.

We believe that the practice of homosexuality tears at the fabric of society...

Ah, the 'fabric' of society. Would that be hand wash only? Another vague, manufactured 'danger' from the party that made the poliics of fear hip again.

...contributes to the breakdown of the family unit

Because, of course, a family unit can only be formed by one man, one woman and their assorted spawn. Anything else and the sky will fall in, or god will unleash another oil spill on the US coastline or something. Also, a gay couple down the street will magically prevent Mr and Mrs have-the-kind-of-sex-god-approves-of from having a functional family life and just keeping their long noses out of someone else's private affairs...

...and leads to the spread of dangerous, communicable diseases.

Which is also true of just about any activity involving human beings in any kind of proximity to one another. It is even true of that heterosexual sex that is apparently god's preferred brand. The only way to stop the spread of disease between humans completely? - Kill ourselves. Lets start with the noble Republicans. The rest of us will of course follow their pious example... honest.

We oppose the legalization of sodomy.

...Because if sex is undertaken for any purpose other than the creation of spawn then it must be sinful. Sex for 'fun'? Heresy! Sex as an expression of intimacy and affection? Why be intimate toward a simple womb-on-legs? Sodomy makes the Sky Fairy angry because.... um .... well... it just does, OK? And if we tick him off it will be the great flood all over again, or something.

In order to protect the nation from a wrathful Sky Fairy, it is every good, Christian American patriot's duty to peek in the windows of every other American, just to make sure they are doing it the right way. Just don't get caught masturbating while you are going about your godly, peeping-tom duties. That always makes the godly look like perverts...

We oppose any legislation that would allow for the creation and/or killing of human embryos for medical research.

All together now... menstruation is murder!...

Realizing that conflict and debate is a proven learning tool in classrooms, we support objective teaching and equal treatment of all sides of scientific theories, including evolution, Intelligent Design, global warming, political philosophies, and others.

Teach the controversy! Teach both sides! The 'side' that is rational and evidentially supported and the 'side' that is magical woo. On this basis, we must teach the creation myths of every religion that has ever existed. We must also teach all the creation and religious mythology from fiction...

"Children, this semester we will cover the Elder Gods, then we will move on to the God Emperor and the means by which he will one day create his Primarchs, before finishing up with the coming of the Quisach Haderach..."

Lets us not forget that apparently political philosophy is no longer considered a seperate intellectual discipline from hard science. Or at least, the Texas Republican party cannot tell the difference. This will doubtless come of something of a shock to universities, which will have to shoe horn politics classes into their science modules. How will they do a practical exam for that, I wonder?

Posted by: mikee | June 23, 2010 4:59 AM

@ Caine, Fleur du mal, OM

That's truly frightening. The best any of us can do, as Carl Sagan said, is to be the candle in the dark.

Hmm, sometimes I think a flamethrower would be more effective.

Posted by: owlcollector | June 23, 2010 5:05 AM

I am a gun enthusiast AND an admirer of Richard Dawkins, P. Z. Myers, Eugenie Scott, et. al. I tend to take offense at being grouped automatically with the Creationist Ignoramuses because of the fact that I am a strong supporter of gun rights. Us "gun nuts" are not all ignorant fundamentalists!

Posted by: Gregory Greenwood | June 23, 2010 5:20 AM

mikee @ 101;

Hmm, sometimes I think a flamethrower would be more effective.

I will see your flamethrower and raise you one napalm airstrike*, right on top of the the largest concentration of fundies we can find...

*Obviously, this would be figurative napalm to help with the enlightening of the Xians. I am not really suggesting that we should just immolate them all and be done. Actually, on second thoughts... no, no. Definately no incineration of fundies. Well, maybe Fox News Headquarters, but that is all. :-)

Posted by: Caine, ghetto féministe | June 23, 2010 5:27 AM

Mikee:

Hmm, sometimes I think a flamethrower would be more effective.

Good point. There are definitely days when I think that would be much more effective.

Posted by: Anubis Bloodsin the third | June 23, 2010 6:26 AM

As the penguins in 'Madagascar' like to do...

"Just smile and wave boys....Just smile and wave"

You cannot educate the uneducated especially when they have proved time and again that they do not want 'learning' because education is ungodly.

Secular 'Learning' makes them uncomfortable because it reveals their bigotry so easily, along with the intolerance they 'learn' from their religion.
Indeed they have been told at every opportunity that the only lessons worth 'learning' are delivered from their church pulpit, they get them every Sunday morning...'all they got to do is believe'!

At the moment the Texan economy is kept afloat on a dependence and production of oil.
That will change, as do all things in time when the oil runs out then they might realise rather belatedly that their citizens and therefore their state need proper training schemes and that will require decent secular education.

The only downside is by that time Texas, apart from being a laughing stock, will be the most backward and disadvantaged and under educated state in the union.

The upside is that religious kooks and brain dead zombies will flood the area because it will be assumed to be a Nirvana for jeebus lusters...thus increasing the average IQ throughout the rest of the states.

It might eventually also be the hammering of nails into the coffin of over enthusiastic religion throughout the region.
Because it will become obvious it had been a disastrous and destructive influence.
Which just means Texans are about 30 years behind the times and America in general only 10 years behind.
But it will be a while before the real truth becomes apparent...so in the meantime "Smile and wave boys....just smile and wave"

If the Texas board of Education are not challenged by state boards throughout the rest of the union then the rot will just stink higher.
It is way past time their influence on US education policies were diminished well beyond perceptible.
They are being manipulated and pimped by the likes of creotard, right-to-life, anti-gay organisations and the DI in particular and being red necks of very little brain have fallen for the siren song of xian pompousness.
Nobody does pompous like a good xian!
The fact that the Rethuglians have crawled into the same fouled and rancid bed is just a sign of cynical voter opportunity.
When the price of having a religious albatross chocking the party becomes an embarrassing if not impossible burden they will desert the 'marital' bed quick enough.
And that will be a truly thankful revelation to all parties methinks.

And whatever, time is that the Texan style self induced group mental masturbations and orgasms over jeebus was relegated to their own bedrooms and churches and not displayed on the street like the righteous porno it has become.

It is a simple choice to isolate the crazy and only the rest of the USA can make it.
Before the crazy really isolates the USA.

Posted by: bloodredsun.myopenid.com | June 23, 2010 6:57 AM

Love this from the judgement

Having addressed this primary issue, the Court will proceed to address each of ICRGS’s causes of action in turn, to the extent it is able to understand them. It appears that although the Court has twice required Plaintiff to re-plead and set forth a short and plain statement of the relief requested, Plaintiff is entirely unable to file a complaint which is not overly verbose, disjointed, incoherent, maundering, and full of irrelevant information.

So not only are the staff at ICRGS dumb as stumps but their lawyers are too.

Posted by: Peter Ashby | June 23, 2010 7:12 AM

Or the Revolutionary War from the British perspective?

On your knees in homage to good queen Liz you rebels. Then once you have helped us get rid of our deficit you can help us get rid of her or her descendants and install an elected presidency though not with the same level of power as yours.

Posted by: Q.E.D | June 23, 2010 8:12 AM

Autumn @ 80

You are thinking about the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commerce_Clause"Commerce Clause of the Constitution

There is a huge, long, convoluted jurisprudence about the commerce clause.

Shorter case law: States must recognize legal acts performed in other states.

So, in theory, a legal gay marriage in one state must be recognized in all other states. In practice Texas would refuse to honor Joe and Jack's Massachussetts marriage (if Joe and Jack were dumb and/or brave enough to try to assert their legal rights as spouses in Texas)

This is why Civil Rights for LGBT people is a Federal issue.

Come on America, you can catch up to Europe on Civil rights for gay people!

Posted by: Gus Snarp | June 23, 2010 8:31 AM

I'm confused about this opposition to custody of children by homosexuals. As if the rest of their platform weren't loony enough, this sounds to me like they are saying that if a gay couple and a lesbian couple get together and decide that they want children, and work out all the math and biology and at least one of the women has a child by at least one of the men, then the state should take the child away. Seriously folks, have all the marriages you want, but some folks have babies outside of them, gay and straight, so are you going to take away someone's biological child because they are gay? Maybe they didn't understand their sexuality or were in the closet and had children with their wife and then discovered they were gay. They got a divorce and now live with another person of the same sex. Let's say the original straight partner doesn't want custody, or dies. The state gets the kid? Do these people even think about the ramification of what they are writing at all? Well, obviously not.

Posted by: Algernon, elle sans chapeau | June 23, 2010 8:44 AM

Anubis: Actually most of Texas's economy is Information Technology these days, not oil. Oil has been drying up here since WW2, and natural gas is going too. Everyone knows it. Texas has also invested in wind and solar energy. At least be correct if you're going to tell us we should all die.

It is a simple choice to isolate the crazy and only the rest of the USA can make it

Fuck you, and your idiotic idea won't work. You can't isolate crazy. If you let these assholes destroy us here in Texas they'll come for you next.

When have people ever been happy with what they already have? If Texas isn't worth fighting for then NONE of the country is. And if none of the country is then none of the world is either.

Posted by: truthspeaker | June 23, 2010 8:50 AM

Posted by: Autumn | June 23, 2010 12:12 AM

Okay, to clear up my linguistic mess, the last bit should read more like: if the US, in response to a terrorist attack, kills even a single civilian, then the US has commited the greater crime.
And I also know that Reagan did do a lot of very real damage

For example, he provided financial support to the Contras, who did kill civilians, and that wasn't even response to a terrorist attack. In fact it wasn't in response to a threat to the United States at all.

Posted by: Bjarne | June 23, 2010 8:54 AM

We oppose any criminal or civil penalties against those who oppose homosexuality out of faith, conviction, or belief in traditional values.

Yippee! Stoning the infidels will be okay(ish) again!

After all, people should not be judged by the crimes they might have committed, but by the purity of their souls.

/sarcasm

Posted by: https://www.google.com/accounts/o8/id?id=AItOawnG39uMFt69kwCKZ8DoxtmMCvmzr5chx94 | June 23, 2010 9:07 AM

Anyway, I really appreciate my TI-89 calculator from Texas Instruments. Has really simplified my work as a physicist. That's what I call intelligent design.

Just felt like saying something nice.

Posted by: Gus Snarp | June 23, 2010 9:13 AM

@Truthspeaker - More to the point, the Contras were terrorists.

Posted by: Yoav | June 23, 2010 9:30 AM

Teachers and students should be able to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of these theories openly and without fear of retribution or discrimination of any kind.

Yea right. I would give a teacher who dares to genuinely go into the strengths and weaknesses of evolution in comparison to unintelligent design a life expectancy of 5 minutes.

Posted by: Algernon, elle sans chapeau | June 23, 2010 9:52 AM

How the holy hell, did you guys manage to put men on the moon? The astronauts were trying to get as far away from Texas as possible.

LMFAO!

Posted by: pilotbrain | June 23, 2010 10:26 AM

PZ, I'm done with your blog. I've been a regular reader for quite some time but the posts are getting more and more hateful. Since when did writing about atheism and evolutionary biology begin involving pointing fingers at whole states? There is backward folk everywhere. It's ignorant to group them by state lines. And it's people like you who make it hard to be a Texan.

Posted by: truthspeaker | June 23, 2010 10:30 AM

Pilotbrain, PZ was not criticizing your whole state. He was criticizing the government of the state and the majority of Texas residents who voted for them.

Posted by: Matt "Nora" Penfold | June 23, 2010 10:33 AM

PZ, I'm done with your blog. I've been a regular reader for quite some time but the posts are getting more and more hateful. Since when did writing about atheism and evolutionary biology begin involving pointing fingers at whole states? There is backward folk everywhere. It's ignorant to group them by state lines. And it's people like you who make it hard to be a Texan.

Quit being such a fucking concern troll.

And quit letting idiots run your state.

Posted by: https://www.google.com/accounts/o8/id?id=AItOawnG39uMFt69kwCKZ8DoxtmMCvmzr5chx94 | June 23, 2010 10:47 AM

"fucking concern troll"?

Not exactly a miracle if those "idiots" get to run states, if the opposition just angers potential allies like this, IMHO.

Posted by: https://www.google.com/accounts/o8/id?id=AItOawnG39uMFt69kwCKZ8DoxtmMCvmzr5chx94 | June 23, 2010 10:51 AM

Though I am not a Texan. I am a swede like that CEO of BP. Caring for "small people" and all. LOL.

Posted by: Matt "Nora" Penfold | June 23, 2010 10:53 AM

The CEO of BP is not a Swede.

Posted by: https://www.google.com/accounts/o8/id?id=AItOawnG39uMFt69kwCKZ8DoxtmMCvmzr5chx94 | June 23, 2010 10:56 AM

OK, Svanberg is the chairman of the board.

Posted by: raven | June 23, 2010 11:09 AM

concern troll lying:

There is backward folk everywhere.

True but irrelevant. What is important is the percentage and whether they lead the state or just live there. Texas is at the top of several measures of dysfunction e.g. teen age pregnancy rates.

It's ignorant to group them by state lines.

No it's not. Some states are more backward than others. It is a simple, plain fact.

concern troll lying some more:

And it's people like you who make it hard to be a Texan.

No it isn't. It is wacko religious kooks, ignorant morons, and elected but malevolent leadership that make it hard to be a Texan. Concern trolls that try to pretend that if you ignore Texas's problem they go away just add to the lunacy.

troll lying some more:

PZ, I'm done with your blog.

Naw, obvious lie. Trolls gotta be trolls. Don't let the door hit your ass on the way out and you will be back, reincarnated as another troll with a different ID.

Posted by: fireweaver | June 23, 2010 11:28 AM

The whole fucking thing is a mess of contradictions.

On page 16, they claim to "deplore all discrimination". If that is the case, then 9/10 of their platform goes away.

What a bunch of retards.

Posted by: https://me.yahoo.com/a/K2PNji0at.txAjzTShOlxwLuFcVVFwbnng--#bd813 | June 23, 2010 11:41 AM

Yeah, it is tough being a gaypaganunitarianagnostic Texan these day - not that it was ever that easy.

Posted by: Gus Snarp | June 23, 2010 11:50 AM

Does anyone else see the irony in this statement:

There is backward folk everywhere.

No? Just me? See "folk" here functions as a plural noun. The proper verb would be "are" not "is". Backward people don't use proper grammar. Neither do ignorant people, and the next sentence accuses PZ of ignorance.

Posted by: Blake Stacey | June 23, 2010 12:24 PM

Sure, big chunks of the platform are morally retrograde and repugnant. Yeah, it reads like whatever somebody happened to like just got pasted in. Yes, it's spattered with evidence of what happens when paranoia about foreigners collides with paranoia about ID cards and GPS trackers being the Mark of the Beast. But it's not all bad!

We call upon governmental entities to protect all symbols of our American heritage from being altered in any way.

See? Unexpurgated editions of Thomas Paine's Age of Reason, Ethan Allen's Reason: The Only Oracle of Man and the Jefferson Bible, in every classroom!

Right?

Teachers and students should be able to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of these theories openly and without fear of retribution or discrimination of any kind.

I'm sure Chris Comer will be happy to hear that discussing the strengths of evolution will not invite retribution!

. . . right?

Posted by: Gregory Greenwood | June 23, 2010 12:34 PM

fireweaver @ 152;

I'd like to see them teach some of the Egyptian creation myths, particularly the one about Atum where it says "In the Heliopolitan creation myth established in the sixth dynasty, he was considered to be the first god, having created himself, sitting on a mound (benben) (or identified with the mound itself), from the primordial waters (Nu). Early myths state that Atum created the god Shu and goddess Tefnut from spitting or from his semen by masturbation in Heliopolis."

Yup, I suspect that that one would stick in the fundies' collective craw somewhat. They might attempt some censorship, editing the mythology into a suitably neutered language like "Atum summoned/conjured Shu and Tefnut from his breath/blood/tears" but, more likely, they would simply dismiss the entire thing as a morally corrupt primitive superstition (wholly distinct from their own equally primitive superstition about a psychotic, utterly immoral Sky Fairy with a rampant sex-obsession, of course) that is inappropriate for the dear little children...

It is somewhat sad to think that, in some ways, the ancient Egyptians were more sexually enlightened than some modern societies. We have not travelled as far forward as one might have hoped in 5,000 years in that respect.

Posted by: Gregory Greenwood | June 23, 2010 12:52 PM

Teachers and students should be able to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of these theories openly and without fear of retribution or discrimination of any kind.

There is something of a pitfall for the fundies here. What if someone were to interpret their infamously inaccurate use of the term 'theory' to include their religion? We all know that fundies misuse 'theory' when they mean 'hypothesis', and if any hypothesis that makes assertions about the nature of the physical universe is to be considered a 'theory' for the purposes of their platform, (actual evidence not being a qualifying factor) then religion would most likely qualify.

In that case, one could point to this element of their platform as a basis on which teachers could discuss the relative strengths and weaknesses of the scientific method versus religion. If done correctly, the only answer would be that all the strengths of reason and evidence go to science and religion has pretty much nothing in the strengths column but a hell of a lot to answer for when it comes to weaknesses...

Even worse, given that all religions are entirely unevidenced fairy tales, the teacher could point out that there really is nothing to choose between jebus-loving and any other irrational faith. Again under the umbrella of 'teaching strengths and weaknesses without fear of discrimination or retribution', teachers could point out that belief in Thor/Odin/Zeus/Mithras/Ra/Allah is every bit as (in)valid as belief in Yahweh (one unevidenced myth being much the same as another), so there is no reason why Christianity should receive any of the societal priviledges that its adherents treat as their due.

How about that for an example of the Law of Unintended Consequence...?

Posted by: LEJ | June 23, 2010 1:29 PM

re: #80 and #115

First time poster here - regarding the "Commerce Clause" posts, a reminder that this is why the Federal DOMA (Defense of Marriage Act) was passed, to specifically allow states to deny any marriage that is valid in another state to be valid in theirs, if it is not a marriage of "one man to one woman".

Posted by: Rutee, Shrieking Harpy of Dooooom | June 23, 2010 3:17 PM

@162: It does, but it takes a while to get there.

@159: That's a lie. YHVH is less badass then other gods. He's just an old dude in a beard who sends other people in to do his work. Other religions have, for instance, Kung Fu Messiahs who save their chosen people with epic kung fu duels directed against the actual villains.

It's all fake, but not all fake things are equally stupid.

Posted by: Rincewind'smuse | June 23, 2010 3:47 PM

Shit;incidence

Posted by: Timaahy | June 23, 2010 8:33 PM

"Choose Life - We ask the Legislature to provide Texans opportunity to purchase 'Choose Life' license plates." (page 8)

Why do they like Wham so much...?

Posted by: grudgedk | June 23, 2010 10:06 PM

Calls for "letting them secede" are, frankly, stupid.

Why thank you. :)

So, we let Texas secede and then what? Hmmm... Do you abandon those that are actually trying to make a change?

There is such a thing as a lost cause, but for what it's worth I applaud your fighting spirit!

Do you think, if left unchecked, you would like to have a Christian Taliban in the bellybutton of the western hemisphere?

I think it would be better to have a Christian Taliban in a non-nuclear-armed Texas, than it would be to have a Christian Taliban running the only remaining superpower in the world, with one of the largest nuclear stockpiles, if that's what you're asking. I think that the choice between rooting for a Communist China or Christian USA isn't much of a choice at all.

You can't isolate crazy. If you let these assholes destroy us here in Texas they'll come for you next.

Undoubtedly. But you have to pick your battles, and Stupid in Texas seems very heavily entrenched. I mean Joe Barton who thinks holding BP financially responsible for destroying the environment is something to be ashamed of, is so crazy even other republicans think he's crazy! When you (collectively) vote people like that into positions of power, is it really so surprising other people perceive you in a poor light?

It's true that Texas is dominated by Republicans, but part of that is due to the fact that the Democratic leadership in this state...

No. What a cop out! If you vote for a party whose declared policy is to decriminalize Christian-on-Gay violence, you don't get to say it's because the democratic party lacks strong leadership. If you vote for someone who holds those values, you do not qualify as a decent human being. It's doesn't matter how many personal anecdotes or cool people you know. The majority of Texans who voted these hate- and fearmongers into power, do not get to use the "but the democrats are pussies" defense. I'm sure there are plenty of nice and decent human beings in the state of Texas. In fact I'm certain of it. They're just not a majority, and that's what counts in a democracy.

Since when did writing about atheism and evolutionary biology begin involving pointing fingers at whole states?

Since it became the established policy of those states, and the political party which holds executive power in those states, that evolutionary biology and intelligent design, were equal fields in terms of scientific value, and that theists (in this case Christians) should receive special legal protection from criminal and civil prosecutions if their actions were aligned with their religious belief.

There is backward folk everywhere. It's ignorant to group them by state lines.

Nobody is doing that. Nobody is saying that all Texans are backwards, nor is it ignorant to group them by state lines. Claiming that there are more black people in Harlem, New York does not make one a racist. It's a simple statement of fact. What people are saying is that the policies of your elected officials are backwards! You want to be mad at someone, be mad at them! They're the ones making you look bad, not the ones pointing it out.

Yeah, it is tough being a gaypaganunitarianagnostic Texan these day - not that it was ever that easy.

It's never easy being a monority, but here's what I don't get. Political affiliation in an ideal society of free individuals should be a bell curve, with most people holding centrist views (some right-wing, some left-wing), and extremist views should be marginalized. However it seems like most places (including Denmark, where I'm from) this is not the case. Over here the extreme-right, ultra-nationalistic, Christian party outnumbers the hippies by a factor of 4 in the parliament. What causes this trend? It seems to be a global phenomenon.

They welcomed Glenn Beck here like he was the Second Coming

Thou shalt not worship false idols. Wait what? Oh the day the Texans take to the grassy knoll to crucify Glenn Beck for being a false prophet. :)

It's all fake, but not all fake things are equally stupid.

I'm definately stealing that. :)

Why do they like Wham so much...?

Because George Michael is gay? :)

Posted by: https://www.google.com/accounts/o8/id?id=AItOawnG39uMFt69kwCKZ8DoxtmMCvmzr5chx94 | June 24, 2010 4:34 AM

@McCthulhu
LOL! No, there is no such sticker on mine, but I would love that from a young relative.