[PatrickHenry]

Bold and underlining added by me -- if any of it survived the excerpting process required by the Times. I could only post 300 words of the article.

Everyone be nice.

[PatrickHenry]

EvolutionPing

A pro-evolution science list with over 280 names. See the list's description at my freeper homepage. Then FReepmail to be added or dropped.

[Duke Nukum]

OMG! The fundamentalist materialists will riot!

[Smartaleck]

"Evolution has become a major battleground"

Did they mean to say "Intelligent design has become a major battleground"

The former is pretty much settled for most. :-)

[Noachian]

Evolution and Intelligent Design both have their place, and can live peacefully side by side if thinking people would give both a chance to do so.

[HiTech RedNeck]

The Smithsonian is in the business of chronicling American culture which they do in minute and sometimes excruciating detail. They'd have to be brain dead NOT to have something about this.

[HiTech RedNeck]

The Smithsonian is in the business of chronicling American culture [and history] ..

[VadeRetro]

For 16 thousand dollars they could use my living room, but I guess the Smithsonian has more seats.

[Abcdefg]

I don't understand why intelligent people argue over this. It doesn't mean anything and neither side can know, or prove, their point to the other. Both views are taken as a matter of faith.

[WildHorseCrash]

Reading the text, it is clear that the Creatards at DI purchased this opportunity. Thus, the headline should not read "Smithsonian to Screen a Movie That Makes a Case Against Evolution", it should read, "Creationists to Screen a Movie Critical of Evolution at the Smithsonian."

[Sam Cree]

"Evolution has become a major battleground in the culture wars"

Considering that both sides are vigorously represented here on FR, the bastion of the "Right," that statement is misleading.

BTW, how close are we to getting a final decision on this?

[Trimegistus]

The headline is a bit misleading. The event is privately funded -- i.e., somebody rented the museum for the evening, just as is done for charity balls, weddings, proms, etc. The Smithsonian isn't "screening" the film, they're renting space to someone who is. And I'm sure that they have to allow equal access to anyone who can put up the rental fee, being a public institution. This doesn't mean the Smithsonian has any doubts about Natural Selection.

And if I were them, I'd inventory the exhibits afterwards and check for vandalism.

[jennyp]

The Intelligent Design payola scandal is growing. James Randi is offering the Smithsonian $20,000 if they'll return the DI's $16,000 & revoke their cosponsorship.