An Assault on Evolution? I find it ironic that proponents of "science" speak far and wide about free thinking and open research, yet when a view is proposed that doesn't fit their template, it is termed an assault. Why is another idea considered an assault? Perhaps the free thinkers of the scientific community are not as open with their views as they would like us to believe............Kind of like the PC crowd.
Hmmm... How "fee thinking" should we get? Want to add astrology to astronomy? Shall we add magic potions to our chemistry curriculum?
Because it's not an idea, it's a strategy.
With respect, it would appear that you do not follow published scientific developments very closely. The science journals are an extremely adversarial arena, scientific theories are constantly slugging it out with one another over the interpretation of data or analysis of 'best-fit' of theories to evidence. And sometimes the battles can rage for quite some time (e.g. steady state vs. big bang, etc.).
But it isn't a matter of views alone duking it out, it's interpretations of data based on evidence that is the substance of contention in legitimate science. ID has merely stated an unsupported view, it cannot be investigated by science, and has no legitimate claim to be taken seriously by scientist unless/until it can present data and evidence that can stand up in peer-reviewed publications.
Instead, some ID-proponents, funded by some minority religious factions, have presented comic-book simplifications to the general public and made a special pleading for 'equal time.' If Astrologers did the same, scientist would probably respond--rightly--in the same way
You don't know what you're talking about. The creationists speak openly of a "wedge strategy." Try reading Mere Creation for an eye opening look at their thinking. It is clear that creationism is a political and social effort only, not scientific. The term assault is wholly warranted.
You can't "assault" evolution. It's a theory, based on what we know--not some rubber dolly that ignorant and impotent "believers" can beat up!