Posted on 12/06/2005 12:59:08 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
LAWRENCE, Kan. — A college professor whose planned course on creationism and intelligent design was canceled after he derided Christian conservatives said he was beaten by two men along a rural road early Monday.
University of Kansas religious studies professor Paul Mirecki said the men referred to the class when they beat him on the head, shoulders and back with their fists, and possibly a metal object, the Lawrence Journal-World reported.
"I didn't know them," Mirecki said of his assailants, "but I'm sure they knew me."
Messages left by the Associated Press on Mirecki's cell phone were not immediately returned.
Sheriff's Lt. Kari Wempe said Mirecki reported the attack just before 7 a.m.
The professor said he confronted the men after they were tailgating his vehicle along a road south of Lawrence. "I'm mostly shaken up, and I got some bruises and sore spots," he said.
Mirecki planned to offer a spring course called "Special Topics in Religion: Intelligent Design, Creationism and other Religious Mythologies" after the Kansas Board of Education decided to include more criticism of evolution in science standards for elementary and secondary students.
Last week, Mirecki asked the university to cancel the class after he created a furor by sending an e-mail to a student organization mocking Christian fundamentalists.
Mirecki had referred to religious conservatives as "fundies," and said a course describing intelligent design as mythology would be a "nice slap in their big fat face." He has apologized for those comments.
I have to walk my dog in a few minutes on our "frozen tundra" – the temperature plummeted to 27 last night. That is cold for Hampton Roads – not wool gloves cold, but stick my hands in my pockets now and then cold.
Honestly, I'm less concerned about him going to jail, than I am seeing him totally discredited. An arrest would accomplish that.
No.
Well you should, its pretty funny
Don't give too much weight to what isn't in the article. It could be a matter of the article being edited or the interviewer (one of these is just a college paper) not thinking to ask.
I don't think we've seen a police report yet. If we do, that will have all the details he told the police, unless the police are holding something in reserve to catch somebody.
I think that it is quite likely that this whole thing will be resolved soon if it was genuine. The police should have an idea of the local thuggery and if anybody new was asking a lot of questions about the whole professor kerfluffle.
Two guys between 30 and 40 don't decide to take up a life of beating up people like that. If there were thugs that did this, they are very likely to have rap sheets and friends to gloat to.
But, of course, I am willing to bet (actual money) that 30 days from now, no one will be charged (excepting the prof. himself). And after 30 days, if it hasn't been solved, it likely won't be.
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