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Leaked PBS Memo Reveals Improper Political Agenda
Discovery Institute via US Newswire ^ | 09/27/2001 | Discovery Institute

Posted on 09/27/2001 7:43:35 AM PDT by Nora

Discovery Institute: Memo Reveals 'Evolution' Agenda


U.S. Newswire
27 Sep 6:00

Leaked PBS Memo Reveals Improper Political Agenda Behind 'Evolution' Series, Says Discovery Institute


To: National Desk, Science and Education Reporters
Contact: Mark Edwards of the Discovery Institute, 206-292-0401, ext. 107;
e-mail: medwards@discovery.org

SEATTLE, Sept. 27 /U.S. Newswire/ -- An internal PBS memo made public today reveals an improper political agenda behind WGBH/Clear Blue Sky's ongoing series "Evolution", according to the Seattle-based Discovery Institute. The memo describes how "Evolution" will be used to influence government officials and promote political action in order to shape how evolution is taught in public schools.

Dated June 15, 2001, the memo bears the title "The Evolution Controversy, Use It or Lose It: Evolution Project/WGBH Boston" The document outlines the overall goals of the ongoing PBS series Evolution and describes the marketing strategy for the series. The complete text of the PBS memo is posted at http://www.reviewevolution.com.

According to the document, which was leaked by a source within PBS, one of the goals of "Evolution" is to "co-opt existing local dialogue about teaching evolution in schools." Another goal is to "promote participation," including "getting involved with local school boards."

In addition, the document identifies "government officials" as one of the target audiences for the series, and it describes a publicity campaign accompanying the series that will include writing op-eds for newspapers and "guerilla/viral marketing."

"Clearly, one purpose of 'Evolution' is to influence Congress and school boards and to promote political action regarding how evolution is taught in public schools," says Discovery Institute President Bruce Chapman. "In fact, 'Evolution's' marketing plan seems to have the trappings of a political campaign."

"Public television is funded in part by American taxpayers, and it should be held to high standards of fairness. It is inappropriate for public broadcasting to engage in activities designed to directly influence the political process by promoting one viewpoint at the expense of others," said Chapman.

According to Discovery Institute's John West, the political agenda behind "Evolution" is made even more explicit by its enlistment of Eugenie Scott as one of the official spokespersons for the series.

Scott runs the National Center for Science Education (NCSE), an advocacy group that by its own description is dedicated to "defending the teaching of evolution in the public schools." According to the group's Web site, the NCSE provides "expert testimony for school board hearings," supplies citizens with "advice on how to organize" when "faced with local creationist challenges," and assists legal organizations that litigate "evolution/creation cases."

"The NCSE is a single-issue group that takes only one side in the political debate over evolution in public education," says West, an Associate Professor of Political Science at Seattle Pacific University. "It is inappropriate for public television to enlist NCSE's executive director as an official spokesperson for this program."

------
Founded in 1990, Discovery Institute is a non-profit, non- partisan public policy center for science, technology, regional development, environment, and defense. More information about the Institute and its activities can be found at www.discovery.org.

KEYWORDS:
SCIENCE, EDUCATION

-0-
/U.S. Newswire 202-347-2770/
09/27 06:00
Copyright 2001, U.S. Newswire


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS:
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To: Southack
Likewise, the code re-use of DNA strongly suggests that life forms don't evolve into other life forms, but rather that the Designers of life forms (especially notable with artificial computer life and computer software viri) created new versions.

You're ignoring that we have objective evidence for DNA changing by mutation.

How many times did "the designer" step in here?


221 posted on 09/27/2001 2:52:33 PM PDT by VadeRetro
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To: Southack
Illya Prigone's

This is not a slam, just a slight correction should anyone else try a google search on this name. The name is actually Ilya Prigogine.

222 posted on 09/27/2001 2:54:12 PM PDT by RadioAstronomer
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To: rvoitier
Evolution makes me wonder that if we came from apes, then why are they still here?

History makes me wonder that if we came form the British, then why is England still here?

Ponder those two questions side by side, grasshopper, and eventually all will become clear. :-)

223 posted on 09/27/2001 2:54:14 PM PDT by jennyp
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To: Robert A. Cook, PE
No species can change based on any amount of "want to" or "need to" change.

Actually, "need to" sounds a lot like "selection pressure" to me.

224 posted on 09/27/2001 2:54:41 PM PDT by VadeRetro
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Comment #225 Removed by Moderator

To: VadeRetro
"How honest are you being here? If your objections to evolution are at bottom scientifically motivated, I'm Queen Victoria. People don't bend over backwards for nothing."

I'm being completely honest. My motivation is scientific, not religious, unlike yours. You tried to bring various religious aspects (e.g. Genesis) into this debate at least twice, not me.

I cited facts, not supposition, unlike your posts. The difference is clear, my opposition to Evolution stems from its scientific weaknesses. It fails against Complexity Theory. It fails against Chaos Theory. It fails against Intelligent Design Theory. It even fails to explain the very FIRST step in its own evolutionary process, that of abiogenesis.

But feel free to continue to have religious faith in Evolutionary Theory, just don't try to call such non-fact-based reasoning "science."

226 posted on 09/27/2001 2:55:57 PM PDT by Southack
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To: roughrider
As no one has come up with any empirical evidence of this "common ancestor" of apes and humans, any claim that such an ancestor existed is unproven, or, as the original Empircist put it: "Nonsense."

There are millions of people now living who don't know who their parents were. And none of us knows our ancestors from 100 generations ago. This lack of specific identification of ancestors doesn't mean that they didn't exist. They did. Our existence proves it. (Unless you want to claim that all orphans are descended from the gods.) Thus, the ancestors of humanity did exist. You have a problem with that?

227 posted on 09/27/2001 2:57:34 PM PDT by PatrickHenry
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To: Southack
My motivation is scientific, not religious, unlike yours.

I wish you could see your performance on this thread with the blinders off.

228 posted on 09/27/2001 2:59:30 PM PDT by VadeRetro
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To: PatrickHenry
"Make that "only theory." There is no other scientific model that rationally explains the data."

Oh my. Please explain to me how Evolutionary Theory is the "only" theory in your little world. Obviously you are incapable of explaining Complexity Theory, Chaos theory, and Intelligent Design Theory. Apparently you haven't even heard of them!

Go at ONCE and read Noble Prize Laurate Illya Prigogine's "Order Out of Chaos" and then come back and claim that NO OTHER THEORY explains the diversity of life on this planet.

Sheesh. Just because your fourth grade teacher told you that there was no other god besides Evolutionary Theory doesn't mean that the little luddite was correct.

229 posted on 09/27/2001 3:02:45 PM PDT by Southack
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To: proud American in Canada
Carbon dating sometimes can be way way off. However, I am an old Earth creationist. This means while I do not think evolution has scientific support, I also think no serious person can claim that the earth is only a few thousand years old also.
230 posted on 09/27/2001 3:04:25 PM PDT by rwfromkansas
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To: Nora
Using taxpayer money to advance an agenda??? Whod'a thought! Almost as bad as this incident:

IN A NUTSHELL: A day before the Senate completed action on a comprehensive education bill that it had debated for six weeks, Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA) introduced a two-sentence amendment drafted by evolution opponents. The amendment, presented in the form of a Senate resolution, defines "good science education" and encourages teaching the "controversy" surrounding biological evolution. Amidst a flurry of other amendments, the Senate voted 91-8 in favor of the provision on its way to passing the entire bill by the same margin. Earlier, a group of conservative representatives had stripped a science testing provision out of the House counterpart bill in part because of concerns that the tests would include evolution-related questions. Differences between the two bills will be worked out in a House-Senate conference likely to take place in early July.

[CLICK HERE for full article]
231 posted on 09/27/2001 3:09:20 PM PDT by jennyp
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To: VadeRetro
"You're ignoring that we have objective evidence for DNA changing by mutation."

You must be kidding. A DNA mutation is precisely analogous to a software mutation. Let your PC run for a few million years making copies of the same program over and over. Have the PC stop making copies whenever a program becomes mutated through a bad copy. Now run that program. A million times out of a million, that mutated program will fail to perform as well (read: survive) as its non-mutated copies. Rarely, a software mutation might give useful functionality to the mutated copy, but it is pretty certain not to happen twice or multiple times in a row.

Moreover, looking at similar versions over time doesn't tell us if the species mutated by itself or if it was changed by a designer (ala automobiles). What you've cited could far more easily be evidence of gradual improvements from a designer than it could be evidence of successive, successful random mutations.

You might as well post pictures of rather similar models of Camaroes or Corvettes and claim that those pictures are evidence of the cars evolving, for you'd stand just as much chance of being correct.

232 posted on 09/27/2001 3:10:51 PM PDT by Southack
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To: VadeRetro
My motivation is scientific, not religious, unlike yours. - Southack

"I wish you could see your performance on this thread with the blinders off." - VadeRetro

Really? Then what is my specific religious motivation, oh great savant?!

233 posted on 09/27/2001 3:13:44 PM PDT by Southack
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To: jennyp
Ahhh, the JennyP who flocks to every Evolution/Creation thread, makes posts with links, and refuses to specificly address points made to her that would require her own opinion. Your reputation precedes you.
234 posted on 09/27/2001 3:18:24 PM PDT by Southack
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To: Southack
Just because your fourth grade teacher told you that there was no other god besides Evolutionary Theory doesn't mean that the little luddite was correct.

Man, this is an event to savor. I'm being called dumb by a creationist. I guess I can survive. And this reminds me ...

There was this ant, and he imagined he was the greatest stud in the jungle. One day a shadow passed over him and he looked up and saw a female elephant, slowly, ponderously walking down a jungle path. Excited at the prospect of such a conquest, he leaped on one of her rear feet and began climbing upward. The elephant continued walking. An hour later the ant reached his destination and began thrusting and gyrating. The elephant, oblivious, continued walking down the jungle path. Then a cocoanut fell and hit the elephant in the head. "Uhhhh!" she groaned. "Ha! Can't take it, can ya?" gloated the ant.
And so, Southack, continue your gyrations. We're really impressed.
235 posted on 09/27/2001 3:19:16 PM PDT by PatrickHenry
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To: VadeRetro
"If a theory makes no prediction save "Evolution can never explain [your favorite complexity here]," how can it be said to have evidence supporting it?"

Point taken. I DON'T see any evidence supporting Evolutionary Theory.

236 posted on 09/27/2001 3:20:00 PM PDT by Southack
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To: PatrickHenry
I noticed that you STILL haven't explained to me how Evolutionary Theory is the "only" theory in your little world. Obviously you are incapable of explaining Complexity Theory, Chaos theory, and Intelligent Design Theory.

Apparently you haven't even heard of them. Sad. I had hoped for a better-educated opponent.

237 posted on 09/27/2001 3:25:24 PM PDT by Southack
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To: Southack
You must be kidding. A DNA mutation is precisely analogous to a software mutation. Let your PC run for a few million years making copies of the same program over and over.

Computers simulate evolution all the time. You've got to stop getting all your science from ICR and Answers In Genesis. (Does that answer your question about what I think your religious motivation consists of? I repeat, people don't bend over backwards for nothing.)

238 posted on 09/27/2001 3:27:10 PM PDT by VadeRetro
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To: All, VadeRetro, Southack, PatrickHenry, jennyp, rwfromkansas,
Thread II is ready for use.
239 posted on 09/27/2001 3:31:44 PM PDT by Nora
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To: GretchenEE
A visit to the Vomitorium is in order.

Aha! now there's a term I haven't heard in years!

240 posted on 09/27/2001 3:34:06 PM PDT by CAPPSMADNESS
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