Thoughts in a Haystack

Well, it took longer than I thought, but, as I predicted, the Undiscovery Institute has come out against the bill pending in the Missouri House of Representatives that would require (among many other incoherent things) that: "If scientific theory concerning biological origin is taught in a textbook, the textbook shall give equal treatment to biological evolution and biological intelligent design."

Of course, the DI's Gofer General, Casey Luskin, continues the grand tradition of creationist rewriting of history. According to Luskin:

Discovery Institute's policy on these issues is nothing new. As I recounted in detail last year, this was our policy long before the Dover case, and after it.

Apparently, not everyone got the memo ... undoubtedly because it was never sent. As Richard Thompson, the Chief Counsel of the Thomas More Law Center and leader of the defense of the school board in the Kitzmiller case said shortly before Judge Jones rendered his decision:

They [the DI] wrote a book, titled "Intelligent Design in Public School Science Curricula." The conclusion of that book was that, um:

"Moreover, as the previous discussion demonstrates, school boards have the authority to permit, and even encourage, teaching about design theory as an alternative to Darwinian evolution -- and this includes the use of textbooks such as Of Pandas and People that present evidence for the theory of intelligent design." ...and I could go further. But, you had Discovery Institute people actually encouraging the teaching of intelligent design in public school systems. Now, whether they wanted the school boards to teach intelligent design or mention it, certainly when you start putting it in writing, that writing does have consequences.

Not to mention that several DI stalwarts, including Stephen C. Meyer, Program Director of The Center for Science and Culture, were so opposed to the school board's attempt to mandate ID as an alternative to evolutionary science that they agreed to be expert witnesses on behalf of the school board ... until the way the wind was blowing became clear enough that, shortly before the trial was to begin, the rat lifeboats were lowered and the board was left holding the $1 million bag.

As always with the DI, no lie will be left untold, no fact will be left undistorted, no shame will be left unembraced.