Texas State Rep. Warren Chisum said he’s sorry if anyone took offense over his circulating a letter from a Georgia legislator, Ben Bridges, railing at science, and promoting creationism. He’s right to apologize, but the apology stops short of where it needs to go.
This morning’s Dallas Morning News followed up on yesterday’s report of the letter (see preceding post). The letter referred to a bizarre website that argues that the Earth is fixed in space, and other crazy things, including offensive material about Jewish kabals. The Anti-Defamation League complained.
The stuff that causes conflicts between religious beliefs, you know, I’d never be a party to that,” Mr. Chisum said. “I’m willing to apologize if I’ve offended anyone.”
Mr. Chisum’s comments came after he learned that the Anti-Defamation League, which works against anti-Semitism and other forms of hate, was demanding “a repudiation and apology” in a letter to his office. He said he hadn’t seen the letter late Wednesday.
The wild rants against science, knowledge, civilization and bizarre twisting of Christianity? He doesn’t apologize for that stuff.
One might think that Chisum believes stupid and mean is fine, so long as a powerful lobby group does not complain.
The greater danger in the letter is the appeal to ignorance and crank science. Chisum needs to do a lot more apologizing, starting with several million Texas students, and tens of thousands of science teachers.
As if to answer some of Chisum’s religious questions, there is no comment from Molly Ivins. Whoever names the successor to Molly needs to do it fast. The Texas Lege is running wild.
Millard Fillmore's Bathtub 
I think it’s time to TEACH THE CONTROVERSEY. By that I mean that this guy Chisum is competent enough to hold office…
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Sorry, hit Enter, not Cap Lock (1st post of the morning, caffeine hasn’t hit yet — get rid of it, please)
If you read the original article, it says that Chisum only passed around the memo as a favor to a friend and fellow legislator that he met at some kind of legislator’s retreat. He may never have read the thing or the website it links to.
A couple of other things that intrigue me. He is a ‘social conservative’ who opposes gay marriage, but when it comes to adoption, his only position is that heterosexuals should be ‘favored over’ gay couples, not that gay couples should be probited from adoption.
As for creationism, he thinks it should be taught next to (his words, my emphasis) the FACT of evolution.
This guy is either very, very confused, or very, very shrewd, and you are right, I wish Molly were still around to tell us which.
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