What An Embarrassment

[babylonsister]

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2011_01/027759.php

THE ANTI-SCIENCE PARTY.... This segment, by way of Daily Kos' Jed Lewison, helps reinforce much of what's wrong with the state of critical thinking in the Republican Party.

Video at link~

"Real Time" host Bill Maher asked Rep. Jack Kingston (R-Ga.) a fairly straightforward question: "Do you believe in evolution?" Kingston not only said he rejects the foundation of modern biology, he explained it this way: "I believe I came from God, not from a monkey." He added, "If it happened over millions and millions of years, there should be lots of fossil evidence."

Seriously, that's what he said.

Let's pause to appreciate the fact that it's the 21st century -- and Jack Kingston is a 10-term congressman who helps oversee federal funding on the Food and Drug Administration.

As part of the same discussion, former Canadian Prime Minister Kim Campbell tried to ask Kingston about the overuse of antibiotics. The far-right congressman had no idea how the question related to evolution.

At one point, Kingston, sarcastically, turned to National Review's Will Cain, part of the same roundtable, and said, "Will, help me out anytime you want, buddy."

The assumption, of course, is that Cain, a conservative, must agree with the confused congressman about modern science. Cain responded, "I'm sorry, I believe in evolution."

Will, you're not the one who should be sorry.

In the larger context, there's a renewed push underway for the United States to value and appreciate science in the 21st century -- our future depends on it. And while this push is underway, Republican leaders are more comfortable walking a bridge to the 18th century.

What an embarrassment.

—Steve Benen

[Buzz Clik]

1. This guy takes ignorance to the extreme.

Unfortunately, ignorance of science and fear of science takes all sorts of shapes and expressions.

[Orsino]

48. This guy *pimps* ignorance in the extreme.

I've seen nothing that would persuade me to believe that such a professional liar actually believes a word he says.

Isn't he just pandering to his base?

[Rabrrrrrr]

2. I accept the Constitutional right to be stupid, but they shouldn't be allowed to hold office.

To be a political leader, one should have to at hold to a vision of the world that's reality and fact-based.

[babylonsister]

8. That should be a 'New Rule'. nt

[handmade34]

14. can't wrap my head around

how so many of the people that make our laws and control politics... happen to be so ignorant and backwards thinking

[Fuddnik]

24. Reagan turned them loose. Now they're overrunning Congress.

[badgolfer]

3. Other Georgia congressmen

Kingston is only one of many looney Republican congressmen from Georgia. I live in Tom Price's district and it is unbelievable when the Republicans in Georgia get elected they go really weird and hard right. Plus, than they keep getting elected over and over again. Congressman Broun has really gone looney and represents the Athens, University of Georgia, area.

[RBInMaine]

4. Stupid is as stupid does.

[The Wizard]

12. Georgia should secede

The sane people in America have already paid too much to support these idiots since reconstruction.
Georgia, where the men are men and the sheep are nervous.

[SkyDaddy7]

20. I share your embarrass men! I too live in...

Stupidville although I live in District 3 Lynn Westmoreland is my "We did not come from monkey representative"!

The stupidity!

I watched last Fridays Real Time & Kingston even said that scientist needed to get out of Washington & back in the labs! He said there was no evidence for climate change & that is how the evolution thing came up...Bill was getting tired of him saying that so he said "Do you believe in evolution?"

What shame!

Another thing that was funny Kingston said he sat between two democrats at the SOTU & Bill replied "Oh yeah, a 3 way!" And Kingston got offended & said "My wife is here!"...WHAT THE HELL SHOW DOES HE THINK HE IS ON?

[SkyDaddy7]

22. In case you have not seen it...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/30/jack-kingston-evolution_n_815909.html

[tuvor]

33. Thank you! n/t

[SkyDaddy7]

44. You are very welcome! nt.

[OneGrassRoot]

5. I was surprised, and disappointed, when D.L. Hughley...

said he doesn't believe in evolution either.

Hughley talked about the danger of climate change deniers on the right and expressed his feelings about the hypocrisy of the Christian Right and how their positions and actions aren't in alignment with Christ's teachings, but when Kingston asked him if he, as a Christian, believes in evolution, Hughley said no.

:(

[GoCubsGo]

6. Dumbfounding...

D.L. is a pretty sharp guy when it comes to pretty much everything else. I couldn't believe my ears when I heard that.

I'm not surprised about Kingston's stupidity. Almost everything that comes from his yap is an embarrassment.

[great white snark]

10. Mr. Hughly also has issues with gays and bisexuals.

Sherri Shepherd on ''The View'' June 22, 2010 in a discussion about HIV infection and a continued ban on blood donations by gay men. Guest host D.L. Hughley and Shepherd both put forth reckless declarations that bisexual black men are the primary reason black women are being infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.

http://www.metroweekly.com/news/last_word/2010/07/glaad-keeps-pushing-sherri-she.html

Sad.

[OneGrassRoot]

11. I was thinking of Sherri Shepherd as well....

I'm forever amazed that people who are basically progressive in their worldview as far as policies and such, can simultaneously hold such contradictory views.

It comes down to them believing in a literal interpretation of the bible, imho (or any sacred text; religious fundamentalists of all stripes).

Let's hope Hughley doesn't think the Earth is flat as Ms. Shepherd proclaimed to believe.

Fundamentalist religion is the bane of human existence.

Oy

[HysteryDiagnosis]

7. Yeah.... uh huh, and all the fish were destroyed because they took God

out of the schools. (Of fish)

[Vinca]

9. The monkeys are relieved. They don't have to claim him.

[Tesha]

13. America: A country that is rapidly becoming thoroughly ignorant and *DAMNED PROUD OF IT!* (NT)

[Cali_Democrat]

15. That's the scary part.

They wear their ignorance like a badge of honor.

[Enthusiast]

18. They celebrate ignorance. nt

[Jennicut]

16. Not surprising. And in a lot of the south, the education system is garbage.

Annually the south has the lowest rated education system. I feel for any smart liberal-minded people that live in Georgia and other southern states.

[former9thward]

19. Some on DU never miss an opportunity to region bash, especially the South.

List of America's best high schools, plenty in the South, just a few in the NE/Midwest. http://education.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/education/high-schools/articles/2009/12/09/americas-best-high-schools-gold-medal-list

[JoePhilly]

23. I live in NC, and that list doesn't really help your arguement.

I say that because there are pockets of effective education in many places. But when one talks of "education in the south" they are not talking about ISLANDS of excellence. They are talking about the aggregate of a region.

I'll use where I live as an example. I'm in Wake County NC and our schools score very well nationally. And there are a few other "islands" in NC as well. But sadly, much of the NC school system is very poor and badly served. As a result, the STATE of NC does not score as well as many others states.

My sister in law was a teacher in a fairly decent school district here for about 20 years. Then she and her husband moved to Mississippi (where his family is from). She now teaches there. And she is amazed at how weak the schools are.

I should mention she is a strong Christian, but not so strident as the guy who was on Bill Maher.

I should also mention that as strong a school system as we have in Wake County, we (sadly) elected a school board that just re-instituted segregation in our schools (they claim that was not the goal, but that is BS).

And ... when Obama gives speeches to kids at the beginning of the school year, the school doesn't show it, or let's parents have their kids OPT-OUT, something that would have never happened when Bush was President.

I've lived in NC since 1991. And on matters of education, far too often, the South doesn't do much to help itself.

[go west young man]

30. I actually live in Kingston's district so thanks.

I consider it a challenge living here as they are so religious and so very conservative.
I'm from England originally so they love me for my accent but when they hear my
views they say "why don't you go back to your own country if you don't like it here".
Working in a restaurant I love to take on two or three of em at once and sink em in
debate. They hate me for it but I research everything thoroughly. Then I come back
the next day and slam em some more. The place is beautiful it's just too bad the
locals are so dumbed down. They exude self righteousness and even confidence but
lack knowledge in all subjects. It's quite strange really.

[Enthusiast]

17. He is an embarrassment, Kingston.

The entire Republican Party and their anti-science agenda should be an embarrassment to every U.S. citizen.

Kingston in particular is clueless about the nature of the Theory of Evolution. Like most conservative Republicans, he has no idea that the theory is one of the most solidly verified theories in all of science. He thinks evidence for evolution is on shaky ground. But as with every single other issue, Republicans (and blue dogs) are simply wrong, way wrong.

[66 dmhlt]

21. I know I got Elvis' vote on this one ...

Anytime one of these creationist Neanderthals pops up I’m reminded of how born-again Kirk (“Growing Pains”) Cameron has teamed up with Ray (“Too Dumb for Words”) Comfort espousing their belief that bananas and peanut butter can be used to disprove evolution. (No – I’m not kidding. Click http://www.youjustmademylist.com/?p=2459">HERE to view a compendium of their hilarious videos.)

To creationists:
Bananas = Disproof of Evolution
Peanut Butter = Disproof of Evolution

To me:
Bananas + Peanut Butter = Delicious, Nutritious Snack
(And I know I got Elvis’ vote on that!)

[Major Hogwash]

25. The Governor of Kentucky is using tax payer's money to build a replica of the Arc.

From what I understand, they're going to hire an older couple to play Noah and his wife during the summertime tourist season so they can explain how "all of this" came to be from that boat to tourists.

I can't wait to get my tickets for that event to open.

I'm going to Kentucky during opening week!
They're going to give out free color brochures explaining why God made the platypus out of extry parts he had laying around the shop!

[Mopar151]

29. Robin Williams knows best

"Think God gets high? Seen a platypus?"

[BlueJazz]

26. A strong opinion of mine. Politicians HAVE to have strong critical thinking skills.

We, as a country are falling behind in many areas and we need people with the ability to "See things as they are"..
..not how they happen to interpret fables...

[peacetalksforall]

27. This is just another example of their bigotry - they are sheep followers of anyone

who takes a position against race and now religion. "I believe I came from God, not from a monkey" They believe they are superior, but they are just plain stuck and prejudiced..

[tavalon]

43. Well, who the he'll do they think made the monkeys?

And every living thing on the earth? And why do they think they have the right to put God in their tiny box and dictate just exactly how he made everything. The hubris of idiots!

[Swede]

28. Ignorant or willfully ignorant,it doesn't matter.

He shouldn't be in government.

[Mopar151]

31. "Ain't no monkey" is a powerful meme...

And it helps the fundies convince folks that there is no difference between beleif and fact.

[JDPriestly]

32. The bridge is not to the 18th century.

It's more like a bridge to the 10th century.

[donheld]

34. You know that literacy test thingy they want to give voters

Why can't we give a literacy test to the people we have running for public office?

[Arkana]

35. Jesus.

THERE IS FOSSIL EVIDENCE, YOU GINORMOUS FUCKNARD.

[babylonsister]

36. rofl! It don't matter!!1! nt

[HughBeaumont]

46. Ginormous evidence contained in a wing of the Natural History Museum . . .

. . .FUNDED BY DAVID KOCH HIMSELF!!!!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_H._Koch

Seems to me that the TeaHadist Repubs better get on the same train.

[SourFlower]

37. An embarrassment, but not an impediment to election.

Hard to believe how many people gleefuly cast ballots for guys like Kingston. Repeatedly.

[coalition_unwilling]

38. Kooks like Kingston, when confronted with radio-carbon dating and

such-like scientific methodologies dating from anytime since the Dark Ages, reply that radio-carbon dating is something Satan uses to deceive us. I shit you not. Takes magical thinking to a whole new level.

On edit: my post in response to Kingston saying there 'should be' a lot of fossil evidence. There is a lot of fossil evidence and there's evidence from just the past 150 years that natural selection is at work in the industrial and post-industrial ages. But it's all stuff Satan is using to deceive us. So there's no point in mentioning it. Kooks like Kingston can't even define the scientific method.

[glinda]

39. I really think everyone who is in office right now should take a basic College test

and if they fail, they should be shit canned.

[Maraya1969]

40. It has occurred to me that these people probably have not gone to one

of the big science museums. Because how could they explain the gigantic fossil displays. Of course I know some say they existed during Bible so they were here 6,000 years ago but wouldn't it be easy to point out that all those huge creatures would make it hard for humans to survive unless they were in caves? And why aren't they mentioned in the Bible in the first place?

I still have vivid memories of seeing that one dinosaur in the New York science museum. (not sure what it is called but you know which one I am talking about) and seeing the humongous Brontosaurus that took up the entire room. It was amazing. How can they deny these things existed when they are right there!

[DesertDiamond]

41. I met a guy once who insisted that carbon dating had been proven to be a hoax...

He knew that to be a fact. Because his pastor told him so. It shocked me awake to the fact that some people feel justified in flat out lying if the lie "proves" their religious beliefs. For me this begs the question: If the only way you can find to prove your belief is to lie, then why do you believe what you believe?

[tavalon]

42. Did Bill reply "there is"

Because, well, ther is.

[Name removed]

45. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[demwing]

47. For the religious, there are two ways of understanding "evolution"

1. Evolution as the process of adaptation through natural selection. I do not understand how people can deny that this process exists.
2. Evolution as a process which supplants your favored creation story.

Many religious people seem fearful of accepting #1 because it leads to #2. So, they deny #1 and look foolish. I disagree that the two cannot coexist, but there it is.

To those who believe Creation stories are fantasy, and are absolute in their stand that Evolution encompasses both 1 and 2, I submit that you be generous to those who accept #1 but not #2. They are on a path, and have accepted your underlying argument.

If Knowledge is the virus that will eventually infect their entire lives, then belief is the firewall. Give them the space they need. Ridiculing people for their beliefs causes them to hide behind their firewall and kick on the anti-virus programming.

[Phx_Dem]

49. Calling him an embarrassment is being generous. n/t

[Toon Me Out]

50. when consulted...

...the monkey reportedly said, "Hallelujah--i'm mot related to that @%&$^!"