Oklahoma state legislature attempts to ban Richard Dawkins from visit.

[Kazak]

Presumably they have nothing better to do? :mad:

http://scienceblogs.com/tfk/2009/03/oklahoma_hates_richard_dawkins.php

Shameful!

[Skinner]

1. Oh, the irony!

From the resolution:

WHEREAS, the University of Oklahoma is a publicly funded institution which should be open to all ideas and should train students in all disciplines of study and research and to use independent thinking and free inquiry;

[hobbit709]

2. I caught that one too.

These yahoos can't even spell irony, much less know the definition.

[MADem]

9. They suspect it has something to do with pressing clothining, I would imagine... nt

[LeftinOH]

3. The resolution includes (in part):

WHEREAS, the University of Oklahoma, as a part of the Darwin 2009 Project, has invited as a public speaker on campus, Richard Dawkins of Oxford University, whose published opinions, as represented in his 2006 book “The God Delusion”, and public statements on the theory of evolution demonstrate an intolerance for cultural diversity and diversity of thinking and are views that are not shared and are not representative of the thinking of a majority of the citizens of Oklahoma.....


Its funny how the same people who get their panties in a twist over anything that suggests "diversity"... have no problem utilizing that same term to apply 'alternatives' to the teaching of evolution.

[gratuitous]

4. According to the story

This resolution didn't pass. I'm not sure what the problem is, then. The article barely names the representative (last name only) who introduced it, but appears to be overloaded on snark to use a very broad brush against the entirety of Oklahoma's legislature and its citizens.

This looks more like some cross-border sniping between Kansas and Oklahoma, and before Mr. Rosenau of Kansas loads up the big guns, he might take a long look at his own Senate contingent (for example) and consider whether it might not be wiser to put his own electoral house in order first.

[Whoa_Nelly]

5. Thomsen is the Chair for Higher Education & Career Tech Committee

Closed mind for higher education :eyes:

http://www.okhouse.gov/Members/Pictures/Thomsen,%20Todd.jpg

http://www.okhouse.gov/Members/MemberPictorial.aspx

[MineralMan]

7. He looks like a sex scandal waiting to happen.

[EmilyAnne]

8. He looks a little cro magnon. Maybe this is just too personal for him? n/t

[RedEarth]

6. Evolutionary biologist, author Richard Dawkins to speak at OU Friday

Evolutionary biologist, author Richard Dawkins to speak at OU Friday


Evolutionary biologist, author and speaker Richard Dawkins will give a free public talk at the University of Oklahoma as part of the Darwin 2009 celebration. Dawkins' talk, "The Purpose of Purpose," will take place 7 p.m. Friday in McCasland Field House on the OU Norman campus.

Dawkins has won numerous awards and plaudits, including the Time magazine list of the 100 most influential people of 2007.

"Richard Dawkins is an eminent academic and writer who is an excellent and thought-provoking public speaker," said Barry Weaver with the School of Geology and Geophysics. "It is an honor that he's coming to Norman and the OU campus because he is so highly regarded and so highly sought after as a speaker."

In his talk Friday, Dawkins will explore the significance of purpose in the natural world, and will argue that the appearance of purpose and true (sentient human) purpose are both products of the blind forces of natural selection. There are no tickets for the talk; admission will be on a first-come, first-seated basis, and the doors will be open at 5:30 pm.

Dawkins has authored numerous books which popularize evolutionary theory; the first, "The Selfish Gene" (1976), has sold over 1 million copies. His next book, "The Greatest Show on Earth: The Evidence for Evolution," will be published in September.

Darwin 2009 at the University of Oklahoma is a year-long series of events coordinated by faculty and students to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the birth of Charles Darwin and the 150th anniversary of the publication of his book "On the Origin of Species." For more information on Darwin 2009 events, see www.ou.edu/darwin and for information on Dawkins' talk see ve.ou.edu/dawkins.html.

http://www.normantranscript.com/localnews/local_story_064012306