Bobby Jindal, the Ball is In Your Courts
NEW ORLEANS -- Aside from his recent 180 on the recent legislative pay raise bill (which spawned recall petitions against, among others, him), Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal's honeymoon period has been most severely damaged by his support of a bill allowing "scientific criticism" of evolution to be taught in public schools. (The quote is not from the bill itself, but from a supporter, a "senior fellow" at the pro-intelligent design Discovery Institute.) Jindal had openly supported the teaching of intelligent design during his gubernatorial campaign, in what was widely interpreted as an appeal to northern Louisiana's conservative Republicans.
So now comes a judicial opinion in the case of Kitzmiller vs. Dover Area School District, a decision by an appointee of George W. Bush, that rules a local school district's attempt to allow the teaching of intelligent design is unconstitutional. You might expect liberal websites to applaud the decision, but take a look at the reaction from conservative blog Little Green Footballs:
The resulting decision was an utter defeat for the intelligent design shills; star witness Michael Behe was forced to admit under cross examination that there are no peer-reviewed articles by ID advocates, and that the definition of "scientific theory" he was attempting to promote was so vague it could also be applied to astrology. (Despite this crushing blow, the ID movement refuses to go quietly into that dark night.)
The judge in the case, John E. Jones III, a Republican appointed by George W. Bush, ruled that the school district's decision was unconstitutional, and issued a 139 page decision (available here) that's remarkable for the conclusions it reaches about the origins and nature of the "intelligent design" movement, and very harsh in its criticism of the groups and individuals who promote it.
LGF includes copious quotes from the judge's decision, which are well worth reading. Has Governor Jindal ejected himself from the Veep Rocket whose trajectory seemed so impressive just two weeks ago? And has he guaranteed a court battle in Louisiana likely to echo Kitzmiller?
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On Jindal:
Don't underestimate this man.
He can talk (on message).
He can count (votes).
He is smart (about alliances, demographics, and campaign financing).
He has high educational credentials (Ivy League), is persistent (never stopped campaigning in areas he lost in 2004), and very hardworking.
He is unlikely to ever be a philanderer or have embarrassing personal life closet-skeletons, if one discounts certain religious details.
And, he provides a much-needed measure of youth and ethnic diversity for a party needing those things.
Bobby Jindal has unquestionable appeal to the core 30% votership of the Republican Party. Once they become familiar with him (and that's the key...) his story, and his familiar neo-paleo-
They might refuse to vote for him for other reasons---like his record of success as governor, which has hit a rocky patch about now. But, if his history is any indication, that 30% will not discount voting for Jindal because of his color.
Since the Reagan era when conservatives took over the entire US textbook industry, most science school textbooks purposefully have done a PISS POOR job of presenting the cornerstone scientific concept of evolution. Very few, if any, cover how the scientific community works.
That's why science is so easy to grasp and exciting when presented by PBS TV shows like Nova and Nature, but so incredibly difficult and boring on the pages of your kid's biology text. In this way, conservatives have crippled the public's understanding of the fact-based world of science, while simultaneously using the benefits of science provided by those few who will always manage to grasp it on their own.
Order yourself a copy of _Teaching About Evolution And The Nature Of Science_, by the National Academy of Sciences. Get a few extras to give away. If your kids' teacher pulls any of that Family Forum mess on the class, insist that this material be presented, too. Take it to the BESE (state education board), to the news media, and to court if you have to.
After all, if religion is allowed to interject itself into our public classrooms, it's only fair that science be allowed to put forth its BEST foot, rather than the crippled one provided by Conservatives.
And, if you really want to start trouble, wave one around in front of your local Southern Baptist preacher, and insist he (yeah, they're all 'he') preach from it. Turnabout's fair play, ya'know?
We have another attempt at a Hail Mary pass by the religious right to frame the religious arguments against evolution as valid scientific criticism with a law based on the circular reasoning that keeps this issue before the courts.
First of all, the law is too specific. Specifying criticism of evolution theory alone invites the court to ask why you would need a law for just for that purpose. If you do apply such a law generally, then it makes no sense, since all theories are subject to criticism by definition. It would be like making a law to specify that roses must have thorns.
By clarifying the law to not discriminate against religious arguments, the flag has been raised that this is in fact exactly where the criticism is expected to originate. Next, scientific arguments need to be framed in scientific language and themselves have to be scientifically tested. This was always the Achilles’ heel of creationism; it was merely a narrative about how life was created from the perspective of a religious group and could not be subjected to even rudimentary scientific testing.
Kitzmiller, whose decision, which everyone hoped but did not expect to be the last word on creationism, looked for the smoking gun. Who was framing the scientific arguments for creationism and who was publishing the educational material? In all cases, it originated from religious groups. This has now all become any entertaining game of whack-a-mole. I’m beginning to look forward to the one.
It would be a good day for Louisianians if Jindal is picked and accepts as McCain's running mate. The only other issue is that many folks in Louisiana would not recognized how close they would have dodged a bullet. Louisiana's only competition for the basement in statistics concerning the wellbeing of states is Mississippi and they are making better progress than Louisiana too. That's a a shame.
Judge Jones your doing a heck of a job!
You really have to be in New ...New Orleans to witness the terrible reawakening of the ole rebel just us South movement. It is truly a jaw dropping experience, try say going to the "movies" on the good ole West bank....I counted 15 police cars (Sheriff).
What surprises me the most how this guy got elected in Deep South ... He ofcourse follows the Repug line to the dot and says the right stuff but a minority . God stuff & the intelligent design etc ..may be the good ole boys getting a bit soft?
He got elected because THOUSANDS of evacuees have not returned to the state of Louisiana,thats how .Texas probably 100 thousand still living in this state.I've met hundreds ,they say theres nothing to return to so why go back.So imagine an election where over 100 thousand UNHAPPY ,homeless people were there to vote,Jindal would NOT have been elected !Look at all the FEMA supplies that NEVER made to the Katrina hit area's,that has NOW shown up in prisons and OTHER places.Wha
Actually, New Orleans wasn't a factor in his winning. (He also lost Orleans Parish in his initial bid for governor in 2003). The reason he won this time was because he gained more support in other areas of the state. Sorry, I don't have a link offhand, but I got my information from articles about statewide results right after the election.
Make no mistake America the Southern Republicans will NEVER, NEVER, NEVER pull the lever for a dark skinned candidate. They are in the Republican Party because it is Whites First, Jindal is a project. You think GOPers on West Virginia will vote for him? LOL This is for show the GOP have no non-White candidates to run for president or VP. The 1903 GOP base will not allow it, the Republican Party is White interests FIRST, Jidal threatens this.
Last I checked, Louisiana was in the south. Doesn't that mean southern republicans did pull the lever for the dark skinned Jindal?
For show is right. And most likely it is for show only.
Look at GWB's cabinet of multi-racial officials including Chinese and Latinos. They all follow the party line.
Republicans like to fool all the people all of the time.
It is the same old con game.
He is real con.
Cutting programs with a big surplus from oil.
La. hopes McCain will pick him so they can get rid of him.
The star of the gop has fallen.
Nice post Harry, although it should be noted that the Dover decision predates Jindal"s political ascension by nearly three years. I point this out because current events on the creationist front signal a marked shift in tactics since Dover.
While creationist spent the last decade trying to shoehorn their ideas in at the local level via schools boards, the crushing legal defeat in Dover has exposed creationist entities like the Discovery Institute and the Louisiana Family Forum to the potential wrath of voters in no mood to foot the legal bill for religious tinkering in Johnny's science education.
Consider that, in Kansas and Dover, pro creationism school board members were later ousted by voters - once the "breathtaking inanity" of their agenda was exposed.
So now the shift is to take their agenda directly to state legislatures; creationist bills have now been introduced in half a dozen states, including my state of Florida. When one considers the overwhelming majority majority of Louisiana legislators who voted for SB733, you get a glimpse of the populist tack the creationists are attempting. When the inevitable legal challenge from Louisiana's new law arises - and prevails - proponents of creationism will ardently try to frame the issue as a case of the will of the people (and their elected representatives) being overturned by an activist judiciary and their godless, academic allies.
This theme of academic suppression and judicial bias signals that creationists plan to save their agenda by means of popular vote - reason
"When one considers the overwhelming majority majority of Louisiana legislators who voted for SB733, you get a glimpse of the populist tack the creationists are attempting. "
You're correct here. However, this reveals something far more insidious. The overwhelming majority of Louisiana voters are as dumb as a bag of rocks. That is the reason that their elected legislators voted the way they did. The average Louisianian (black and white), is skeptical of evolution, and at some level, of science in general. This is the direct result of a level of scientific ignorance on a par with non-industrialized third world countries. Bobby Jindal is a comparative intellectual in the eyes of most in Louisiana.
Oh My, he is a nut case, not a surprise from what I can tell all republicans appear to be out of touch with reality.
I come from a predominantly Latino family that has intermarried with African-Americans, Asian-Americans, and European-Americans in the last 30 years - a truly multicultural mix. When we were all last together and we discussed this Jindal as VP issue, we all agreed that it was yet another cynical Republican attempt to portray themselves as a non-racist political party. Yeah, right. It's about the policies they promote, not about the latest non-European face they present to us as a representation of their party. They think we are stupid enough to believe that the reason Jindal is being promoted as a possible VP choose has nothing to do with his race. Actually, this guy could be a blubbering idiot (which he is) and, as long as his skin is the right color, he is pushed to the front of the line. It reminds me of the way Republicans always make sure that an African-American face is standing behind their candidate during important speeches. It is insulting. I do not know ANY African-Americans, Asian-Americans, or Latinos that would vote Republican. What do they expect? They hate us completely - they have made that abundantly clear - and they want to destroy us. Putting an Indian-American face on this supposed short list of VP picks just makes us more angry.
If Jindal has a lick of political sense he would not sign onto a sinking ship.
Going down in history as the Executive Officer on the Titantic of all election defeats in American history is not a good move for an ambitious politician.
And anyone who openly supports teaching creationism in the public schools is not ready for the national stage. Plays with the yokels in Louisiana but for anyone who knows anything about Louisiana politics . . .knows they have never recovered from Huey Long.
Stay home. Get some experience in something other than local wacko politics. And stay uncorrupted (yeah Right!) And maybe you will get your chance.
But don't be the token minority on a losing campaign.
You might sign up to serve on the Titantic without knowing.
But don't sign on when you can see it hitting (or having already hit) that iceberg.
Perhaps Jindal will demonstrate LaMarckian evolution and evolve on demand to demonstrate the wonders of a perfectly pivotal neck joint. Got a problem with exorcism? SWWWIIIIII
f(x) = ROTF.(LMAO
Jindal as v-p was proffered mostly by New Orleans on-air personnel, who consist mainly of Republicans from N.O.'s white-flight suburbs. These are the same folk who were pushing Bob Livingston as Speaker of the House before Larry Flynt exposed him as a hypocrite (a full 10 years before the Vitter flap). Maybe N.O. media should stop pushing white-flight Repubs for national office.
"Maybe N.O. media should stop pushing white-flight Repubs for national office."
In my opinion, they should stop pushing white-flight Repugs for state and local office as well. I'd certainly be happier! ;-)
Cheers!
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