Students Protest in Manner School Board Was Trying to Prevent Them from Learning About

How’s that for a convoluted subject line? This is one from my archives from late September / early October of 2014, and it took place only a few 10s of miles from me. There were no less than three World Net Daily posts about it:

• “High Schoolers Protest ‘Patriotic’ Curriculum” –Sept. 24, News Snippet
• “School Board Retreats on ‘Patriotic’ Curriculum” –Oct 03, News Snippet
• “Wake Up! Schools Are Denigrating Our Heritage” –Oct 03, Tom Tancredo

I think that, most objectively, one can state the situation as this: A school board decided to modify the AP US History curriculum (note: AP curriculums are strictly set by the College Board (for-profit company) and if you do not follow them, you can lose AP accreditation and the students will not get college credit). The modification was as such:

Tensions have run high in Jefferson County schools since three conservative candidates were elected to the school board. These new board members have suggested an extensive rewrite of the way history is taught to the area’s students to a model they believe is more patriotic.

The right-leaning board-members said they believe history teachers should teach nationalism, respect for authority and reverence for free markets. They should avoid teaching any historical events or acts that promote “civil disorder, social strife or disregard of the law.”

As a consequence, teachers protested by calling in sick en masse, and then students held their own protest with over 1000 in three different schools simply walking out. In protest. The very thing that the school board was trying to prevent them from learning (civil disorder). I found that particular irony quite delicious. It’s also midnight and I’ve been up for 15 hours and got little sleep the previous night.

From what I can tell, the conservative members of the board succeeded in their proposal, but they also formed some sort of review board with student/parent/teacher involvement for some curriculum matters. Meanwhile, people are working to recall those board members and replace them.

With that in mind, can you guess how the WND commenters reacted? Top-rated on that first post is by “Pi10107” whom I’ve quoted a lot on this blog: “I don’t believe that these kids came up with this protest on their own. Of course, they are not patriotic and have been brainwashed, but behind the scenes were adult commies pushing this. I totally agree with Annolyze that these kids didn’t even know what they were protesting.”

Or “ratamacue76” wrote: “I suspect that this was started by some leftist teacher who is doing their part to make sure that the current “hate America” curriculum stays in place. The kids being saturated by the Leftist view of the nation know none the better and most probably don’t even know what they are protesting in the first place. This is a dress rehearsal for useful idiots who are still in training.”

Charles Darwin Caused World War I

I’m surprised that World Net Daily columnists produce posts that are pro-Intelligent Design (ID). ID is basically creationism (though none in the ID movement will admit to that, but they continuously claim religious freedom as the way to spread their ideas despite claiming it’s all science). The main superficial difference between ID and creationism is that ID proponents do a *wink*wink* when asked who the Designer is rather than saying it’s the Judeo-Christian god. I would’ve thought that’s too coy for WND folks.

But not so for Jerry Newcombe, who on September 2, 2014, published the column, “Charles Darwin and World War I.” The article has gotten a measly 52 comments, to the point that it was the non-crazies who got the most up-voted comments, basically laughing at the idea.

I’ve discussed this idea before, though in my other blog. Primarily, it was in the post, “If Darwin Is Responsible for the Holocaust, Newton Is Responsible for Bombs.”

You might be wondering how World War II and the Holocaust are related to World War I. If you are, you probably don’t follow the ID movement as much as I.

The issue is simply pigeon-holing Darwin: If any person in any way who had any sort of responsibility in any atrocity happened to ever espouse any idea remotely related to evolution or that other people have linked to evolution, then it’s Darwin’s fault.

I’m not exaggerating. That is one of the main tactics of the ID movement.

In this case, Jerry Newcombe is parroting Discovery Institute’s (the main “think”-tank of the ID movement) John West:

Dr. John West, senior fellow at the Discovery Institute of Seattle, says: “Historians continue to debate the causes of World War I, which were complex.” West has directed a new film, “The Biology of the 2nd Reich,” which highlights a link between Darwinism and the great war.

West states, “Social Darwinism was certainly one of the key issues that exerted a profound influence on German militarism before, during, and after the conflict.”

Newcombe goes on to talk about Hitler and Nazi Germany. Because of course those are related to WWII. He peripherally relates it to WWI:

The new film, on Darwin and World War I, quotes Charles Darwin: “The support which I receive from Germany is my chief ground for hoping that our views will ultimately prevail.” The film shows the link between Darwinism and German militarism, including genocide the Germans committed against a tribe in one of their African colonies.

The film quotes Hitler, who later set out to finish the work begun in WW I: “The law of selection exists in the world, and the stronger and healthier has received from nature the right to live. Woe to anyone who is weak, who does not stand his ground! He may not expect help from anyone.”

So, because Hitler used a concept from biology that had been applied by sociologists to term something in Victorian culture, Darwin caused WWI and WWII.

Who cares that Darwin died in 1882, three decades before World War I?

In Old News, Conservatives Re-Write History

I’m not even sure why this deserves mention, but I thought I should at least have one post related to the National Organization for Marriage’s (NOM’s) hate-march that “drew tens of thousands” (closer to a few hundred) people last week to Washington to protest The Gay in their “March for Marriage.” This one was written by WND’s Alana Cook, who “blogs on women’s issues, faith, politics and policy:” “Huckabee Eviscerates Judges Who Defy God.”

Of course, this presupposes a god or God exists, that it inspired or wrote the Bible, and that modern interpretations are correct of that Word.

I think given the intro, you can figure out what Huckabee’s point was, and it’s the standard canard of Christians wanting to impose theocratic rule on America (while of course opposing all the countries where theocracies actually exist … ’cause, you know, it’s the wrong god). Since I’m a glutton for punishment, here’s a small snippet:

“It’s time we start saying, ‘Courts, you cannot prescribe such an order.’”

“This country would not exist if it had not been for the providential hand of God,” he warned. “If we reject His hand of blessing, we will feel His hand of judgment.”

Preachers have been preaching this for decades, if not centuries. I’ve yet to see an obvious smiting.

And besides the pseudo history of America being a Christian nation, and Huckabee not understanding how the three branches of government work (which is unfortunate, given that he was a serious (supposedly) candidate for President back in 2008), the commenters on WND also seem to forget/ignore/change history, as well.

Take, for example, “AR154U” (gee, I wonder where that name comes from), who wrote the top-rated comment on the story: “Poll after poll states MOST Americans approve of Gay marriage,.. but once it’s put on a ballot and up for vote. Gay marriage loses EVERY TIME !!! They can’t spin voters, so gay friendly judges overturn the will of the people !!”

“Mary Waterton” has the highest-rated response: “That’s very true. Liberal activist news journalists are bigger liars than politicians.”

It’s only “AJ” with 1/3 as many up-votes who reminded them: “Except that gay marriage has won the vote the last 4 times it was put up for a vote. #historylesson”

“Elka” responded to that: “By the way, so when the vote go your way, it is ok; When the votes dont go what you want, you deny it, intimidate, brainwash, make propaganda for kids and young in general, till it got your way, That is not democracy It is dictatorship. Let people FREE choose, without fire people form work, without controlled media and hollywood telling what to do everyday. THEM you find the true. AND with all of that you are loosing, history teaches us that you will put people on jail and concentration camps to get your way. Left winger way.”

And “MaryNOLA” responded to that: “No. Your way is a dictatorship. You are free to do whatever you wish as long as it’s legal. You are NOT free to tell me how to live my life. You are NOT free to enslave others. And you are NOT free to tell ANYONE who they can marry. Your opinion does NOT count in anyone else’s life.”

The next two commenters simply quote from the Bible, a frequent occurrence in the WND comment section. In response ego “NAVSOG”‘s quoting, “the grownupchurch” responded: “The Word of God, forever settled in Heaven – the ultimate authority by the ultimate Judge.”

A fitting way to end this post.

50 People in the Bible Were Real … Therefore, God?

The story is from March 16, 2014, and it comes originally from Biblical Archaeology Review: “50 People in the Bible Confirmed Archaeologically.” Implications are obvious.

And, since Superman references Metropolis, it’s fake, but since X-Men mentions Washington, D.C., it’s real. By the same logic. Yup.

That is all.