The Dumbification of America

Want to know what is wrong with this country?

You ever tried to reason with an idiot? Ain't easy, is it?

Watch the clip below and keep in mind a couple of things:

First, Rep. Jack Kingston (R-GA) is a 10-term congressman who helps oversee federal funding on the Food and Drug Administration. He is, relatively speaking, considered a "moderate" Republican.

Second, evolution is no more a "theory" than gravity is, as far a science is concerned. It's not something was believed. In science, theories do not turn into facts through the accumulation of evidence. Rather, theories are the end points of science. The "theory" of evolution is based upon a collection of known facts. These facts were not gathered in an effort to prove evolution, rather they were collected before the fact and than conclusions drawn from the collected facts. Compare and contrast that to theories on intelligent design or creationism, which operated in the reverse fashion.

What are these "facts" you ask?

1) the earth is approximately ∼4 billion years old.

2) 5.7 million years ago we descended from an ancestor we share with chimpanzees. Yes, Rep. Kingston...it's true. Bummer for you. So sorry.

3) Homo erectus (our immediate ancestor) is anywhere from 1.8 to 0.3 million years old and people more or less like us (homo sapiens sapiens) arose in Africa 100,000 years ago. The fossil evidence for these observations has been validated by newer techniques of molecular biology, capped by the human genome project.

4) Natural selection has been observed and documented throughout medicine and science for years. Think "Immunity." It's what former Canadian Prime Minister Kim Campbell was trying to explain to Rep. Kingston. His weak ass "adaptation" is what we're talking about. That adaptation, or even mutation, is "evolution" Rep. Kingston. It is an organism changing to improve its odds of survival.

Seriously, if you watched this whole show, the look on Campbell's face at one point when Kingston is talking is absolutely priceless. It's like she can't believe someone who has been elected to the United States Congress for 10 terms would be so stupid. Notice how Kingston seeks help from fellow conservative The National Review's Will Cain, only to be rebuffed by Cain telling him: "I'm sorry, I believe in evolution."

This whole charade exemplifies what's wrong with this country. There is nothing wrong with faith. But it ain't science. And for people to try to put the two on equal footing is not only ridiculous, it's also dangerous. Take Campbell's reaction. People who discount science that are in leadership positions in this country, WILL NOT be taken seriously by the rest of the world. Anyone think the Chinese wouldn't laugh their asses off at someone sitting across from the negotiation table who discounted evolution? How about the Russians? Israelis? North Koreans? If we send people into situations to represent our country and they are adequately prepared (ie., they reject accepted science) our country will suffer. It's just proof that they are either a) ignorant or b) easily manipulated. Either way, we lose.

Hattip Benen.