Intelligent design likes to dress itself up in scientific garb, but as a federal judge pointed out, the theory has no clothes. U.S. District Judge John E. Jones (in photo) ruledtodaythat the Dover, Pa., area school board violated the Constitution when it required that students hear a statement about ID before ninth-grade biology lessons on evolution. "In making this determination, we have addressed the seminal question of whether ID is science," Jones wrote. "We have concluded that it is not, and moreover that ID cannot uncouple itself from its creationist, and thus religious, antecedents."
Jones also blasted the "breathtaking inanity" of the Dover school board members who approved the policy — and who since have all been voted out of office. He said that several members lied to cover up their motives even while professing religious beliefs.
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
The FBI has been conducting surveillance and intelligence-gathering operations against groups involved in environmental, animal cruelty and poverty relief causes, The New York Times reported. The information resulted from a series of Freedom of Information Act lawsuits by the American Civil Liberties Union, but much of it has been edited, so in many cases it is difficult to determine the nature of the investigations. For example, was the FBI really spying on the Catholic Workers group, which promotes anti-poverty efforts and social causes? Or did the group just happened to be referred to in documents?
Still, as Ann Beeson, associate legal director for the ACLU, told the Times: "You look at these documents and you think, wow, we have really returned to the days of J. Edgar Hoover, when you see in FBI files that they’re talking about a group like the Catholic Workers league as having a communist ideology."
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
Washington Post columnist David Broder wrote Sunday about several bipartisan legislative initiatives to "keep the United States in the forefront of innovation and technology." Proposals include boosting federal investment in basic research, and recruiting more science and math teachers by awarding four-year college scholarships. Broder urged President Bush to get behind this push and make it part of his State of the Union address next month. I heard New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman make a similar appeal to Bush during an interview about his book "The World Is Flat."
Of course Bush’s record on science isn’t good, as documented in the new book "The Republican War on Science" (click here for review). But as Broder argues, a science and technology initiative "would please business, labor, parents, teachers and students — and be good for the country."
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
More investigation is needed, but it looks as if Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., got caught using his AIDS charity to direct nearly $500,000 to his political inner circle, according to an Associated Press article. Frist’s attorney wouldn’t release the names of the charity’s big donors, so we don’t know whether they were people or corporations that had business before Congress.
Using charities, political action committees and campaign committees to funnel money to friends and family members isn’t a new trick. Earlier this year, Associated Press reported that about four dozen members of Congress hired their spouses and children for campaign and political work, including then-House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas, whose wife and daughter were paid nearly $500,000.
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
Time magazine’s 2005 Persons of the Year — philanthropists Bill and Melinda Gates and rock star activist Bono — deserve credit for addressing calamities that, unlike TV-ready tsumanis and other natural disasters, often occur beneath the media radar and public awareness.
But as the article notes, they also have done so with smart, effective campaigns that target the underlying causes of poverty and disease in the world. The Vaccine Fund started by the Gates Foundation is a great example: By investing large sums in vaccinations and other proven treatments, the fund already has inoculated millions of people against hepatitis B, influenza and yellow fever, and saved more than 670,000 lives.
Bono has shown remarkable persistence and political skills in persuading world leaders to forgive up to $40 billion in Third World debt and address underlying health problems such as AIDS.
Of course, much more needs to be done: An estimated 2 million children continue to die every year because of a lack of basic vaccinations, according to the World Health Organization.
But these leaders are showing how to make a real difference against poverty — not by simply throwing money at the problem, but by applying a smart, strategic vision.
Posted by Randy Scholfield
Not wanting to be caught on the wrong side of the so-called war on Christmas, all members of the Kansas delegation in the U.S. House voted to protect the holiday last week in a resolution that, among other things, "strongly disapproves of attempts to ban references to Christmas."
Rep. John Dingell, D-Mich., also was among the 401 members who voted for the resolution, but responded with a holiday jingle that began: "’Twas the week before Christmas and all through the House, no bills were passed ’bout which Fox News could grouse. Tax cuts for the wealthy were passed with great cheer, so vacations in St. Barts soon should be near. Katrina kids were all nestled snug in motel beds, while visions of school and home danced in their heads. In Iraq, our soldiers need supplies and a plan, and nuclear weapons are being built in Iran. Gas prices shot up, consumer confidence fell. Americans feared we were in a fast track to — well. Wait, we need a distraction, something divisive and wily, a fabrication straight from the mouth of O’Reilly. We will pretend Christmas is under attack, hold a vote to save it, then pat ourselves on the back. . . ."
Posted by Rhonda Holman
In the end last week, Nebraskan Matthew Koso avoided trial by pleading guilty to sexual assault charges related to the girl he’d raped when she was 13 and married in Kansas when she was 14. The 22-year-old faces 50 years in prison. Now, Kansas legislators must follow through on their duty to ensure that no more such weddings can occur — without opening new loopholes to allow young teen girls to marry with judicial approval. As Gov. Kathleen Sebelius recently said, "The fact that criminals have used marriage to conceal their abuse is appalling. We must take action to stop this abuse."
Posted by Rhonda Holman
President Bush and Attorney General Alberto Gonzales claimed Monday that Congress approved the use of eavesdropping when it authorized the use of military force after Sept. 11. "Congress gave me authority," Bush said during a news conference. But most lawmakers likely have a different memory. As Sen. Russell Feingold, D-Wis., said on NBC’s "Today" show: "Nobody, nobody, thought when we passed a resolution to invade Afghanistan and to fight the war on terror . . . that this was an authorization to allow a wiretapping against the law of the United States."
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
President Bush’s rhetorical offensive against his sagging poll numbers seems to be working. Of all the recent interviews, think tank addresses and news conferences, the best yet was his Sunday night speech from the Oval Office. It was the clearest, frankest statement of the challenge that U.S. forces face in Iraq, the gains made there and his resolve to follow through. Bush is no Ronald Reagan in such a direct forum, but it was invaluable to hear him better level with the American people about the mistakes made in Iraq and his responsibility for them. Those looking for a timetable for getting out will continue to be frustrated, but the nation would be well-served if the president made such candor a habit for the rest of his presidency.
Posted by Rhonda Holman
Here are some of the best captions from Eagle readers in this week’s contest. Christmas spirit abounds out there in Wichita, USA, apparently. So does sarcasm and when it comes to cartoon captions, that’s a good thing. Click on the image to see Jan Nyberg’s winning caption, then see if you agree with our judgment by checking out these other good ones. Valerie Davis submitted "We won’t be able to attend any holiday programs since there’s inadequate parking near the Downtown Arena, so let’s head back home with our gifts." And Rae Lee Simmonds who hails from Wichita, was in the same mode with "I say Bethlehem…I hear Wichita has a camel parking problem." Wichita’s Kathy Deane was also thinking about transportation: "Hey, boys, looks like we don’t need to ride up to KC. We can fly direct out of Wichita." Songstress Gwendolyn Lewis of Wichita, did a little caroling: "Star so wondrous, star so bright, couldn’t we get a cheaper flight?" And from Hazel Hart: "If we’d flown Mid-Continent, we’d be there by now!" Wichitan Karen Wallace sent in several good ones. The best: "Save the Boathouse? We’re Magi, not magicians!" Eagle subscriber since 1979, Thomas Christiansen sent in "Let’s go to Bethlehem and avoid the $3,900,000.00 naming rights!" Ross Voorhees of Wichita had this to say: Even if we lost all the gold at the new casino, we could still give Him the Franckincense and Myrrh…"
Roger Neugent of Haysville’s entry: "THEY TORE DOWN THEIR ONLY STABLE AND BUILD A CORPORATE OFFICE?!!!" Here’s one of Bruce Cole’s best: "Glad we stopped in Wichita. Let’s come back in 2000 years and see what Kellogg Pathway looks like when it’s finished!" Pretty optimistic, there, Bruce. I really like Mandy Renae Leonhart’s take: "Has anyone warned Mary about the biology curriculum when He reaches high school???" Likewise for Mike Barlow of Wichita: "Hey, Bob Knight and Jack DeBoer, who voted for you guys to wise men of Wichita?" Kurt Holmes of Wichita said "We’re bringing gifts of tax money, subsidies and revenue guarantee agreements. Take a right!" Jeff Logan did a bit of singing: "We three kings of orient are, bringing gifts…but not enough to save the downtown arena." Several of you sent in variations on the "Wichita could really use some wise men" theme, and Larry England said "Check your map again. It’s Topeka that’s in short supply of wise men." Thanks to all you wisenheimers for the captions. And have a merry Christmas.
The debate over whether to say “Merry Christmas” or “Happy Holidays” seems unproductive and confusing. Perhaps we should just have multiple-choice greetings on our cards, such as
Happy (Choose One):
a) Christmas
b) Holiday
c) Hanukkah
d) Kwanzaa
e) Spangles Day (It’s all about the Ranch)
The confusion seems to be working through the culture. I was a bit taken aback by a sign I spotted on the way to work that seemed a jarring blend of secular and religious purposes. It read something like this:
Happy Holidays
Be Careful —
Hell is Real!
Does that seem like a mixed message to anyone else?
Posted by Randy Scholfield
A Democratic commission made a good proposal to allow more states — particularly ones more ethnically diverse than Iowa and New Hampshire — into the early presidential primary schedule. We’ve also supported a plan pushed in the past by Kansas Secretary of State Ron Thornburgh to establish a rotating, regional primary system. But such changes are tough, uphill fights, because the entrenched political interests don’t like change — even change that would make primaries fairer and more democratic.
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
It’s discouraging that a journalist can out a CIA operative and still have a career. But that seems to be the case with Robert Novak. In fact, it was his cussing on air that finally prompted CNN to take him off the air — not his involvement in the Valerie Plame case. Now Fox News has hired Novak as a contributor. The fact that he is still considered employable by the major cable networks does not speak well of their journalistic standards.
Posted by Melissa Cooley
Another health care reality check: One-third of doctors nationwide say they’ll be forced to limit the number of new Medicare patients they accept if proposed 4.4 percent cuts in Medicare reimbursement rates take effect in January, as scheduled, according to a Dec. 11 Eagle article.
And many Kansas doctors and their patients would be affected. In Wichita, some 380 physicians could reduce their Medicare client list. The reason is simple economics: Medicare payment rates already fall short of the actual costs of treatment. Kevin Hoppock, a family doctor and president of Wichita Clinic, called the trend of Medicare cuts “unsustainable.”
Instead of applying Band-Aids, Congress must find a long-term fix for the Medicare reimbursement system. One motivating factor, say senior advocates: Medicare patients vote.
Posted by Randy Scholfield
Check out Sunday’s Opinion page for opposing viewpoints on whether to end mandated school busing in USD 259. We argue in our editorial that Wichita’s busing policy is outdated, ineffective, unfair and lacks public support. But local NAACP president Kevin Myles, in a thoughtful op-ed commentary, reframes the debate as really about whether to reintroduce segregated schools. He writes about the limitations and reduced dreams he accepted growing up in a segregated neighborhood and schools. He has seen his own children break out of that box. And he asks, "Which part of their expanded worldview should I accept as expendable? And how would their isolation increase their choices?"
Posted by Randy Scholfield
Many Wichitans will flock this weekend to see "King Kong," director Peter Jackson’s spectacular remake of the original 1933 classic.
When should classic movies be remade? Only when there’s a good reason to do so — or maybe simply when a director can pull it off. The original "King Kong," despite it landmark status, is obviously limited by the fairly primitive special effects technology of its time. Stephen Spielberg’s eye-popping version of "War of the Worlds" also updated the memorable 1953 version in a complementary way.
It’s fun to see directors of this caliber pay respectful homage to classics arguably in need of a fresh interpretation.
Some movie icons, though, seem untouchable: "The Wizard of Oz," say, or "Gone with the Wind." Directors go there at their peril.
Posted by Randy Scholfield
More news that should raised concerns among Americans who care about privacy and personal rights: President Bush secretly authorized in 2002 to allow the National Security Agency to monitor international telephone calls and international e-mail messages of Americans and others inside the United States without court-approved warrants, The New York Times reported. Defenders say the surveillance has been a critical tool in helping disrupt terrorist plots and prevent attacks inside the United States, The Times reported. But what about constitutional protections? And shouldn’t the government at least have to get a court’s approval?
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
Harvey County narrowly approved an advisory vote Friday supporting casino gambling. And if a KWCH, Channel 12, scientific survey proves accurate, voters in Sumner and Marion counties will also back casinos when their mail-in ballots are counted this week. But will it matter? Not if many of our state lawmakers can help it. They’ve made it clear that they don’t care what the public thinks on this issue, and even a vote of the people is unlikely to change their minds.
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
Fire hats off to Wichita and Sedgwick County for taking a first step last week toward merging their fire departments. We’d like to see full consolidation of the two governments, but realize that is a tougher sell, as Topeka and Shawnee County found out last week. Even though 59 percent of voters favored consolidating those two governments, the proposed merger failed Thursday because it required that a majority of Shawnee County voters who live outside Topeka support it (and only 40 percent did).
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
It’s good that President Bush finally decided to back Sen. John McCain’s legislation banning torture — though Bush didn’t really have much choice. Was he really going to make the first veto of his presidency on a bill outlawing cruel and inhuman treatment of prisoners? And even if he did, there were more than enough votes to override it. As McCain said Thursday at a White House press conference with Bush: “We’ve sent a message to the world that the United States is not like the terrorists. What we are is a nation that upholds values and standards of behavior and treatment of all people no matter how evil or bad they are.”
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
State Board of Education member John Bacon is billing taxpayers an estimated $500 for a conservative Christian conference he attended last month in McPherson, the Lawrence Journal-World reported. The conference was about how the Bible was integral in the founding of the United States, according to David Case, administrator of Elyria Christian School, which sponsored the event. Bacon said he went to the Christian conference because he wanted to hear information about creationism and evolution. That’s revealing, given that Bacon and other conservative board members claimed that changing the state science standards wasn’t about religion. This is the second suspect travel expense by a state school board member. Earlier this year Connie Morris got caught billing taxpayers $3,900 for a magnet school conference she attended at a posh Miami resort.
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
Nobody can say Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is trying to do her difficult job without leaving home — which some did say of her predecessor, Colin Powell. Within an otherwise silly story about the lousy food on Air Force Two, The Washington Post’s Robin Wright described one November week during which Rice visited Europe, the Middle East and the Far East: “Three or four hours sleep can be a good night. Rice’s staff and the press corps were in the same clothes for three days. America’s chief diplomat decided to continue negotiating in Jerusalem all night and not leave for another day — after the baggage had been loaded on her plane. When she finally left, she flew two more long flights to Korea and arrived in time for meetings on the third day.” That kind of pace speaks well of Rice’s commitment to improving the United States’ relationship with the rest of the world. And after this, a campaign for the White House would seem like a picnic.
Posted by Rhonda Holman
Sorry for the problems with our blog Friday. Our vendor had a major meltdown that locked it up — and every other blog it serves. The problem appears to be fixed. Again, sorry.
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
Just when you thought the Plamegate mystery couldn’t get any odder, along comes syndicated columnist Robert Novak’s assertion this week that President Bush knows which administration official or officials leaked the CIA agent’s name to the media. That’s hard to believe, because it means the president sat silently by as one reporter was jailed and others were forced to testify — actions, by the way, that despots around the world have cited as justification for their suppression of media freedom.
Posted by Rhonda Holman
Some of our most influential public intellectuals are debating whether the United States should torture or not — and it’s a fascinating and important argument, because so much is at stake for the principles of our nation. Here’s a series of arguments for those wanting a more in-depth, philosophical debate about the issue.
Conservative columnist Charles Krauthammer recently wrote in the Weekly Standard that torture is sometimes useful and might be necessary in extreme situations (the ticking time bomb scenario) and we should therefore regulate it in our laws; fellow conservative Andrew Sullivan — one of the blogosphere’s severest critics of the administration’s torture policy — responds here.
And Slate magazine founder Michael Kinsley weighs in with another rejoinder to Krauthammer. He argues that “morality does not require us to build a general policy on torture around a situation that is not merely unlikely in real life, but different in kind from the situations we are likely to face in real life. What we would do or should do if this situation actually arose is an interesting question for bull sessions in the dorm, but not a pressing issue for the nation.”
Posted by Randy Scholfield
