2013 in Quotes: The War on Science

With 2013 winding down, it’s  time for our annual review of what we heard from the far right over the past year. We’ll roll those out over the next week or so. Today we review some of the most outrageous things we heard as the right’s war on science and science education rambled on, especially during the adoption of science textbooks for Texas Public Schools.

Our intent, as far as theories with the [curriculum standards], was to teach all sides of scientific explanations…. But when I went on [to the CSCOPE website] last night, I couldn’t see anything that might be seen as another side to the theory of evolution. Every link, every lesson, everything, you know, was taught as ‘this is how the origin of life happened, this is what the fossil record proves,’ and all that’s fine, but that’s only one side.

— Chair of the Texas State Board of Education Barbara Cargill, R-The Woodlands, testifying before the state Senate Education Committee.

The dietician actually has a degree in food science technology, and they have to take all kinds of science courses, I know, at colleges.

— Barbara Cargill again, responding to critics who say the official state review panels for new high school biology textbooks this year were stacked with unqualified ideologues who reject evolution.

Support the Bible, and adopt these books.

— Former Texas State Board of Education Chair Don McLeroy, calling on the SBOE to adopt proposed new science textbooks because, he argued, they failed to provide sufficient evidence for evolution.

Outsiders are telling public school families that we must follow the rich man’s elitist religion of evolution, that we no longer have what the Kentucky Constitution says is the right to worship almighty God. Instead, this fascist method teaches that our children are the property of the state.

— Matt Singleton, a Baptist minister in Louisville who runs an Internet talk-radio program, calling evolution a lie that has led to drug abuse, suicide and other social afflictions.

“I believe that in fairness we need to expose students to both sides of this. That’s why I’ve supported including in our textbooks the discussion of the biblical account of life and creation, and I understand there are a lot of people who disagree with me, and believe in evolution.”

— Texas Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, at a debate for Republican candidates seeking his office in 2014, calling for teaching creationism in public school science classrooms.

Our students … must really be confused. They go to Sunday School on Sunday and then they go into school on Monday and we tell them they can’t talk about God. I’m sick and tired of a minority in our country who want us to turn our back on God.

— Texas state Sen. Dan Patrick, R-Houston, at a debate for Republican candidates seeking his office in 2014, calling for teaching creationism in public school science classrooms.

As a Christian, certainly creationism should be taught.

— Texas Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples, at a debate for Republican candidates seeking his office in 2014, calling for teaching creationism in public school science classrooms.

I’m a science enthusiast . . . I’m a huge science buff.

— Rep. Rick Brattin, a Republican state representative in Missouri, speaking about the bill he introduced that would require that “intelligent design”/creationism and “destiny” get the same educational treatment and textbook space in Missouri schools as the theory of evolution.

I would point out that if you’re a believer in the Bible, one would have to say the Great Flood is an example of climate change that certainly wasn’t because mankind had overdeveloped hydrocarbon energy.

— U.S. Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas, offering some of his views about climate change.

Bottom line, at the end of the day, we want our kids to be exposed to the best facts. Let’s teach them about the big bang theory, let’s teach them about evolution, let’s teach them — I’ve got no problem if a school board, a local school board, says we want to teach our kids about creationism, that people, some people, have these beliefs as well, let’s teach them about ‘intelligent design.’

— Louisiana Republican Gov. Bobby Jindal, saying he has no problem with creationism being taught in public schools.

Global warming my gluteus maximus.

— Former Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, denying climate science because it snowed in Alaska in May.

But if anyone does anything in this company because of global warming, they’re fired.

— Glenn Beck, talking on his radio program.

A door has been opened and we have said, ‘You know, we embraced a wicked policy.’ Okay, then I’ll take my hand of protection off your nation and whap, here comes storms like we’ve never seen before. And here comes floods like we’ve never seen before. And here comes the climate stuff that we can’t explain. All the hot times and all the cold times. Too much rain and not enough rain. And we’re flooding over here and we’ve got droughts over here.

— David Barton, asserting that climate change was an example of God’s judgment “on the spot” for sins like abortion.

You know most Americans have their head in the sand about evolution. I’ve met so many Christians that tell me ‘well, evolution is a scientific fact.’ Baloney! I am a scientist, there is nothing scientific about evolution. But you know something, Karl Marx said it, ‘I can use the teachings of Darwin to promote communism.’ Why? Because communism, or call it socialism if you think communism is too hard a word, necessitates for government to be your god and for government to be your god they need to destroy the concept of God. That’s why communism and evolution go hand in hand. Evolution is one of the strongest tools of Marxism because if they can convince you that you came from a monkey, it’s much easier to convince you that God does not exist.

— Rafael Cruz, the father of Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, tying evolution to communism.