Theory of Common Descent = Science

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I was listening to NPR today and there was some panel on how to teach science (to high school students, I think, but not sure). The host lobbed a question to one of the panelists, alluding to the fact that public acceptance of "evolution" (by which he meant the theory of common descent, of course) was growing. The woman informed him (sadly) that that was just a statistical blip back in 2001 (?), due to the debate in Kansas, and that now the figures are back to what they were in decades past. Why the temporary upsurge during the school board debate in Kansas? She explained that because of the media coverage, "people just thought about it more." (After all, anybody who is skeptical must not have studied it much.)

So then some other guy on the panel interjects, "I've always thought we should establish 'Creationism Hospitals.' Creationists can go there when they're sick and be prayed over. And everyone else can go to the regular hospitals."

So there you have it, folks. All of the scientists are on one side of this issue, and only non-scientists are on the other side, and to say that you doubt that humans and mushrooms share the same genetic ancestor, then that is equivalent to saying that you think medicine is useless.

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