Sunday, May 13, 2007
Opinion

The Origin of Specious

It was one of those questions that has very little to do with the presidency but reveals much about a candidate...

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani (second from right) answers a question while flanked by Arizona Senator John McCain (left) Rep. Ron Paul of Texas (second from left) and Rep. Tom Tancredo during the first GOP Candidates’ debate of the 2008 presidential race. CREDIT: ROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty Images

By Eric Von Haessler

Just as I was getting comfortable with the 10 presidential candidates participating in the first GOP primary debate, it happened. It was one of those questions that has very little to do with the presidency but reveals much about a candidate, and I was floored at the response from three of the 10.

The MSNBC-sponsored debate featured a few questions voted on at the Internet site  www.politico.com. As is the case in town-hall style debates, questions from the audience were
mostly me-centered and useless (it was in this debate format that Bill Clinton stepped toward a pathetic questioner and famously promised that he "felt" her "pain").

Sen. John McCain was asked if he believed in the theory of evolution, and the next few seconds told more about the candidates than another hour and a half of big picture geopolitical questions could have.

McCain quickly acknowledged his acceptance of the long controversial but remarkably strong theory of evolution. Moderator Chris Matthews then asked for a show of hands from those on stage who didn't agree and, to my surprise, three, Sen. Sam Brownback, Rep. Tom Tancredo and Gov. Mike Huckabee, all raised their hands in opposition to one of the greatest discoveries about the workings of the planet in human history. My jaw nearly hit the floor.

In an interview later, Huckabee was quick to say he doesn't oppose the theory of evolution being taught in schools, which is about as reassuring as hearing a candidate proclaim he's not opposed to basic mathematics being taught in the classroom. Some things should go without saying.

Gov. Huckabee went on to say that he doesn't believe creationism should be taught as a balance to the theory of evolution. But many who oppose the theory of evolution would like to see exactly that take place in our nation's schools.

This is a dangerous movement that must be kept in check by those enlightened enough to understand the world around them. The theory of evolution needs to be protected with vigilance. Wherever it gives ground, so goes intelligence and human progress.

(In a sweet twist of irony, the only contender whose religion has become an issue in this campaign, Mitt Romney, didn't raise his hand and sided with the forces of enlightenment. To be fair, if he's a good Mormon, he does believe that his church's founder, Joseph Smith, was visited by Jesus Christ and an angel named Moroni while living in upstate New York. But hey, nobody's perfect.)

I'm often asked why I don't consider myself a Republican when I end up voting for so many of them. In a nutshell, it's those aforementioned three hands that keep me from truly identifying with the party. I suspect the current president would have raised his hand had he been up there. And although I'm one of the few that still support him, it strikes me that this sort of worldview may lead to the blind spot in judgment that has left him with such diminutive approval ratings.

Faith is fine in the world of personal development, but facts should rule the day for those leading the country. For instance, a little less faith and a bit more insistence on facts from Cheney, Rumsfeld and company may have dictated a course change in Iraq years ago.

During an interview with a group of Texas reporters in 2005, President Bush answered a question about the teaching of creationism this way: "Part of education is to expose people to different schools of thought … You're asking me whether or not people ought to be exposed to different ideas, and the answer is yes."

The problem, Mr. President, is that creationism is not a competing theory to evolution. Evolution is based on verifiable scientific fact and creationism is based on religious faith. If this is what the Republicans mean by faith-based initiatives, count me out. SP

Eric Von Haessler, formerly of the Regular Guys, is a frequent radio commentator in Atlanta.