Thursday, February 12, 2009
Crazy Crap A Little Dirt in the Eyes of Dayton Creationists on Darwin's B-day
Posted by Brantley Hargrove on Thu, Feb 12, 2009 at 5:58 AM
More than 80 years ago, little Dayton, Tenn., about an hour northeast of Chattanooga, held the fixed gaze of the world in an epic proxy battle--those who wanted creationism taught in public schools, and those who favored the theory of evolution.
The Scopes Monkey Trial, named for the Dayton teacher who answered the ACLU's call to challenge a state law prohibiting the teaching of evolution, drew hundreds of newspaper reporters and the derision of probably everyone in the world, cementing the yokel-ized reputation of Tennessee folk.
Creationists won the day, but their victory was short-lived--the law was declared unconstitutional in the '60s. It's not clear that Dayton has gotten any more progressive since then, but they've certainly reached a milestone: the 200-year anniversary of the birth of Charles Darwin.
To commemorate this, the Wisconsin-based atheist group Freedom From Religion Foundation purchased a 12-foot-by-25-foot billboard that reads: "Praise Darwin. Evolve Beyond Belief." FFRF couldn't get anyone to sell them space within Dayton's city limits, so they contracted with an outside firm who placed the billboard just outside the town.
So OK, they definitely haven't come far since the Scopes Monkey Trial. Happy B-Day Charles!
The Scopes Monkey Trial, named for the Dayton teacher who answered the ACLU's call to challenge a state law prohibiting the teaching of evolution, drew hundreds of newspaper reporters and the derision of probably everyone in the world, cementing the yokel-ized reputation of Tennessee folk.
Creationists won the day, but their victory was short-lived--the law was declared unconstitutional in the '60s. It's not clear that Dayton has gotten any more progressive since then, but they've certainly reached a milestone: the 200-year anniversary of the birth of Charles Darwin.
To commemorate this, the Wisconsin-based atheist group Freedom From Religion Foundation purchased a 12-foot-by-25-foot billboard that reads: "Praise Darwin. Evolve Beyond Belief." FFRF couldn't get anyone to sell them space within Dayton's city limits, so they contracted with an outside firm who placed the billboard just outside the town.
So OK, they definitely haven't come far since the Scopes Monkey Trial. Happy B-Day Charles!
Comments (2)
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You realize, don't you, that the Scopes trial was a publicity stunt dreamed up by local civic leaders, including the school superintendent.
http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/FTrials/scopes/EVOLUT.HTM
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Posted by
Karl Warden
on February 12, 2009 at 6:17 AM
Sure, it was conceived primarily to raise the profile of Dayton. But you also realize, don't you, that it wasn't until 2002 that Dayton stopped including the Bible in the curriculum of its public schools?
I don't think it's a stretch to say they were behind this thing, heart and soul.
Posted by
Hargrove
on February 12, 2009 at 11:01 AM
