As surely as the nation rejected the neoconservative and fundamentalist laden Republican Party this week, voters also provided a stinging rebuke to the antiscience wing of the modern GOP. Here's just a few highlights:
NCSE -- In the four-way race, Tom Sawyer [Pro-evolution/science] received 54% of the vote to [Intelligent Design advocate] Owens-Fink's 29%, David Kovacs's 12%, and John Jones's 9%, according to the Associated Press. ... Pro-science candidates prevailed elsewhere in Ohio. In District 4, incumbent G. R. "Sam" Schloemer handily defeated challenger John Hritz, described by the Cleveland Plain Dealer (October 22, 2006) as "a conservative millionaire who wants to include alternatives to Darwinism in science class." ... Democrat Ted Strickland said, "Science ought to be taught in our classrooms. Intelligent design should not be taught as science, ... " Strickland won in the November 7, 2006, election, with 60% of the vote.
Stem Cell Research was approved in Missouri. Helped in part no doubt by wingnuts like Rush Limbaugh attacking and mocking the disabled. This barbaric Bush policy can be reversed none too soon; just yesterday it became widley known that scientists restored the sight of blind mice using stem cell therapy:
Herald Sun -- BLIND mice have had their sight at least partially restored after scientists injected immature stem cells to replace damaged cells of the retina. The world first brings hope to those with vision loss, particularly those who have been robbed of sight by macular degeneration or diabetic complications.
And I would be remiss if I did not congratulate Representative Brad Miller, NC-13, member of the House Committee on Science and prolific diarist and commentator here on Daily Kos. Outstanding job to everyone involved with Congressmen Miller's re-election!
Some propensity for antiscience lunacy seems to be ingrained in our culture or our being, or both. Kings, tyrants, and even modern politicians are always at the ready to exploit that latent vulnerability. When they do so successfully, the consequences can be horrific. But over time, in fits and starts, the human race has slowly cast off of this ancient legacy of ignorance in favor of enlightenment and progress. Viewed from that historical perspective, November 7, 2006, was an enlightening day indeed. And I'm so proud to say that the many brilliant individual lights flowing from this community played a huge role in piercing the carefully constructed veil of GOP darkness.