I don’t know about all of you, but I learned a lot from yesterday’s Republican debate, at least for the twenty minutes of it I was able to watch without getting sick. Like a classic American drama, at it I laughed, I cried and I stood speechless in awe. Which Republican has the least-nuanced stand on Iran? I couldn't wait to find out! However, I did learn one thing from the debate; I agree with Mike Huckabee. Complete agreement. And you should too.
But why? I’ll let a CNN article say it for me:
It really wouldn’t be a Republican debate without questioning the candidates’ faiths and/or beliefs in evolution, and this debate certainly wasn’t any different:
When the topic came up again Tuesday night in a CNN-sponsored debate in New Hampshire, one of those evolution skeptics, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, offered a spirited defense of the biblical creation narrative.
Big surprise. Huckabee believes in creationism. Fortunately, his beliefs aren’t served without a giant side of irony.
"It's interesting that that question would even be asked of somebody running for president," Huckabee said. "I'm not planning on writing the curriculum for an eighth-grade science book. I'm asking for the opportunity to be president of the United States."
You are absolutely correct, Mr. Huckabee; as President of the United States, you won’t be writing a science textbook during your four (or, in a more unlikely scenario, eight) years in office. So what will you be doing? Could those presidential activities include, to list a few:
- Overseeing the smooth operation of the world’s leading nation in science and technology research?
- Working with Congress to guarantee funding for the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, NASA, the Center for Disease Control and other government entities that provide the backbone for our nation’s science and technology research?
- Choose a policy on government-funded stem cell research, one of the most promising areas of future medical research, and, in related areas, such as Bush’s ignorantly-phrased-but-highly-relevant human-animal hybrids?
- Appoint cabinet members and related staff in the Department of Education that actually want to provide students with scientifically accurate information, either in regards to evolution or other areas like "abstinence-only" education?
- Ensure the Department of Education keeps its politics out of our public schools and universities?
- Coordinate immigration and visa policies that promote cooperation in scientific research among American and international researchers?
Mr. Huckabee, you are technically correct; no one cares what you actually believe. We care about what you’ll do, especially when the actions required for the best interest of our country go against your personal beliefs (and based on your stated beliefs, these issues will conflict often).
So congratulations, Mr. Huckabee; because of you, I’ve been forced to agree with ignorance on a technicality. Yay, irony.