Teach Both Sides!

(click for supersized version suitable for printing and posting on classroom corkboards)

“An educated, healthy and confident nation is harder to govern.”
Sicko (2007) – Tony Benn

[Whether they slant Left or Right, when movies are used as a tool for politics then political movies become an important topic on movie websites. That’s reason enough for me to bring this up again. Skip to the nearest photo of Angelina Jolie as safe haven if you’re not interested.]

“What bugs a lot of us is the Intelligent Design proponents ugly and aggressive tactics in forcing their religious and political agenda into the national school curriculum. Kai was 100% on target when he pointed out the mastodon elephant in the room: This sudden push for ID has nothing to do with science and everything to do with politics and culture.”

Jack Stark (and many others) ask: “What‚Äôs wrong with showing both sides of the coin? Nobody is arguing that we should only teach creationism. What we ask is to teach both sides of the issue, so children can be exposed to different points-of-view and make up their own mind. It is wrong in my book for children to be exposed to only one perceptive on anything.”

Political documentaries have exploded many myths in the past few years, and conservatives wonder why the myth-busters always seem to be the “liberal elite.” I’d like to suggest that there’s a reason why conservative documentaries don’t get Oscar nominations. They’re crude and weak and usually wall-to-wall lies.

Arguing this topic is as exhausting and pointless as arguing about how much Crash sucks. Lots of people think Crash a great movie, and I’m fine with that. But you can’t teach that belief in science class, ok? Teach it at home, or anyplace else. Expose your own kids to whatever disturbed falsehoods you want. Just don’t do it in the classroom.

There is no science behind Intelligent Design. It’s a fabricated construct whose only design is the avowed agenda of “The Discovery Institute” to inject religion into schools.

This would be funny if the repercussion weren’t so serious, but sometimes humor is the best way to make a point. A few more examples after the cut.

I’ll even post a cartoon from an actual Creationist publication, ok? How’s that for showing both sides? I regret that the other side is so painfully ridiculous, sad and troubling.