I just hung up the phone with a reporter from WMNF Radio, Tampa. They will be airing a piece about Senator Wise’s possible intelligent design creationism bill during the 6 p.m. evening news broadcast. You can listen to it streaming live over the Internet, and the broadcast will then be archived on their site sometime later.
I was asked about our opinion on the bill, the idea of “teaching both sides and letting students decide,” and … get this … I was told that supposedly Sen. Wise had asked “if man evolved from apes, why are there still apes?” and I was asked to respond to that.
Wow. Just wow.
So, listen in and share your thoughts in the comments.
[Edited to add the following after the show aired. Archived recording of the story is here.]
I feel incredibly honored to have my interviews alongside those of Sir Harold Kroto and Peyton West. And I find it interesting that no one other than Senator Wise was interviewed for the intelligent design creationism side. There was the opening segment where a Ben Stein recording was played, but that hardly counts, especially when stacked up against Kroto and West.
To briefly summarize the story: Sen. Wise swallowed Expelled hook, line and sinker. He thinks folks are being fired for advocating intelligent design (ID) creationism. (Take a look at that link to learn the real story that Sen. Wise either doesn’t know or is ignoring.) Sen. Wise does toss around so-called “academic freedom” quite a bit in his interview. Then part of my interview mentions the long history of anti-evolution and how creationism has evolved over the years. Then we hear about Dover, which then leads into Kroto reading directly from the judge’s decision concerning how ID is clearly not science by any stretch of the imagination. Next up is West from AAAS, who follows up on the theme of ID not being science, and goes a step further to explain how ID is actually a science stopper because it calls upon the supernatural to explain things.
We get back to Wise, who professes that he is a smart man with a doctorate. He laments new college students failing biology because they don’t believe in evolution. And then comes the whopper: if man came from apes, then why are there still apes? I finish off the story with a chuckle as I wonder why the heck people who know nothing about science have any say in science education. Finally, I explain just how wrong Wise is concerning that whole ape thing.
If you had a chance to listen, let me know how you think it went. If you weren’t able to listen, then check back at the radio station site for an archived version. This story didn’t run until about 21 minutes into the broadcast.
I was asking that same question just a few years ago. I don’t think I was taught properly about the whole common ancestor thing. I imagine a lot of people ask the same question.
“If man evolved from apes, why are there still apes?â€
Good question!! So if children come from adults, why are they still adults?
Mai brainze hurtz!
“Under the current classification system there are two families of hominoids:
the family Hylobatidae consists of 4 genera and 13 species of gibbon, including the Lar Gibbon and the Siamang, collectively known as the lesser apes.
the family Hominidae consisting of orangutans, gorillas, chimpanzees, and humans, collectively known as the great apes. ”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ape
the family Hominidae consisting of orangutans, gorillas, chimpanzees, and humans, collectively known as the great apes
I bet that was REALLY hard to look up, probably took you hours on the google, those tricky scientists don’t want anyone to know stuff!
Great job Brandon,I listened to the program on the way home.
You laughing at Wise’s stupid remark was the icing on the cake. I wonder why the radio station only had one member of the ID camp to interview? Perhaps Rhonda Storms was to busy bashing the gay community!!
RE: “…Why still apes?” comment. Reminds me of Rep Hayes’ comment last year about “nobody never seen no half monkey/half insect” on the floor of the Fl Hall of Representatives!!!?!!?!. Clearly, those pushing this crap (at best) were products of the educational standards prior to the new, improved version under attack, and so have no understanding of the very thing they are fighting so hard against. A clarion call to champion further and not let them damage any other young minds with their strawman arguments that they think are so telling. LOL!
OBTW: I’d guess that Sen. Wise and Rep Hayes are of European descent. Why are there still Europeans?
I am encouraged both by the excellent response of our side and by the friendly tone of the broadcast. Did you notice that the interviewer ends with a statement about Wise and crew “imposing their religious views” on Florida school children. This is excellent framing for our side! Congrats to Brandon for his eloquence and his ability to win over the press.