Apologize for what? Swake comes right out and equates those that do not share his notions of science as living in the damned 1500s, with a "reasonable" (for Townsend's benefit) Catholic bash thrown in for good measure. Oh, and the collective IQ of the republic field and a guy Tay, nah, that's not apology worthy. Townsend attempts to tie McCarthyism to the tea party. That neither.
The whiny left in this forum simply cannot deal with the reality that Oklahoma is a red state, and has, gulp, elected conservatives to office. Want an illustration? Think about all the tired comments that the right is filled with flat earthed mouth breathers. I am not, my better half (who is far more educated and science-focused than me) is not, and I dare say the hundreds that I sit with at Mass are not as thought of by some in here.
As for judging others? You bet I will when those that I support are run down in here. If Swake and others are going to tee off, expect a response. That means put up your bona fides if they are going to rip on people's "500 years behind" views on science. BTW, where is your demand for an apology from him? Meh.
Guid, the only reason you are so upset is because it is so true. If there is one thing that unites elected Republicans today it's a shared rejection of facts and science. From masturbating fetuses to women don't get pregnant from "real" rape the Republican party is a complete clown show when it comes to science. Let's do a short list.
Todd Akin's offensive talk about the science of "real" rape was only made worse by the fact that he was a member of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee! But he's far from the only complete idiot on that committee.
Representative Paul Broun, who also is on the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee had this to say about the age of the Earth
All that stuff I was taught about evolution and embryology and the Big Bang Theory, all that is lies straight from the pit of Hell. And it’s lies to try to keep me and all the folks who were taught that from understanding that they need a savior. You see, there are a lot of scientific data that I’ve found out as a scientist that actually show that this is really a young Earth. I don’t believe that the Earth’s but about 9,000 years old. I believe it was created in six days as we know them. That’s what the Bible says.
Dana Rohrbacher, another Republican is ALSO on the science committee and is on the subcommittee on the environment and he said THIS:
Is there some thought being given to subsidizing the clearing of rainforests in order for some countries to eliminate that production of greenhouse gases? … Or would people be supportive of cutting down older trees in order to plant younger trees as a means to prevent this disaster from happening?
There's lots more. How about Delaware Senate candidate Christine O'Donnell saying this?
American scientific companies are cross-breeding humans and animals and coming up with mice with fully functioning human brains.
She thankfully lost but wasn't she a Guid favorite?
Our won Oklahoma State Senator Ralph Shortley proposed a bill prohibiting companies in Oklahoma from using aborted fetuses to make food because he read on the Internet that stem cells were being used in the production of artificial sweeteners. Don't you feel safer now?
Bills in state legislatures in Colorado, Texas, Arizona, Indiana, Missouri, Montana and here in Oklahoma all are attempting to put Creationism into schools along side the real science of evolution. If Darwin were alive they would probably be attempting to jail him just like Galileo was jailed.
Climate change is another fun topic. Texas Rep. Joe Barton doesn't believe in climate change, because God is behind climate change in the Bible, he said:
I would point out that if you’re a believer in the Bible, one would have to say the Great Flood is an example of climate change and that certainly wasn’t because mankind had overdeveloped hydrocarbon energy.
In fact nearly all scientists that deal with climate believe that we are changing the climate through hydrocarbons. Don't take my word for it. Ask NASA:
http://climate.nasa.gov/scientific-consensusYou know who disagrees with the scientists?
Every single Republican in the House
http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/e2-wire/149585-house-gop-rejects-amendment-that-says-climate-change-is-occurring#ixzz2WcQlKzN0I can go on, this is a easy list to build, from Tom Coburn working to defund the NSF to Jim Inhofe's being the (well funded) pocket of large oil companies, but you get the medieval point.