Fucking Kansas!

So, we all have to be from somewhere. I was born and raised in Kansas. Growing up an awkward, introverted queer child in Kansas in the 70's and 80's was not a lot of fun. But it was sure was a challenge... and I guess, is in a large way partly responsible for the person I am now.

Although, I am sure that there are many warm and fuzzy, nostalgically positive memories of my youth living in the geographic anus of the continental United States... it's very hard to conjure them most of the time because I am usually blinded by all of the horrific elements of it.

Here's a recent scaldingly embarrassing one: the Kansas Board of Education is holding hearings to challenge the evidence of evolution and to try to either remove it from the state's science curriculum, or teach it as "a problematic scientific theory", and/or teach it alongside creationism and the concept of intelligent design -- offering these as equally acceptable theories of life on planet Earth.

What the fuck??!!??!!

Yes, the back-assward evangelical Christians of Kansas are at it again.

Although in my mid-life quest for harmony and zen-ness, I am trying to see things from differing viewpoints and trying very seriously to not instantly dismiss so many of my fellow beings as serious ignoramuses.... er, ignorami...

So, in that vein, honestly, if one removes one's ability to think rationally and synchronizes one's mind to think like these crusading evangelists, perhaps we can see why they don't believe in the concept of evolution.

Evolution is, afterall, the improvement of a species. Evolution implies that we evolve as a species and become smarter, more rational, more compassionate, more creative... we "evolve" as beings. Right?

As these redneck evangelical crackers gather every Sunday and look around at their assembled congregations of brethern who are convulsing, mouth-foaming, gibberish-speaking, snaking-dancing, ranting and raving, nut case malcontents... why would they believe in evolution?

They all perfectly represent the anti-thesis of the concept.