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This I find a disturbing, but all too common, opinion among creationists.
Its time to remind people, I think, that it is in fact creationism and IDers
who fight not with evidence but with all kinds of tactics that should have
little relevance on the teaching of science and on the question of "what is
science?" Tactics such as planting sympathizers into boards of education and
other powers where these decisions are ultimately made; using charisma and
all manner of persuasion to alter public opinion; taking advantage of the
public's lack of understanding in science; notoriously spreading
misinformation and taking soundbites out of context to advance their own
agenda; thinking that nitpicking at the "wrongs" or "errors" of science, the
gaps in our knowledge, and so on, constitutes evidence for their ideas -
completely misunderstanding the methodologies of science and how an
hypothesis is taken seriously; fabricating various publications, experts,
data to claim credibility, peer-review, and other aspects of the scientific
method... etc., etc., etc.

Amanda

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The evolution establishment fights with power, not evidence
http://www.renewamerica.us/columns/hutchison/050609

Thomas Kuhn, historian of science and author of The Structure of Scientific
Revolutions, was interested in the phenomenon of two competing scientific
models. When the model best supported by empirical evidence wins the
contest, science advances. However, Kuhn warns that sometimes in history,
institutional power and politics determines the winner.

When a particular scientific model is in favor with the science
establishment for a long time, the men in the centers of power develop
vested interests in their favorite model, which Kuhn calls the "prevailing
paradigm." The problem with prevailing paradigms which have monopoly power
is they are not open to criticism. The powerful, self-interested
institutional men gradually become narrowly focused and intellectually
ossified from the in-breeding of ideas and institutional group think.
Establishment scientists become increasingly ineffectual in dealing with
embarrassing anomalies, which are bits of evidence which contradict the
prevailing paradigm. When a new model arises which can solve the anomalies
that have stumped establishment scientists, an institutional crisis in
science is the result. The men academically bred in the rigid old paradigm
cannot win the debate with reason and evidence. The old guard becomes
accustomed to responding to objections with intimidation, brandishing their
proud credentials and questioning the credentials and motives of the upstart
scientists.

The evolution establishment has been behaving precisely like Kuhn's
description of an aging prevailing paradigm, jealous of their power and
prestige but weak in their arguments. In their battle against Intelligent
Design science, their tactics are to refuse to answer the criticisms of the
evolution model or deal with the anomalies to the prevailing paradigm and to
intimidate their critics or impugn the motives the ones who cannot be
intimidated. They use their power to keep students of science from hearing
what the design scientists are saying.

Consider two examples. According to the Columbus Dispatch (6/9/05), The Ohio
State University (OSU) is investigating the dissertation committee of a
doctoral candidate, whose thesis involves research into the reaction of
students, when they are presented with scientific criticism of the evolution
model. The message to OSU science students is that if you want a doctorate
or tenure, you had better do a thesis which supports the evolution model.
This is the persuasion of power, not the persuasion of reason and evidence.

Another example of the institutional abuse of power is the automatic banning
of papers published by design scientists in peer-reviewed journals. This
deprives the science community from hearing legitimate scientific criticism
of the evolution model. The pesky anomalies to the model are thereby swept
under the rug. The disingenuous advocates of evolution are able to tell the
public, "These upstart advocates of the Intelligent Design model are not
real scientists because their papers are not published in the peer-reviewed
journals! We are of science and they are of religion." Arbitrary power which
denies a voice to critics while gratuitously questioning their motives is
not science. It is hardball power politics.

Listening to informed criticism can only improve the evolution model.
Persecuting critics without listening to what they are saying can only
hasten the intellectual decay of the entrenched evolution establishment.

Letter to the Editor, The Dispatch, 6/08/05

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