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Couldn't the Zoo just install a statue of that GOP icon to cover all 
the other bases?

DonStidsen
MIT Museum


At 12:19 PM -0400 6/8/05, martin weiss wrote:
>ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
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>Sorry for the cross post for those who subscribe to Museum . Below 
>is the article referred to in The Oklahoman.
>
>Martin
>
>Date: Wed, 08 Jun 2005 09:04:51 -0700
>From: Richard Fields <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Tulsa Zoo and Creationism
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>              ;
>Hello listers,
>Without going into the religious side of the
>discussion, I thought I'd bring this up to you folks.
>The Tulsa Zoo has been ordered by its board to install
>an exhibit on creationism. The zoo has an exhibit on
>evolution, but what really got folks riled was a hindu
>statue of an elephant (Ganesha), and a piece of art
>that says "the earth is our mother." The
>pro-creationism folks say the door was opened by the
>Zoo when they put the info and icons on other
>religions in the Zoo. There is info on the Tulsa World
>and Daily Oklahoman web pages, but you must go through
>the free registration process to read the articles.
>Cheers
>
>
>
>Wed June 8, 2005
>Hindu statue at Tulsa's zoo spurs plans for creation exhibits
>
>By Chad Previch
>The Oklahoman
>
>  TULSA - The Tulsa Zoo will have to add exhibits showing several 
>cultural views of creation, the Tulsa Park and Recreation Board 
>voted Tuesday.
>  David Conrad of Bixby and Anna Ewing of Jenks look at the statue of 
>Ganesha at the Tulsa Zoo. Photo by Mel Root
>
>
>  The vote came after a complaint that some religions were 
>represented at the zoo while others were not. The main complaint 
>centered on a 5-foot elephant statue called "Ganesha," the Hindu god 
>of success.
>
>  Ganesha, which sits near the elephant exhibit, has been there about 
>10 years, but Dan Hicks, a Tulsa resident, said it was religious - 
>not educational.
>
>  "I think this decision by the Park and Recreation Board is a 
>victory for the citizens of Tulsa, because the majority view of 
>creation is now going to be represented at the Tulsa Zoo," Hicks 
>said. "To present both sides of the story, that's education. We 
>certainly hope the Tulsa Zoo is interested in education."
>
>  Hicks proposed that the Bible verse of Genesis - the Christian 
>story of creationism - should be told at the zoo through a story 
>board, said Ross Weller, acting park and recreation director.
>
>  Instead, an amended motion, which will include other cultural 
>explanations, passed, 3-1, after 27 speakers and 2_ hours.
>
>  Kim MacLeod, spokesman for Mayor Bill LaFortune, said Hicks, not 
>taxpayers, will pay for the new exhibits. She said LaFortune, who 
>voted for the motion, thinks it's fair to include other religious 
>views.
>
>  "The doors have already been opened for religious symbols because 
>of these other exhibits that are based on different cultures or 
>religions," she said.
>
>  A disclaimer that there are many religious beliefs on how the world 
>was created will accompany the new exhibits, MacLeod said. She said 
>Hicks has tried unsuccessfully to make changes at the zoo in the 
>past.
>
>Michael Camfield, development director for the American Civil 
>Liberties Union of Oklahoma, questioned why any religious viewpoints 
>are being expressed at a city-run zoo.
>
>  "We don't believe that it's an important use of government funds," he said.
>
>  Dale McNamara, the board member who voted against constructing a 
>creation timeline, said she remembers going to the zoo to look at 
>the animals and their surroundings.
>
>"I feel that religion should stay in the church and not at a zoo 
>where the zoo is meant to teach everyone about all the different 
>cultures and the animals," she said.
>
>  Marnie Ducato, spokeswoman for the zoo, said the elephant's purpose 
>was not religious.
>
>"It's strictly put out there in reference of the culture of where 
>the elephants are from," Ducato said.
>
>
>--
>Martin Weiss, Ph.D
>Vice President, Science
>New York Hall of Science
>47-01 111 th Street
>Corona, New York 11368
>718 699 0005 x 356
>
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