Though eloquent and poetic, Ben Altman’s “Why the ideas of evolution really do matter” (Commentary, Feb. 10) was based upon severely flawed assumptions.
Altman is right that the debate over evolution and creation is about “access to ideas.” But he is wrong in assuming that creationists are attempting to censor the ideas of evolution. On the contrary, it is the scientific community that refuses to allow this theory to be openly debated and objectively criticized in the public and educational marketplace of ideas.
Evolution has become a religion unto itself, with its most fervent adherents dismissing good science and instead disseminating its precepts as dogmatic and doctrinal truth. They try to shut the eyes and minds of our students to stifle any future debate, fearful that their grand theory will be exposed as a house of cards that cannot bear the weight of its own claims.
Creationists simply want to open up the discussion, to compare the breadth and power and penetration of one idea with another.
