[Bgsa] Evolution-Creation "debate"

[Andrew Stoehr]

Many of you have probably received e-mails about this upcoming 
evolution-creation "debate".  The debate is to be between a graduate 
student in Physics and Kent Hovind.  I have seen Hovind speak before, 
and I fear Bradley Hughes (the physics student) may not be aware of 
what he is getting himself into.  Hovind does this full time, and this 
will not be a "debate" in any reasonable sense of the word.  Hovind 
will arrive with large numbers of sympathetic audience members, and 
will use his slick style to try to embarrass Bradley.  Facts, or even 
rational arguments, will have no part in this style.  When I saw him 
speak, he used random out-of-context quotes, most from non-peer 
reviewed sources, and spent probably 50% of his time railing against 
abortion and homosexuality.

If at all possible, I think it would be good for Biology folks to show 
up, if at the very least to serve as support for Bradley, possibly as a 
'fact checkers' as well.  At the very least, if you have not seen how 
these creationists work, it should be eye-opening for you.

   At Below is an e-mail I received from Wilfred Elders.

"<<Dear Everyone,
I want to bring to your attention the distressing fact that
"Dr." Kent Hovind will be debating PhD graduate student
Bradley Hughes of the Physics Department at UC Riverside
<bhugh001 at student.ucr.edu> on the topic of "Evolution versus
Creationism" this Saturday, January 7th, 2006. The debate
will take place in UNLH 1000 (It's the big lecture room they
show the movies in...) Seating is limited,and is on a first
come first serve basis,and it starts at 7pm.
Hovind is a slick tele-evangelist (with a mail-order Ph.D.
degree)and is a veteran of numerous such debates. You can
learn more about his virulent strain of creationism at his
website "www.Drdino.com." In my opinion it's a great pity
that UCR is giving him a forum to promote his fundamentalist
beliefs. We should therefore show up and support Bradley
Hughes
See you there and bring your friends.
Wilfred Elders,
Emeritus Professor of Geology>>

Wilfred A. Elders
Professor of Geology Emeritus
Department of Earth Sciences
University of California,
Riverside, CA 92521, USA





Andrew M. Stoehr
Department of Biology
University of California
Riverside, CA 92521

andrew.stoehr at email.ucr.edu

951-827-7023