OHIO DEBATES: On December 10, the Ohio State Board of Education adopted science standards that include learning why "scientists continue to investigate and critically analyze aspects of evolutionary theory." Intelligent design theorist Dr. Stephen Meyer, director of the Discovery Institute’s Center for Science and Culture, said, "Ohio has become the first state to require students to learn about scientific criticisms of Darwinian evolution as well as scientific evidence supporting the theory. This represents an important milestone in the effort to ensure that students learn the full range of relevant scientific evidence. This policy will help remedy the selective presentation of evidence made by most biology textbooks today." The new standards do not require the teaching of scientific intelligent design theory, much less Bible-based creationism. "In recent weeks some have mischaracterized the new language as an effort to mandate teaching the theory of intelligent design in the classroom, but that is not accurate and is not what we asked for," said Meyer. "The new standard requires students to learn about the evidence for and against Darwin’s theory. It does not mandate that students be tested about the theory of intelligent design, though it does leave teachers free to discuss it."
CANADA MOVES: Canadian officials have finally decided to help the United States in the war on terror. First, they have decided to crack down on asylum seekers already rejected by the United States. Also, after months of pressure, they have finally classified Hezbollah as a terrorist group-something they had previously refused to do-prompting Hezbollah to declare: "Describing Hezbollah as a terrorist organization is a false and void description that is entirely untrue. Canadian authorities have committed a grave mistake that will undoubtedly have a negative effect on [Canada’s] relationship with the peoples and countries of our Arab and Islamic nation and increase enmity and hate toward it." Last week, American and Canadian officials announced that the two countries had agreed to send troops to help each other in the case of an emergency.
NEW SERVICE CHIEFS? Speculation about personnel at the Pentagon these days focuses on the three service secretaries. With Secretary of the Navy Gordon England tapped for the No. 2 spot at the new Department of Homeland Security, there is increased betting that both Secretary of the Army Thomas White and Secretary of the Air Force James Roche are poised for departure. Among names mentioned to replace White are former Rep. and House Armed Services Committee member Tillie Fowler (R.-Fla.), who reportedly pursued the Army portfolio after Bush’s election two years ago. Should Roche leave, one strong possibility to replace him is outgoing Rep. Van Hilleary, the unsuccessful GOP candidate for governor in Tennessee last month. Hilleary is a U.S. Air Force veteran and was a Desert Storm pilot. White, in particular, is said not to get along well with Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and has been tainted by the Enron scandal.
POWELL HELPS: Eleven congressmen signed a December 5 letter to Secretary of State Colin Powell thanking him for opposing abortion "rights" in international documents, and particularly thanked him for the participation of John Klink at a conference in Bangkok. Klink hews to the Bush Administration’s pro-life position. "We are grateful that the Bush Administration has steadfastly refused to accept or reaffirm language in these documents that could be construed to include or promote abortion," they wrote. "You have been successful in modifying or clarifying offensive language related to abortion while continuing to promote women’s human rights, education and health care." Signers included Rep. Chris Smith (R.-N.J.), Rep. Joe Pitts (R.-Pa.), Rep. Jo Ann Davis (R.-Va.), and Rep. Robert Aderholt (R.-Ala.).
ACLU CONSENTS: The ACLU has found a parental consent law it likes. "The ACLU is...supporting its first-ever parental consent law to try to block United States Armed Forces recruiters from receiving contact information on America’s high school students," wrote Michael Paranzino on December 17. "The risk? That students might want to serve their country in the war against terror."
