A more “intelligent design” for our coast?

in Technical Issues by Admin — February 17, 2009 at 10:30 am | 3 comments

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As a huge proponent of the use of modern science to inform our coastal protection and restoration program I have already expressed strong concern that in 2008 our legislature and governor passed and signed, respectively, a bill that actively disparages science (SB 733, the Louisiana Science Education Act). 

News of this diluvian bill has predictably been picked up by the national press.  Today’s NY Times carries a story (first published in this blog and then the Times-Picayune) about a national science group boycotting New Orleans as a convention site because of the anti-science implications of the blll. 

In a rational (dream) world this act would be overturned during the upcoming legislative session, despite the vehement resistance of the Louisiana Family Forum. In reality our state will likely squander money and time defending this unconstitutional bill, which will ultimately be thrown out by the federal courts under the (explicitly pro-science) Obama administration.  

In the meantime not only will we lose much needed tourist revenues but we will jeopardize vital federal funding for saving coastal resources.  Too bad that south Louisiana wasn’t designed intelligently enough so that even the best efforts of the Corps of Engineers and the “drill here drill now” mentality of the state re 1970′s oil and gas production couldn’t have screwed it up.

Len Bahr

Addendum: Read James Gill’s editorial on the New Orleans boycott by “Mad” scientist conventions. He sees no chance for a reversal of this embarassing “creationist” law during the upcoming legislative session, thanks to the enormous political power of the Louisiana Family Forum.  Most striking to me is Gill’s conclusion that Gov. Jindal (who majored in biology at Brown University) really believes in creationism!