Silly Little Country

Shame?

I guess i compartmentalize more than Larry Moran.
Though I will say that I find Ben Stein's clear commitment to creationism a sign that his brain could work a lot better, it seems to me that the University of Vermont can simply give him some exposure, using the press release Moran cites, and this need hardly expose that University as having endorsed Ben Stein's creationism.
In fact, from other experience in other areas, I think in a way it is good to drag such people into the public eye in new ways; I suspect Larry could help get a demonstration in place for the event that could distribute flyers informing attendees about the 'other' bits of Ben Stein. Maybe that is the agenda of his post.
If the University of Vermont chose to suppress that I might feel differently. (And I do despair from reports I read of free speech and fuller disclosure at Universities.)
I would also try to stack the audience with people who would hiss or boo gently whenever one of his idiotic ideas (and they do not just come from biology) might be expressed from his podium. Don't shout him down - just get a significant body into the audience who know about him.
And, maybe Larry is right here:

The University of Vermont has every right to award honorary degrees to anyone they want. That's what academic freedom is all about. The downside is that the University of Vermont will be judged by who they choose to get an honorary degree. That judgment is not going to be favorable.

posted by Alan Adamson @ 11:10 AM