Kansas rejects anti-evolution school board

[NVMojo]

surprise!!! there is a glimmer of hope in this neck of the dark spaces of America ...

August 2, 2006

TOPEKA, Kan. — Conservative Republicans who brought international attention to Kansas by approving academic standards calling evolution into question lost control of the state school board in primaries.

As a result of the vote, board members and candidates who believe evolution is well-supported by evidence will have a 6-4 majority. Evolution skeptics had entered the election with a 6-4 majority.

Five seats were on the ballot this year. Three incumbent conservatives faced primary foes, and there was a contested GOP race for the seat held by a retiring conservative. A pro-evolution Democratic incumbent also had a challenger.

With almost all the votes counted early Wednesday, pro-evolution Republican Jana Shaver picked off a conservative incumbent and won the primary for the open seat.

more...

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20060802.wevol0802/BNStory/International/home

[MissB]

1. Great job!

[xxqqqzme]

2. this is a topic for discussion 100 years

ago - That it merits a headline & coverage in the TWENTY FIRST CENTURY is nearly beyond my comprehension.

[NVMojo]

4. It's Kansas ...

[Mabus]

5. That's rude and demeaning

We are working our asses off in this state to make a difference. And the snarky little "It's Kansas" is just uncalled for and it demeans all the work we are doing to build the party here. Thanks, that's just a fucking kick in the teeth to all of us who are spending every free minute we have working for candidates and for the Democratic party. It is also demeaning to all the work that our Democratic governor, Kathleen Sebelius has done.

If you knew the history of the Board you'd realize that the majority has been see-sawing back and forth for the last few cycles. In 98 the wingnuts changed the standards. In 2000, we changed them back. In 2004, the wingnuts changed the standards, this year we will change them back. The difference that should be highlighted is that there are a large number of defections of moderate GOP'ers to the Democratic party. And thanks to Dean's 50 state strategy the GOP'ers can't take over the Democratic Party, they are registering as Dems and having to accept the Dem party line. They have to join us or they have no party, we are not ceding control.

Also, more than one of the moderate pukes who tried to oust the nutwings has vowed to work for the Democratic nominee.

[FooFootheSnoo]

6. I'm a former Kansan

thanks for saving my homestate from the fundies!!

[Mabus]

7. Thank you

that makes the last time I dragged my arthritic self (my cane helped) all over a precinct canvassing worth it. It makes giving up several nights of hanging out with the Drinking Liberally crowd to deliver campaign signs worth it. It makes spending a good part of this past weekend on the phone doing GOTV worth it.

Your appreciation of the work we have been doing means a lot. We get kicked in the teeth so often on DU and elsewhere that I've thought about just giving up. But, I'm a Kansan born and I don't give up.

[fudge stripe cookays]

20. You go, Mabus!

As another liberal in a much maligned state (Texas), I know a tough skin and a set of brass ones when I see em.

Thanks for all your hard work! Don't let the uber cool kids from the blue states disparage the hard work you're doing!

:thumbsup:

[OKNancy]

9. Go Kansas

A wonderful state with very nice people living there.....no matter the politics.

[Mabus]

11. My mom was from Oklahoma

Born out near Eagle City, south of Canton. She was FBI (Full Blood Indian) and was our tribal chairman several times. I was born in Kansas and raised mostly in NW OKC. In high school I attended Northwest Classen (which sychronistically is the same high school that my current neighbor's mom went to). Most of my immediate family live in and around OKC. My mom's extended family are in western Oklahoma on C&A lands.

I know there are a lot of great people in Oklahoma too. :hi:

[maseman]

12. I agree

I don't live in Kansas (OHIO) but I understand your point. It really surprises me that so often on this site people generalize an entire state. Our true liberal beliefs should shine through which means we DON'T generalize. I find Kansas City to be one of the best towns I visit as I trvale for business all over the country.

Every state has its fair share of asshats, true believers, wing-nuts, freaks, Bush-lickers, fart-knockers, whatever.

Folks let's try to focus on removing the assholes from office and exposing the real slime then ripping needlessly on the places where our fellow DUers live.

[Mabus]

13. That's what we've been concentrating on

We've been looking to the individual and ignoring stereotypes. There's a bigger difference in local political issues (green space vs. developers) than there are in national politics. What the canvassing (and showing up at every event possible with our county Democratic Party t-shirts) is doing is letting people know that it is okay to talk about politics. We show pride in our party and a willingness to talk about politics then we change the conversation to issues. Once we start talking issues, we get converts.

To change things around here, we've had to fight back at every opportunity. It takes a lot of time and energy that I'd rather be spending goofing off but I'm not alone. Most of the time, all it takes is being there and being willing to listen.

[NVMojo]

17. don't be so touchy, my comment wasn't about you. jeezus.

at least you don't come from the red whore state, Nevada. Conservatives in bed with every vice known to man.

[Mabus]

18. Your comment was a rude and demeaning stereotype

and as I said, it was a kick in the teeth that totally ignores all the work we've been doing to change the political landscape here. Whenever I go out and talk to people I invariably run into someone who says "oh, we're a lost cause so I don't vote anymore." Why do they think we're a lost cause? Because of rude stereotypical remarks that paint my state with a broad brush. They hear on the news, they read it in the papers and that type of apathy is hard to combat.

It also demeans all the work that we've done here in my state. Small battles are fought before big wars can be won. One of the wars we have to win here is that Kansas is full of religious fundamentalist assholes that win at every turn. That meme causes people to not even want to try, why should they, the war is already lost.

Sorry you think your state sucks and won't change but don't imply that about mine. At least I'm willing to stand up and fight for it.

[NEDem]

21. You can be offened all you want, but

it doesn't change the fact that it's still Kansas.

I'm in Nebraska and I'm more than willing to admit we're full of wacko fundie nutjobs. We are fully deserving of our redneck red state reputation. I'm not that far from your border, and I know that Kansas isn't much different than Nebraska.

Learn to laugh at yourself, I find that it makes life a little more bearable in fundie-land.

[Mabus]

22. Now that's funny

Kansas and Nebraska not the same. :rofl:

We don't deserve the backward stereotype that is often applied to us. Our states were settled at different times and for different reasons. There's no comparision of our histories and the people who reside in each today.

[Critters2]

19. We Iowans get this all the time, too

If I had a dime for everytime an Illinoisan assumed I was glad to be out of my "hick" home state, I'd qualify for a really nice tax break.

Give me open space, friendly people, and peace and quiet any day. If I have to take a few wingnuts in the bargain, I'll survive.

You go, Kansas!

[Vidar]

3. Thanks for that small bright spot.

[Gully Foyle]

8. Duh

Creationist school board, Creationist.

[onenote]

10. I'm a bit disappointed that more of the fundies weren't defeated

[Mabus]

15. I'm not

Because I think it helps the overall ticket. How? The moderates in the GOP are fed up with their own party. We've had a number of high profile crossovers. The ex-head of the Kansas GOP was asked by the current head of the Kansas GOP to resign earlier this year. His crime? He endorsed the Democratic candidate for Kansas Attorney General. The Dem AG candidate is himself a former puke who had already defected. Now, the ex-GOP head is on the ticket with our incumbent Democratic governor.

Here's the good part. Dean kicked off his 50 state strategy in Kansas. We've got a firm grip on our party. If the pukes want to become Democrats they have to accept the Democratic party line. Dean helped solidify our party. We've got wonderful and active regional coordinators. The party sought out and appointed activists to fill precinct committee people positions. The state party also signed up precinct captains to help or back-up the precinct committee people. We were able to build the party from the bottom up before the GOP started defecting. It's our party, they can join if they want but they play by our rules.

This will help the overall ticket this fall because the moderates are tired enough of this shit that they will come out. Hell, McDonald a moderate who lost to Willard (one of the school board's wingnuts) is going to work for the Democratic nominee. So are several other of the GOP moderates. They are finally starting to do right by Kansas rather than sticking to their party. And I think that helps us in the long run because we're focusing on issues not parties.

[onenote]

16. okay, thanks for the explanation

[Acadia Blue]

14. Most people who are fundies are totally crazy.

[Ka hrnt]

23. Definitely a step in the right direction...

I read elsewhere (didn't read the link provided here; too lazy ;) ) that it's now 5-5, so at least they should be able to prevent any serious damage. I hate people who pass laws about science when they don't understand the science they're legislating over. Actually, I guess that applies to all fields/subjects, it's just that science is more personal for me.