PZ Myers worries about the potential of the creationist movement voting praying Sarah Palin back into high office in spite of because of her disdain for evolution.
Unfortunately, about half the American electorate will think what she wrote is just ducky. Those words won’t dissuade very many voters at all, so don’t make the mistake of thinking this revelation will somehow cripple her campaign to become president of the US.
The statistics relating to American belief in creationism are total crap. Nowhere close to ‘about half’. PZ, please don’t continue to spread this malignant creationist meme. The actual population of true flat earthers is ten percent….tops. Much more numerous than WMD’s in Iraq, but not so far from zero as to pose a serious threat.
I understand how one might be tempted to believe that half the US population rejects Darwinism. Religious nutjobs infest much of our government (Godless PTSD victims e.g.) and control big swaths of our media. The only political fear of religious radicalism on the wane is their possible manipulation of the vote, not the voters.
If manipulation of the voters really worked, we’d already see rioting in the streets over the various other delusional fantasies spit out daily by Fox News et.al. etc. Don’t get your Obama birther rally attendance figures from Fox News, and don’t get your statistics on evolution denial from Answers in Genesis.
When I look around, I see a whole lot more gay people than religious freaks, and I surmise that the population of gays is bigger than the population of actual evolution deniers. I fear neither though I do loathe the latter.
Enjoy.
Here is the Gallup Poll data, which is what I think PZ is referring to (I would agree with him that 44%-47% is “about half”. How else does one interpret response (3), below, other than, “creationist”?):
http://www.gallup.com/poll/14107/third-americans-say-evidence-has-supported-darwins-evolution-theory.aspx
The poll question was: “Which of the following statements comes closest to your views on the origin and development of human beings?”
The available responses were:
(1) Human beings have developed over millions of years from less advanced forms of life, but God guided this process
(2) Human beings have developed over millions of years from less advanced forms of life, but God had no part in this process
(3) God created human beings pretty much in their present form at one time within the last 10,000 years or so [YEC]
Over 40% of Americans polled reponded with the third (YEC) response. These are simply the data.
Responses as follows, through time:
Nov 2004: Resp (1) 38%, Resp (2) 13%, Resp(3) 45%
Feb 2001: Resp (1) 37%, Resp (2) 12%, Resp(3) 45%
Aug 1999: Resp (1) 40%, Resp (2) 9%, Resp(3) 47%
Nov 1997: Resp (1) 39%, Resp (2) 10%, Resp(3) 44%
Jun 1993: Resp (1) 35%, Resp (2) 11%, Resp(3) 47%
1982: Resp (1) 38%, Resp (2) 9%, Resp(3) 44%
“Survey Methods: These results are based on telephone interviews with a randomly selected national sample of 1,016 adults, aged 18 and older, conducted Nov. 7-10, 2004. For results based on this sample, one can say with 95% confidence that the maximum error attributable to sampling and other random effects is ±3 percentage points. In addition to sampling error, question wording and practical difficulties in conducting surveys can introduce error or bias into the findings of public opinion polls.”
This large portion of Americans explains the continual push to introduce religion (ID, “creation science”) into our public school classrooms:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edwards_v._Aguillard
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kitzmiller_v._Dover_Area_School_District
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Academic_Freedom_bills
Poll results noted, but I still can’t shake the feeling that they are somehow tainted. Why haven’t I caught on to this alternative universe, the one with half of America walking around like adolescent zombies?
I’m sticking by my gut instinct that says these idiots are few and fewer but loud and louder. They’ve taken astroturf to a whole new level and been given prominence beyond their actual relevance.
Poll this question: Do you favor the takeover of the US government by fundamentalist Christians?
Sleep well.
Enjoy.