Wouldn't you know it? My first post of 2007 is a rant. So here goes...

According to a recent press release
from PEER (Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility), “Grand Canyon National Park is not permitted to give an official estimate of the geologic age of its principal feature, due to pressure from Bush administration appointees…."

The Executive Director of PEER explained, "In order to avoid offending religious fundamentalists, our National Park Service is under orders to suspend its belief in geology...It is disconcerting that the official position of a national park as to the geologic age of the Grand Canyon is ‘no comment.’”

Let me get this straight (assuming that's possible for me).

Because some insanely misguided and, dare I say it, ignorant people insist that the Earth is only approximately 6,000 years old--a truly absurd interpretation of both science and scripture--we are preventing our National Parks from actually telling people how old geologic formations are--based on scientific evidence?

And we sell a book in government bookstores that alleges the Grand Canyon was created by Noah's Flood?

This is beyond a First Amendment violation....it is beyond fundmentalist hegemony...IT IS STUPID.

Call your Congressperson, write your Senator...clearly communicating with the White House will accomplish nothing.

"God save us from your followers" makes more sense every day.