The Coppedge affair is rapidly approaching a climax. The pre-trial conference that was set for 24 February has been completed and trial is scheduled to start on 07 March. As you know, David Coppedge is the creationist who claims he was wrongfully demoted (and later fired) by his employer because he was promoting Intelligent Design (ID) on the job. He used to work as a computer technician for Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), which is part of Caltech. He also maintains a creationist website: Creation-Evolution Headlines — which was recently moved here.
We recently posted our Pre-Trial Perspective, with background information and a list of all the unresolved motions that we had expected to be cleared up by now. Maybe they have been cleared up, but there’s no indication of that. As far as we can tell, the lawyers are going into their last weekend before trial without knowing what kind of trial they’re getting into. Will this be just another employment dispute, or a grandiose drama about creationism?
Although we regard Coppedge as a singularly unimportant person, he is for the moment a highly visible pawn in the game of theocracy. We know this because one of the few interesting things about this litigation has been the role of the neo-theocrats at the Discovery Institute‘s creationist public relations and lobbying operation, the Center for Science and Culture (a/k/a the Discoveroids, a/k/a the cdesign proponentsists).
The Discoveroids were originally gushing with enthusiasm about this case, hoping it would be the public relations vehicle that would … well, would do something. We wrote about it here: The Coppedge Case: A Study in Tactics and Strategy. They kept putting out press releases that were being picked up and reprinted by the usual media outlets.
JPL and Caltech remained discretely silent while the Discoveroids were — shall we say — going ape. Their champion (Coppedge) was noble. Their cause was just, and their adversaries were big and bad. They were suing JPL — which was largely funded by NASA — “Big Science” doesn’t get any bigger than that. This Coppedge thing was going to be as important as the trials of Socrates, Jesus, and Galileo combined.
Then something happened. The publicity stopped. There were no more press releases, and virtually no blog articles about the case at the Discoveroids’ website. Well, there were one or two hilarious posts that we had to write about — like Discoveroids: Coppedge is a Modern Galileo, followed by a silly attempt to generate a letter-writing campaign to NASA (Coppedge Seems Desperate to Settle). But compared to their early publicity efforts, it looked to us as if the Discoveroids were sorry they had ever heard of David Coppedge.
That is becoming more apparent as the trial date approaches. Public relations is, after all, the Discoveroids’ only talent, and if the Coppedge case has been so important to them, then why are they leaving it in obscurity? Something happened, and we’ll probably never know what it was.
But maybe they’re cranking up the rusty machinery one more time, just for appearances sake. At the website of the Catholic News Agency we read NASA worker’s lawsuit charges discrimination over intelligent design. Here are some excerpts, with bold font added by us:
A NASA mission specialist allegedly demoted for his beliefs about intelligent design is suing Jet Propulsion Laboratories in a civil trial to begin in Los Angeles March 7. David Coppedge was a lead information technology specialist on the laboratories’ Cassini mission to Saturn before his demotion and it [sic] suing his employer on the grounds of religious discrimination.
The way the pro-Coppedge stories describe the guy, he was practically the brains behind the whole operation — instead of a computer technician. And here we can see the source of this story:
“Employees shouldn’t be threatened with termination and punished for sharing their opinion with willing co-workers just because the view being shared doesn’t fit the prevailing view in the workplace,” said Coppedge’s attorney William Becker, who is allied with the Alliance Defense Fund.
Yes, it’s all about viewpoint discrimination — “VD.” JPL was infected with it. Let’s read on:
The Alliance Defense Fund characterized the theory of intelligent design as a scientific theory that makes no reference to religion and that has many non-religious adherents. “Mr. Coppedge has always maintained that intelligent design is a scientific theory, but JPL has illegally discriminated against him on the basis of what they deem is ‘religion.’”
There’s nothing new here, so we won’t give you any more excerpts. The real news is that the Coppedge team is still trying to get publicity this late in the game — but we don’t see anything from the Discoveroids. That almost certainly means something, but we can’t figure it out.
Copyright © 2012. The Sensuous Curmudgeon. All rights reserved.
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The Sensuous Curmudgeon 
“Mr. Coppedge has always maintained that intelligent design is a scientific theory, but JPL has illegally discriminated against him on the basis of what they deem is ‘religion.’”
I think I mentioned this is an earlier post, but constant badgering can be harassing and termination-worthy behavior whether your badgering is scientific or not. Any PI who has dealt with a somewhat cranky contributor knows that.
If we granted Coppedge the “its science” defense, that would still only excuse him bringing up ID once or twice, in a program context where it is relevant. It wouldn’t give him the right to bring it up to every co-worker, every-day, and to keep bringing it up when folks have told him to stop.
eric says:
None of us witnessed his behavior, but there are transcripts from co-workers who will testify at the trial. You’re quite right — even if he were bringing up accepted science like relativity and evolution, he has no license to badger everyone about it all the time when they’re not in the mood to listen to him. Especially as he’s just a computer technician and no one at JPL really cares what his scientific opinions may be.
“Tell, don’t sell.”
Don’t sell us on “intelligent design is a scientific theory.”
Tell us the theory of intelligent design.
Name one, non-religious, “adherent” of ID. It’s an oxymoron.
What sort of person would conclude that life was created by a supernatural being, and not believe in the supernatural being?
Conversely, what sort of person who doesn’t believe in supernatural beings would ever consider an ID argument as anything other than wishful thinking by religious apologists?
Having worked as a manager in a large office, if things have gotten to the stage were fellow works, his immediate supervisor, and his nearest management, can not control him in these issues, and they have to bring in HR. Which in a way is an admission of defeat on being able to handle the matter yourself, I hardly describe the people he talked to as willing.
Almost the same thing happened in Dover once they realized — too late — that Bonsell and Buckingham were clowns.
My conspiracy theory is that the DI set up Coppedge in the first place. Coppers is on the board of Illustra Media, makers of the Privileged Planet. Remember, Coppers didn’t file his original suit until over a year after he lost the “team leader” position (no loss in salary, no loss in grade). I think he moaned and groaned to his fellow board members and DI staff, thus the plan was hatched. I don’t think Coppedge is smart enough, nor vindictive enough to do this on his own. I think he was goaded into this mess.
“Hey, Coppy, old bean, we gots a lawyer and we gots monies and you can haz be famous Expelled!” Now, think, think, think, how can we makes this about Intelligent Design ™?
The DI, though, really lead sheltered lives. In the bunker one might say. Echo chamber. Alternate universe. Divorced from reality. OK, just Loony Toons. So, they don’t know about corporate procedures and HR and the lengths companies go to retain employees, even those who are Coppedgesque. AND, how much documentation goes on behind the scenes when employee discipline becomes an issue.
I never thought for a second that an outfit as conservative and scrutinized as JPL would be so cavalier as to lay off an employee who had filed a workplace grievance suit against them. Au contraire, JPL had to make sure all the traps were run, the ducks were in a row and all the i’s crossed and t’s dotted before they flushed Coppedge.
I think the DI now sees that their attempt to make a fictional case about ID(tm) persecution has failed and the case is really about the true story of Coppedge the Gadfly. But, never say never! Pass the popcorn, this is going to be quite a show!
Doc Bill says: “the lengths companies go to retain employees, even those who are Coppedgesque.”
Coppedgesque. Excellent!
Is “Coppedgesque” a synonym for “useful IDiot”?
Doc Bill, the “delay” in filing the suit was time spent working through the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing. Also, according to the first amended complaint, Coppedge spent several trying to ascertain if JPL had some sort of internal review process for dealing with his problems.
Now, quite possibly the DI set up Coppedge somewhere along the line. It’s likely that Coppedge, as a representative of Illustra Media, would have other contact with the DI, as the DI promotes some of Illustra’s products. Quite possibly there was some casual conversation, and we have the DI offering legal assistance to Coppedge.
Hey, rubble, you’re spoiling my fantasy conspiracy theory! Rats, just when I had Ann Coulter worked in to the story. Oh, wait a sec, that’s another fantasy. Sorry.
DB, LOL!!
Mental note: Don’t drink when reading anything Doc Bill writes. Too much mess, and soda in the nose just hurts!
The Curmudgeon said:
“Especially as he’s just a computer technician and no one at JPL really cares what his scientific opinions may be”
Wow!
I suppose by your argument, we should discount everything ever written by Einstein, as he was just a patent clerk with a teaching diploma when he wrote the majority of his works. Maybe you would like to discount the work of Tesla too (dropped out of university)? Many useful contributions to the field of science have been made by people neither employed nor formally qualified in their field of endeavour.
I think you do the cause a massive disfavour by resorting to such a pointless personal attack, leaving me with the opinion that your viewpoints likely stem more from of academic elitism than from any noble desire to promote reason and search for the truth – and I’m pretty sure I won’t be the only one who is left feeling this way.
Do we know what qualifications this guy (Copperidge) has? Or for that matter what qualifications and job title you (the Curmudgeon) possess? Only I notice this site is completely lacking a Bio/CV for the author. I understand (but do not agree with) the reasoning given for not revealing your name, but I challenge you to explain why I should give your views any credence at all if you are prepared to dismiss other’s viewpoints solely on the basis of their vocation without revealing yours.
So I lay down to you a challenge: Are you at least prepared to reveal your level of education and/or job title? Or shall I just dismiss you as just another opinionated blogger with nothing useful to add?
NB Do not take this as a comment on the merits of Copperidge’s case or arguments (I think ID is a steaming pile of manure, but i’ll leave the opinion on the merits of this case to the courts).
Also, although my job title does contain the word ‘technician’, Copperidge’s does not (‘administrator’), and I hope you have the good grace to let this comment through anonymously as you yourself have decided to hide behind a veil of anonymity.
Ordinarily I ignore such bait, but comparing Coppedge to Einstein and Tesla is hilariously over the top. LOL.
I’ve seen this line of argument before. Every pseudo-science promoting crackpot and crank uses it. Most frequently they compare themselves to Galileo. It is a standard creationist argument, of both the ID and the “creation science” persuasion. IIRC, Behe has even compared himself and his “discovery of IC” to Newton.
Coppedge was an IT sys admin. I’ve worked with many of them. I know what the job involves. I’ve done some of that work myself. It has nothing to do with science.
As to Coppedge’s “science” credentials. He’s a YEC who runs a fairly well known anti-science, anti-evolution, 6000 year old earth “creation science” website. When the creationists tried to get “creation science” into HS science classes the courts, long ago, ruled that “creation science” is not science, it’s religion.
Coppedge’s job as JPL was not to do scientific research. He was not hired to provide his opinions on science. AFAIK scientists there did not ask him for his opinions on their project or their work. Coppedge was a technician whose job was to maintain the computer systems, one of the tools, the scientists used.
I bet the judge in this trial is completely uninterested in Coppedge’s scientific credentials, and would be uninterested even if he had any. That’s because doing science was not Coppedge’s job at JPL.
Just to make it clear, I am not comparing Coppedge to Tesla or Einstein, a quick look at Coppedge’s website has left me pretty sure he doesn’t even have half a clue about _any_ science.
The point of my post was that the comment smacks of intellectual snobbery – dismissing someone as unqualified to hold an opinion on the basis of his/her occupation/position within the orgainisation, rather than examining the opinion on it’s own merits (or lack thereof). The Tesla/Einstein references were just some obvious examples to show that this kind of elitism is not a good idea. I find this all the more amusing because the author states in his ‘Info’ page:
“If you’re a scientist or a science-literate person, you can judge the merits of what I’ve written without knowing my identity.”
Translation:
“I refuse to provide my credentials but will openly mock anyone else’s lack of them…”
The Job Title Discriminator says: “Just to make it clear”
Your point has been made. That seems to be all you have to say, so it appears that your work here is done.
@The JTD: I work with a number of people who makes great contributions to research in a supporting role. The hard work these fine folks put in makes science happen. However, few of these people are qualified to criticize the underlying science or methodology as Coppedge has done, nor does their role get puffed-up with the accolades in the way that the Discovery Institute has heaped upon Coppedge. We are not picking on Coppedge because of his job title, and we are not saying he never made an honest contribution at JPL. We are criticizing that his role is being presented as something it is not.