This is about John West. He’s a Discovery Institute Senior Fellow and Associate Director of their creationism think tank, the Center for Science & Culture, which makes him one of the chief Keepers of their wedge strategy. Around here we affectionately call him “Westie,” and we always look forward to his output. Westie was an early winner of the Curmudgeon’s Buffoon Award, thus the jolly logo above this post.
We call your attention to this new post at the Discoveroids’ creationist blog: It’s Coming: Darwin Day in America. Actually, Westie didn’t write it — the thing has no byline — but it’s about Westie, so we’re using Buffoon logo.
From the title, you might expect that the Discoveroids have written a tirade against a few proposed proclamations to recognize Darwin’s birthday on 12 February. For example, our friends at the National Center for Science Education (NCSE) just posted this: Darwin Day resolution in Congress. But no, the Discoveroids don’t seem to be worried about possible state or Congressional resolutions. Those things come up every year. Maybe, here and there, one might pass in a state, but the Congressional resolution never passes.
The Discoveroids have much bigger thoughts in mind. Here are some excerpts from what they have to say, with bold font added by us:
It’s coming on February 9, just in time for Darwin Day on February 12.
What’s coming? Don’t keep us in suspense, Discoveroids — tell us! They do:
Documenting the rise of totalitarian science, it’s the expanded paperback edition of Darwin Day In America: How Our Politics and Culture Have Been Dehumanized in the Name of Science, by Center for Science & Culture associate director Dr. John G. West, now with a hard-hitting all new chapter, “Scientism in the Age of Obama — and Beyond.”
“Totalitarian science” — BWAHAHAHAHAHA! That’s really all we wanted to show you. The rest of the Discoveroid post is a big excerpt from Westie’s “hard-hitting all new chapter,” followed by links to a trailer, a sample chapter, and a place where you can pre-order the book.
Well, okay, here’s one brief excerpt from their much larger excerpt:
This book explores the far-reaching consequences for society when scientists and politicians deny the fundamental differences between human beings and the rest of the natural world. It also exposes the disastrous results that ensue when experts claiming to speak for science turn out to be wrong. Finally, the book presents a plea for democratic accountability in an age of experts.
That’s it, dear reader. You’re on your own now. If you like, you can click over there and enjoy what the Discoveroids offer. See the trailer, read the sample chapter. Let us know what you find. But you’ve been warned — this is an age of “totalitarian science,” so please be aware of the risks you’re taking if you read Westie’s words. The Darwinists are gonna get you!
Copyright © 2015. The Sensuous Curmudgeon. All rights reserved.
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The Sensuous Curmudgeon 
Wile E. Coyote runs out over the edge of the 50,000 foot cliff, pokes around at the air with his feet, then totalitarian science takes him down to the bottom. Much better he never looked into his situation, because totalitarian science couldn’t hurt him as long as he was blissfully unaware.
Looks like Westie, eminent Keeper of the Wedgie, has converted to Freedom Guard. 😛
Is the DI going to take responsibility for their irresponsible advice to school boards after Dover? I thought not.
I would like to hear from several of the supporters of the Intelligent Design movement, what they think of this.
Yeah, the Discovery Institute’s against totalitarian science. They demand totalitarian antiscience.
They demand “democratic accountability” for science (which we know means they want scientists put in prison– ENV in the past has called for mass legal prosecutions of scientists, and cutting research funding “to the bone.”) How about some accountability for the experts at antiscience?
Maybe science is run worldwide in a totalitarian mode. It has no leader, no gestapo, no rulebook, but it is very strict and controlled. I’d say that is a benevolent system, even if it is totalitarian. So what, then? It has evolved to keep out cranks and half-brained hypothesis out. Sorry DI, you are cranks.
Surely posts like this are a good thing. The more the Discotute proclaims to be anti-science, the less the chance of ever having any credibility in a court of law or a school classroom.
I think it funny how a group of dimwits who insist that you obey their rules because they are totalitarian commands issued to them by an invisible-unknowable-imaginary tyrant, and then they call us totalitarians when we don’t even insist that they believe anything we say.
@Jason
I look at this as cry of despair. It is becoming clear to the those in the ID Party that they don’t have a chance. Why is that becoming clear after all those years? Is it possible that the lack of an alternative is beginning to take its toll? What kind of embarrassing questions do they face from the bright young prospects that lead them to intemperate outbursts? Is the Nazi campaign not getting favorable reaction? Maybe the flock is beginning to hear from voices of faith?
One thing that ID advocates and their opponents have in common: when people watch the trailer to a film churned out by the Discovery Institute, everybody shouts “Jesus Christ!”
The DI more and more openly claims that the Bible is more reliable than science. I am wondering since they recently added their human exceptionalism center will they be adding one on demonology and exorcism next? Herds of pigs beware!
In the list of examples quoted in the excerpt from West’s fantasy, I cannot find one that I would consider common – or even present – in modern America. Most have not existed for 50 to 100 years. Sex Ed is the only modern practice, and it has no relevance to West’s argument that science is totalitarian.
West is writing about a fictional world that no longer exists, if it ever did. It’s cr*p like this that really exposes what the DI is all about.
Wait a minute. All along, the Discovery Institute has been claiming that Intelligent Design “is really science! It weally, weally is!”
But now they rail against science because they claim “it’s totalitarian”?? Sooo, are they finally admitting that Intelligent Design really isn’t science, after all?
And they keep telling us the past was better – are their rose-colored glasses malfunctioning?
Finally, the book presents a plea for democratic accountability in an age of experts.
Somebody has to stand up to these experts!
Heaven forbid that some expert would recommend teaching kids about evolution….
The last paragraph of the book blurb on the evolutionnews.org page says:
“This book … exposes the disastrous results that ensue when experts claiming to speak for science turn out to be wrong. Finally, the book presents a plea for democratic accountability in an age of experts.”
Democratic accountability? Is the argument here to cease relying on ‘experts’ conducting experiments in order to support or refute theories? Instead, are we to have all citizens vote to accept or reject theories? (With the vote by a guy with a B.A. degree from a bible college counting the same as a woman with a physics PhD from Cal Tech?)
We’re already seeing some of the consequences to this approach to science: some parents have ‘voted’ against vaccinating their kids against measles. Now we have a budding epidemic born of ignorance.
Charles D proclaims: “Maybe science is run worldwide in a totalitarian mode. It has no leader, no gestapo, no rulebook,”
Really? The proof is here, on this very blog. Leader: our dear Curmudgeon. Gestapo: his dogs. Rulebook: “all creationism should be mocked mercilessly”.
There you are.
That hurts, mnb0. I try so hard to be a benevolent tyrant.