The whackos are coming out of the woodwork, and once again our friends at the National Center for Science Education (NCSE) have posted the news for us. This one is titled A bill in Minnesota requiring instruction about “the Creator”, and it was written by Glenn Branch, their Deputy Director. Here are some excerpts, with bold font added by us for emphasis, and occasional Curmudgeonly interjections that look [like this]:
Minnesota’s Senate File 517 would, if enacted, require school districts in the state to “provide instruction to students in grades 9 to 12 exploring the contrast between the scientific facts on how sickness, disease, pain, suffering, and death relate to the existence of complex living organisms, and how sickness, disease, pain, suffering, and death are a consequence imposed by the Creator of complex living organisms.”
BWAHAHAHAHAHA! That’s the entire substance of the bill, except for some brief intro language, and then an effective date. How in the flaming [Bleep!!] is anyone going to teach something like that? Ah well, Glenn says:
The purpose of such instruction, according to the bill, is “[t]o advance critical thinking skills in history and science,” but it is not specified in what type of classes — history, science, or health — it would be presented.
A noble purpose indeed! After that, Glenn’s brief post ends with this:
The bill was introduced on January 23, 2023, by Glenn H. Gruenhagen (R-District 17), a new member of the Senate but a veteran of the House of Representatives, and referred to the Senate Education Policy Committee.
Well, dear reader, what do you think? Is Glenn H. Gruenhagen a genius — or an idiot? Here’s his personal website: Glenn Gruenhagen. It’s boring stuff, providing no information about him or his education. Even when you drill down and look around, you don’t learn anything about the guy.
Wikipedia has a slightly outdated article on him: Glenn Gruenhagen. It’s from when he was a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives, before his recent election to the state Senate. Anyway, they say he was raised on a dairy farm, and now he’s an insurance agent. Impressive! He also served on the Glencoe-Silver Lake School Board for 16 years. That’s in Minneapolis.
Our impression of the guy? He’s undoubtedly one of the dumbest creationists we’ve ever encountered. What do you think, dear reader?
Copyright © 2023. The Sensuous Curmudgeon. All rights reserved.
The Sensuous Curmudgeon 
Curmudgeon, it’s hard to tell who the winner is in your dumbest creationist contest (DCC), but this guy is sure in the running. I read a while ago about some politician in a different state (perhaps Montana) who has a bill that says only facts, not theories, should be taught in science classes.
The mention of a Creator makes sure that the bill violates the First Amendment, and colleagues realises that it won’t go anywhere.
Notice how it avoids saying just what all these things are a consequence of, though we all know just what is being referred to.
Btw, it is only in American English that I have heard the word “consequence” used to mean “punishment”. I think its function is to shield the person (or in this case the Person) imposing a penalty from moral responsibility, shifting that responsibility back onto the victim.
Creator: genius — or an idiot? You decide.
@Pau Braterman
There was a long running radio and television program in the USA, “Truth or Consequences”. The contestant had to perform a stunt, the consequence of failing to provide the true answer.
How about “wages” as a punishment. “Wages of sin”. Paul so delighted in blaming the victim that he went full-on “irony alert”. An irony of Shakespearean proportions.
In the halls of Minnesota’s legislature, a bill was proposed, a bill of most arcane and peculiar nature. It sought to delve into the students’ minds, to imbue them with knowledge of the macabre and the supernatural.
This bill, known as Senate File 517, would take the students of grades 9 to 12 on a journey through the veil that separates the living from the dead. They would explore the relationship between sickness, disease, pain, suffering, and death, and the existence of complex living organisms.
And they would learn of a force beyond their understanding, a force that holds the power over life and death, a force that some call the Creator. For it is said that this Creator imposes sickness, disease, pain, suffering, and death upon the living, a consequence for their mere existence.
The students would be forced to confront the unknown, to face the mysteries of the afterlife. And as they delve deeper into the bill’s teachings, they would be consumed by its dark and ominous aura.
Is Senate File 517 a boon or a bane to the students of Minnesota? Only the future can tell. But one thing is certain, its presence will leave a lasting impression upon their minds, an impression of fear and terror that will never fade.
Gruenhagen is a full-on MAGA-soaked ignoramus, from his Facebook page and other web pages. Anti everything: Total insurrectionist, anti-abortion, anti-LGBTQ, anti-education, anti-vax, climate denialist, anti-solar and wind power (go figure).
High school education at best, liar for Jeebus, incurious anti-intellectual. Conspiracy riddled gun nut, too.
No, he definitely does not know that his “bill” is unconstitutional; he is that ignorant. Guaranteed.
@docbill1351, It says “Creator” in the Declaration of Independence, so how can his bill be unconstitutional? (I have seen this argument used)
This will not be a problem as most teachers are religious and can easily state this is all from a creator. The smarter ones will be smart enough to know about being fired to will fake it.
@Paul B
The answer to your question, Paul, and it’s a good question, nifty question, no such thing as a bad question, eh?
Well, the answer is … please be sitting down …
BECAUSE THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE ISN’T THE CONSTITUTION! THAT’S HOW!!
p.s. Happy Birthday, Darwin! (and Abraham Lincoln)
@Paul Braterman
That’s up to the Supreme Court, which totally would never be persuaded that argument. (Sarcasm alert.)
@docbill1351, I’m not sure he knows it, even though you know that and I know that, and both of us know that Sally Hemmings knows that they never really meant what that clause says anyway
I doubt the Moron from Minnesota knows much of anything. Given that starting point, he’s been amplified by MAGA into believing he can dictate his personal notions to everybody else.
@docbil1351
And a belated Happy Birthday for Jan Swammerdam