So, I'm in Yosemite this week, talking to a Dutch Woman there with her family

[jtuck004]

120. You should get out more. <G> Let me introduce you to

Wiki:

John Donald "Don" McLeroy (born June 3, 1946) is a dentist in Bryan, Texas and a Republican former member of the Texas State Board of Education...McLeroy received a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from Texas A&M University in College Station and his D.D.S. from the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. McLeroy formerly served as a first lieutenant in the United States Army.

Not an intellectual lightweight.

"When asked if human beings lived at the same time as dinosaurs, he said, “That is my personal belief.” Here. Sorry to direct you to a comedy site for the quote, but it seems appropriate. And you can listen to him.

Perry appointed him as Chair of the TEXAS STATE SCHOOL BOARD, and some others who believe this serve with him. They tried to force through a curriculum change to base science on "creationism", whatever that is, which would have impacted textbooks across the entire nation.

He was not re-confirmed the next time he came up for consideration as a member, He filed a lawsuit. He lost. His associates are still there.

There are at least tens of thousands of people who think just like he does. It is a part of a willful belief on their part (curious, since they insist on Doctors who study real science to treat their medical needs, for the most part). The important fact is that THEY ARE ORGANIZED, HAVE A PLAN, and PERSIST, often turning failure into success. Many, and you can hear them every day on the radio, say they would rather see the country in ruins if they can't get their way. (See: Congress). Many deliberately sought and sit in very important positions where they can use their wealth, or influence, or just the drive that being a True Believer can provide to capture your tax money and refocus it to their ends. A moral imperative, in their eyes. (I wonder if Democrats will ever get this dedicated to working people and the vulnerable again? And no, I don't consider paying 70 billion in subsidies to keep criminals in their seats at investment banks to be a Democratic principle. But I'm old enough to remember when being a Democrat meant the party was proud to insist that people have the opportunity to work, for a pony if they wished. Perhaps that affects my view of today. But I digress).

In his short sleeves, and collectively with others, they can potentially do more harm to this country than any 50 terrorists have ever thought of. So it might behoove people to check out their local school board. Maybe even run, whether you have kids or not. 'Cause those are the ones that are gonna be graduating from college and giving you change at Burger King. You want them to be good at what they do.

(As an aside - These same folks would like to eliminate discussions of racism, since that didn't exist with the dinosaurs. To accomplish that they want to erase the word, the memory, of "slavery", treat it as if it never existed, replace it with the words "“Atlantic triangular trade,”, whitewash it, as it were. Profiteers like Rmoney investing for the profits from jails full of black men, easier to ignore if one can re-write history, eh? But I digress. Again. Sorry, but these are SUCH interesting people).

There are more, and there are people who choose to believe this in positions that affect various aspects of our lives all over the place - remember, it's a moral imperative for them to attain those positions, so look around - google textbooks (hint: Virginia) and see what else you come across. Scary stuff.

Be careful, it might set your hair on fire.