Discovery Institute
Research Coordinator at the Discovery Institute, a nonprofit think-tank based in Seattle, Washington, which deals with public policy and technology issues
PROFILE
Casey Luskin
Guest
FROM Casey Luskin
Which Way, L.A.?
Academic Freedom versus Science Tennessee's Republican legislature has enacted a new law allowing teachers to question the science of Evolution. The legislation protects teachers from helping students "review in an objective manner the scientific strengths and scientific weaknesses of existing scientific theories" including… "evolution, the chemical origins of life, global warming and human cloning." It will become law unless Governor Bill Haslam vetoes it today, which he's not likely to do. Is it back to the Scopes trial of 1925? Why is challenging Global Warming also protected? Photo: Clarence Darrow (L) and William Jennings Bryan (R) during the Scopes Trial in 1925
To the Point
Is 'Academic Freedom' a Disguise for Religion? In 1925, a Tennessee jury convicted John Scopes for questioning the Bible by teaching Evolution. More recently, it's become a required science. But now the legislature has passed a law allowing teachers to raise "scientific weaknesses" about Evolution, along with Global Warming. The new law – which protects teachers from helping students "review in an objective manner the scientific strengths and scientific weaknesses of existing scientific theories" including… evolution, the chemical origins of life, global warming and human cloning" -- will become law unless Governor Bill Haslam vetoes it today, which he's not likely to do. Science educators say there are no such "weaknesses," and warn that Tennessee could become a laughing stock for teaching pseudo science. The legal language denies any intention of promoting religion, but the ACLU is threatening to sue. We hear both sides.
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To the Point
Janesville and the American Dream Janesville, Wisconsin is the hometown of Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan. But he couldn’t prevent the closing of the General Motors factory after 100 years. On this Memorial Day rebroadcast of To the Point, we hear what’s happened to what once was a model of American middle-class unity.
To the Point
Human Rights in the era of Donald Trump President Trump’s UN Ambassador, Nikki Haley, said today the US might pull out of the United Nations’ Human Rights Council. Serious violators of human rights are members of the Council itself–and a US resignation could make things worse. Later on today’s show, now that he’s into his second term, comedian turned US Senator Al Franken is telling jokes again.
To the Point
Trump plays scolder-in-chief with NATO allies At the opening of NATO’s dramatic new headquarters in Brussels today, President Trump acknowledged that Article 5 — promising that “an attack on one nation is an attack on all” -- has only been invoked one time: in the aftermath of September 11. But the President failed to provide what 27 other Alliance members have been waiting for: a re-commitment by America’s new leader to Article 5. Instead, they got a scolding.