We have argued here time and time again that it was wrong for Nelson Mandela to have allowed 'Comrade' Joe Slovo to entrench the so-called 'Sunset clause' in their constitution i.e. all apartheid civil servants cannot be dismissed but can only be phased out at retiring time - with a pension morever.
Meanwhile the veterans of Umkonto we Sizwe ( Spear of the Nation ) - the liberation forces, were given 7000 Rands ( US$700 ) and some ( mabati ) corrugated iron sheets and told to go home.
From: "J Ssemakula" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: ugnet_: Fwd: NYTimes.com Article: Ohio Strengthens Teaching of Evolution
Date: Wed, 18 Dec 2002 17:44:32 +0000
_________________________________________________________________
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--- Begin Message ---Isn't amazing that the most scientific of nations still struggles with a question that was settled ages ago? Still more amazing that (American) creationists cann't seem to make the distinction between the origin of life and Darwinian evolution once life has originated? (The origin of life on earth is still hotly debated among scientists, and is far from being settled unequivocally.)Yet, evidence of Darwinian evolution is all around us! E.g. domestication of animals & plants, animal & plant (remember the 'Green Revolution or GM foods?) & plants, development of resistance to drugs by disease causing organisms, and to some herbicides by plants, etc, etc.
Even more astounding is that, unlike Darwin, we know the mechanism that drives evolution: Mendelian genetics. We also know the structure of DNA, down to the molecular level -- again unlike Darwin. Entire genomes have been sequenced and news widely circulated -- outside of elite stuffy scientif jourrnals. We now know about the genetic basis of disease such as sickle cell anaemia, etc etc. Further, Man has started, if only gingerly, to do such things as 'gene-splicing', etc.It boggles the ming to think of how unimaginative (daft?) one has to be to reject or ignore or misinterprete such an avalanche of evidence, all in favor of Darwinian Evolution!
![The New York Times]()
December 12, 2002
Ohio Strengthens Teaching of Evolution
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
OLUMBUS, Ohio, Dec. 11 � The state school board unanimously approved on Tuesday standards that more strongly advocate the teaching of evolution while letting students fully criticize the legitimacy of the theory.
The standards do not require the teaching or testing of the alternate "intelligent design" theory, which says a higher intelligence guides the universe. The vote was 18 to 0, with 1 absence.
The board has worked since January on the guidelines, which teachers will be encouraged, but not required, to follow. They will be the basis of new tests that students have to pass to graduate. Evolution will be the sole origin-of-life theory on the tests, meaning that schools that avoid teaching Darwinian theory may put their students at a disadvantage.
Local districts may decide to teach intelligent design, the idea that life must have been designed by a nonspecified higher power because it is so complex, or other theories.
The current standards to teach science to the 1.8 million students in Ohio do not mention the word "evolution." They recommend teaching "change through time," but do not specify what that involves.
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/12/12/education/12EVOL.html?ex=1040795213&ei=1&en=c2f05e01a9a47383
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