Sep 17 2009
Local Politics and Religious Fundamentalists
In my hometown, St. Petersburg, FL, we had a full field of candidates running for mayor this year. It was hard to make a choice because our local politicians all run on a non-partisan ballot. Personally I think this is a cowardly way to run for office and it made it difficult to make a choice. Finally the field was narrowed to two candidates, Bill Foster and Kathleen Ford.
Now the runoff election will determine who becomes our next mayor. Yet, even though both of these names are familiar with St. Petersburg voters, not a lot is know about where they really stand. But with a little research and some information from our local newspaper, the St. Petersburg Times, we’ve learned a few things about Mr. Foster.
St. Petersburg mayoral candidate Bill Foster believes, contrary to the overwhelming majority of scientists, that dinosaurs and humans co-existed. He believes the world was created in six literal days, and he once complained to school officials when his son was taught about Darwin’s theory of evolution in fifth grade.
Is that relevant to the campaign for mayor of Florida’s fourth-largest city?
“This city is trying to increase its employment base with respect to scientific organizations and trying to recruit scientific concerns to come here,” said St. Petersburg architect Michael Dailey, who supports Kathleen Ford, Foster’s opponent. “If our mayor has a belief system that basically rejects science, how can people take him seriously?” (Source: St. Petersburg Times)
This was enough information for me to make up my mind. I am sick and tired of these religious fundamentalist, lunatic fringe, creationist destroying our credibility in the eyes of the world’s scientific community. Their medieval ideas about the origins of man and the world around them quite frankly scares me.
Normally, candidates in the Tampa Bay area are not asked about dinosaurs or whether they believe the world is billions of years old or thousands, as some creationists maintain. (Ford said billions, Foster declined to answer.)
But in this election Foster has been dogged by questions about his religious beliefs after he sent a controversial letter to the Pinellas School Board, urging members to allow discussion about alternatives to the theory of evolution, such as the Genesis account. His letter suggested that Darwin contributed to the rise of Hitler and the Columbine massacre
Foster insists he was merely promoting free speech for students. (Source: St. Petersburg Times)
I simply can’t vote for anyone who believes the Flintstones were real people. I’m fed up with these loonies running our country. And though he failed to reveal his true party affiliation during this race, I think everyone can pretty much figure it out. Our youth deserve better. I’m tired of us sending a bunch of dumbbells into the job market that are not equipped to survive in the world today. Bill Foster would like to take us all back to the dark ages.
All Right Frog Man!
This Foster character is a page right out of Landover Baptist.com. I think it’s really funny now how he’s trying to court the Gay vote after rejecting and insulting them in every way possible while he served on the St. Pete City Council. Watch out for that Gibbons character bringing the African American vote to Foster for the strictly philosophical difference between Ford and him (Foster). It could and probably will get really nasty before it’s all over. Keep up the good and outspoken work!
Robby
I agree that we shouldn’t be putting up with people that we have huge heartburn with, but I disagree with you about the lack of party.
I would rather vote for someone based on what they have said and done in the past rather than the (D) or (R).
It would seem that for the most part they are both going to lie to get the votes and the party id would just help the sheep to follow which chute to enter to go into the slaughterhouse. Hint, both chutes go to the same place, one just tends to wonder around and take more time to get there, but the end location appears to be the same in the long term.
Sorry that I’m late to this, but I thought that I would add my 2 cents worth.
Not only do religious fundamentalists think the earth is 6000 years old and that the scientific advances of the last 800 years or so is so much bunk, they disparage scientific inquiry. When school boards begin to require teaching of creationism in science class it is time for intelligent people to rise up and push back with more than a little force. I think we have seen that push back in Pennsylvania and even Kansas. Maybe there is hope.
Jim
Jim, I agree. It embarrassing when these neanderthals win public office. It is a platform for them to spread their ignorance. Unfortunately, here in St. Petersburg, this troglodyte won and now we are saddled with him and his dark ages mentality for the new few years. How a mayor, who believes that the Flintstones are ancient history, can encourage the scientific community to bring their research and development centers to our town in light of his backward thinking is beyond me.
In Florida these fundamentalist have been trying every way they can to bring creationism into the class rooms. Bush the lesser, as governor, brought the voucher system into the state. This was a way to get public dollars to finance their infantile beliefs in the classroom. I’m afraid we are doomed. If we can’t stem the tide of ignorance in our government officials we will remain the laughing stock of the civilized and educated world.