Slanted Science

These are strange times. On the one hand, mankind is photographing individual molecules, smashing space rockets into the moon and flinging together sub-atomic particles in the hope of observing the most fundamental units of our universe.

And on the other: they’re barring a guy from taking elected office in the USA because he doesn’t believe in gods.

Jesus, as they say, wept.

Now, we are primarily a science news site. Yes, we may have some fun with the news, try and get us all chuckling while learning, but we report science news. So why are we reporting this? Well, read on and let us know if you would like the next generation’s science curricula decided by the people depicted in this story.

The place is Asheville, North Carolina. The year is 2009 (don’t worry, we already checked. This isn’t a story from 1756 which had fallen down the back of the news sofa for a couple of centuries).

Cecil Bothwell is a fairly liberal-minded guy, recently elected to serve on the council of the fairly liberal-minded city of Asheville (population around 50,000; metro area population around 400,000. This is no one-horse town full of cranky inbreds). Unfortunately, Cecil has been barred from taking his seat on the council by a small-but vocal group of ignorant crackpots concerned citizens. Leading the charge of the right brigade is H.K. Edgerton, who is threatening a lawsuit against the city. Let’s hear his wise and considered opinion on the matter at hand:

I have problems with people who don’t believe in God.

At this point, you may be thinking “have all the problems you want, but we are just happy that at last – after millenia of oppression and indoctrination – scientific understanding of the universe has now advanced to the point where many people are happy to crack open the shackles of childish ideologies.”

Sadly, though, Mr Edgerton isn’t some crazed religious nut on a street corner, happy just being out in public with his bible and complete lack of self-awareness. He happens to have the full power of North Carolina state law behind him. That state’s constitution disqualifies from office those “who shall deny the the being of Almighty God“. It was included in the 1868 constituional creation, and then overlooked during its revision in 1971.

Hang on! Problem solved! SlantedScience recommends to Councilman Cecil that he accede to this request, and declare his obedience to god during the swearing in. The god in question: Pottymouth, SlantedScience’s very own supreme being and creator of all. Sadly for Asheville’s more conservative residents, all adherents to the word of Pottymouth must cuss (“quite foully and with profanity”, according the sacred scripts) in every sentence they utter. Have fun, Cecil!

Oh, one last thing. Here is a photo of the potential lawsuit filer, H.K. Edgerton. It was taken around the time that this ex-president of a local NAACP chapter was threatening another lawsuit. This one was a plea for the freedom to fly the Confederate flag. We report, you decide, as we’ve heard somewhere before.

Don’t Hold Your Breath, But This May Lead To: we can but wish that the answer is a lessening of religion’s grip on our everyday lives, including government.

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