Tuesday, November 28, 2006

Creationism on the rise

For all the Brits who like to sneer at the Bible-thumping Americans denying evolution:


Creationism is on the rise in UK schools.

7 comments:

jen said...

eh - they just blame it on us anyway...

Anonymous said...

Well.. heres one Brit who cant be bothered to sneer. Don't know what your on about actually. Is it something a lot of people do, cos I've never come across it? Perhaps Jen could tell me what we're blaming you for, in particular? Can't help thinking of the word paranoia.

Vol Abroad said...

Perhaps I'm being paranoid but I find it a little ironic to have come back from a local curry night fundraiser where I was seated next to a sneering Brit who found "American naivete not only irritating but frightening," and who had no problem dismissing the whole of the American "heartland" population as bunch of ignorant buffoons only to find your comment.

Perhaps I read too much into your it - but here's how it sounds to me:

Well..heres [sic] one Brit who cant [sic] be bothered to sneer. [sneer] Is it something a lot of people do, cos I've never come across it? [sneer] Perhaps Jen could tell me what we're blaming you for, in particular?* [sneer] Can't help thinking of the word paranoia. [sneer]

___
*if you'd read through the linked Guardian article you'd have found PLENTY to blame Americans for as most of the materials used by the neo-Creationists were from American "research" centers.

jen said...

well said, VA.

sometimes it is America (as in this case here), but often it's not (e.g. the hooliganism around Halloween being seen as "American", despite the fact that it has nothing to do with how we celebrate the holiday).

i'm only to happy to recognise my own country's flaws where they exists - and lord knows there are plenty of them. but more and more often, i get tired of negative stuff being attributed to the purported "Americanism" of the UK. as if Brits have *nothing* to do with it. ::roll eyes:: this is particularly prevalent in the media, where anti-Americanism seems to be gaining popularity. and in the years i've lived here, it's gotten worse.

so no, i'm not paranoid, and i'm not anti-British. i am, however, anti-"anti-American"-British. and it looks like "anonymous" falls neatly into that category.

(sorry for the rant...feel free to delete it if you like)

Vol Abroad said...

Delete it??????? You sing it, sister!

Anonymous said...

Oh Dear! I come from a small community in the countryside of England, where there are no Americans to sneer at. I don't read gutter press as I'm too busy getting on with my life, and I don't watch much television either. I do however, enjoy reading blogs of ex-pats from various countries. I have only ever seen such complaints regarding 'sneering' Brits in a minority of American blogs. I thought my post was reasonable, however I feel your interpretation of it, and your grammatical corrections, more indicative of your judgemental state of mind than mine. By the way, I did not see any hooliganism at Halloween where I live. There is however, a connotation with mischief night on Nov. 4th. Historically, this has more to do with the Celtic festival of Samhain than it does with the Christian adaptation of Halloween. Have a nice day.

Vol Abroad said...

Well, anonymous - I'm sorry you have no Americans to sneer at it in your tiny community - but perhaps there are other countryside activities to keep you occupied.

Here in London, where there are many Americans your city cousins love to indulge in the sport.

You have a nice day.