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Published on Thursday, May 01, 2008
Movie critics are well-known for having a diversity of opinions. For the documentary Expelled, the Beacon Journal chose to publish a review by Roger Moore ('' 'Expelled' documentary a debacle on evolution,'' April 18). Moore pans the movie as a ''mockery of evolution, a film that dresses creationist crackpottery in an 'intelligent design' leisure suit.'' Predictably the Beacon Journal gives Expelled one star, its lowest rating. On the other hand, MovieGuide.com describes the film as a ''wry, funny, well-crafted documentary that is also heart-rending, convincing and transformational.'' Movie Guide calls the film ''exemplary'' and gives it four stars, its highest rating.
Expelled has drawn mixed reviews because it covers a controversial subject — the evolution/design debate. The question asked: Is Darwinian evolution (the undirected descent of life from a common ancestry) a proven fact, or should the theory be questioned as new evidence comes to light?
After seeing the film myself, I agree with the four-star rating. Ben Stein, the narrator of Expelled, makes a compelling case that Darwinism has been shielded from critique by the science and media establishment. Credentialed scientists are being ridiculed, blackballed, denied tenure and even fired for merely suggesting that Darwinian theory may have some flaws.
This situation makes a mockery of academic freedom, the longstanding principle that scholars have the right to question existing theories and propose new hypotheses. Objectivity requires that researchers follow the evidence wherever it leads. When a scientific theory becomes so entrenched that it is immune from criticism, it leaves the realm of science and becomes philosophy or dogma.
Stein's documentary makes a strong case that evolution has crossed this threshold; the search for truth has been sacrificed and dogma has set in. Moore's scathing review of Expelled merely reflects the outrage and fear that most scientists and journalists express whenever evolutionary theory is questioned.
If, as Moore says, evolution has successfully withstood ''150 years of peer-tested research,'' then why should its supporters back away from a challenge? The obvious answer is that the evolutionists know there are some skeletons in the closet. Expelled does a brilliant job of exposing their hypocrisy.
Robert Lattimer
Hudson
A measure of justice
for Richard Cooey
How does Richard Cooey (''Death row prisoner seems out of options,'' April 22) define cruel and unusual punishment? What in his mind is a reasonable punishment for raping and murdering two young women?
I lived next door to Wendy Offredo. She baby-sat my daughters. Her mother was a good friend. She was a beautiful young woman with too much ahead of her for her life to be taken by this person who feels that the punishment is too harsh.
What does he think an appropriate punishment should be? He not only destroyed these two girls' lives, he destroyed many of the dreams of the people who loved them.
Richard Cooey demands justice, not cruel and unusual punishment. How does he define justice for Wendy Offredo and Dawn McCreery?
Ceil Cohen
Fairlawn
Clean, green
energy machines
State lawmakers in Columbus recently voted to bring clean, green energy to every Ohio household.
The Ohio House and the Ohio Senate voted overwhelmingly to require electric companies to invest in high-efficiency technologies to achieve 22 percent cumulative savings in energy use by 2025 by helping customers upgrade their homes and offices though such efforts as vouchers and discounts for energy efficient light bulbs and appliances. In addition, companies will invest in wind, solar and other renewable energy sources to provide that at least 12.5 percent of all power sold in Ohio by 2025 comes from clean, renewable energy.
This is a huge victory for the environment, consumers and Ohio business. Many people had a hand in this victory, especially our partners at Environment Ohio, the Sierra Club and Green Energy Ohio. But most of all, we want to thank the thousands of citizens who called, wrote, e-mailed and testified at the Statehouse in support of clean energy. Our hard work paid off.
Keith Dimoff
Executive director
Ohio Environmental Council
Columbus
Quiet, please
It is that time of year again, when families are getting ready for their children's graduation. How nice it would be to attend a graduation ceremony where the audience refrains from yelling, clapping or whistling until all graduates have received their diplomas. This is not asking too much.
As Martin Chapman (late principal of Garfield High School) once said (or words to this effect): ''You have waited 12 years to see your son or daughter graduate, surely you can wait another hour or so — if not, we can wait till you quiet down!'' Please, let us all act like mature adults and let parents hear their children's names called.
Pat Heit
Akron
Fueling anger
President Bush wants to raise fuel efficiency to 31.6 mpg by 2015. How convenient to propose raising the standard with barely seven months left in office. But, that's typical of this administration, always a day late and a dollar short.
Like his greenhouse gas emissions plan, this one comes when he knows nothing will come of it. In basketball they'd call this ''taking a cheap shot.''
George ''Dubya'' Bush, almost gone and soon to be forgotten. Thank you.
Ray Crim
Akron
Rescue me
How cute. After all you hear from businesses about getting the government out of their way, they run to the government to get money.
It seems there is no end to taxpayer-financed windfalls. Forget risk, just make money at any price, and then when you fail, run to the government trough. And even when you fail, give your executives megaillions in bonuses.
It is a good bet that future disasters will be far worse, and the immediate rescues will look cheap.
John D. Ambrose
Norton
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