Tuesday, February 20, 2007

Blogging and religious politics

When persistent Catholic foes caused Amanda Marcotte, John Edwards's "blogmaster," to resign from his campaign (after I had discussed her hiring), I wrote critically about her tell-all that appeared in Salon, and reported the indignant response of a reader wholly opposed to Marcotte's attacker(s).

Another reader has come forward to second in a more general way the views of the first reader -- that the incursion of strictly religious forces into politics is leading us down a foolish and dangerous road, no matter what principles they may think they are defending. This second reader points to a post on the lefty political blog Talking Points Memo about a memo distributed and signed by a Georgia State Representative, Ben Bridges, that tars evolution not only as an incorrect theory but as the product of pernicious Jewish teachings. Double penalty.

Bridges denies any involvement with the memo, though the author says Bridges signed off. In any case, the politician says he doesn't find it such a problem:

Asked if he agreed with the Kaballah evolution conspiracy theory and the earth's lack of motion, he told the Atlanta Journal Constitution, "I agree with it more than I would the Big Bang Theory or the Darwin Theory. I am convinced that rather than risk teaching a lie why teach anything?"

I don't think we can blame Marcotte's fall on people with views quite like these, but thanks for the reader tip.

Posted by Evan Hughes at 12:11 PM

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