The Kansas State Board of Education will hear from scientists and scholars next week about how best to present evolution in the classroom. If you are not testifying to the board, there is still a significant role for you to play in the wider debate. Namely, write supportive letters to the editor to appear during the hearings next week, and the week following, in regional and national newspapers.
The people testifying will be attacked throughout the media by Darwinian extremists, and their reputations will be impugned both professionally and personally. It is important that they receive support in the form of letters. It is especially beneficial when those letters come from credentialed scientists and scholars.
The letters need not be a long, in fact the shorter the better. Here are a few points worth touching on:
These hearings aren’t about intelligent design, they’re about evolution.
The proposed standards don’t deal with ID or any other alternatives to evolution, they only deal with Darwinian evolution. Simply put, students should critically analyze Darwinian evolution and learn about both the evidence for the theory, as well as that which scientifically challenges it.
This isn’t religion vs. science, this is science vs. science.
Darwinian activists like the Kansas Citizens for Science want everyone to think this is about religion vs. science, but it isn’t. This is about the scientific controversy over the strengths and weaknesses of Darwin’s theory. This is right out of mainstream scientific literature. Scientists are critically analyzing evolution, why can’t students?
What matters in science is evidence, not motives.
Science is about evidence and about following the evidence where it leads.
Below is information for submitting letters to newspapers in Kansas, as well as nationally. If you send a letter to a national paper, do not send the same exact letter to another paper. Be sure to include your professional credentials when you sign your letter — they will likely be included and lend credibility.
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Letters to the editor / contact info
Limit letters to 200 words (shorter is better). You must include your name, home address, e-mail address and phone number for verification purposes. Try to focus on one key point. It’s better to make one point well, than to try and make several points poorly in the space allowed.
Kansas City Star
You can email letters@kcstar.com
The newspaper welcomes readers’ opinions in letters to the editor.
Send submissions to The Kansas City Star, 1729 Grand Blvd., Kansas City, MO 64108
Wichita Eagle
In order to send by e-mail you must fill out the form at: http://www.kansas.com/mld/kansas/news/editorial/4664538.htm
Send by mail
Reader Views
The Wichita Eagle
P.O. Box 820
Wichita, Kan. 67201
Send by fax (316) 269-6799
Topeka Capitol Journal
letters@cjonline.com
Letters to the Editor
616 SE Jefferson
Topeka, KS 66607
The Lawrence Journal-World
In order to submit letters you must do so on their website at:
http://www.ljworld.com/site/submit_letter/
Minneapolis Star Tribune
An invitation to readers on ID/evolution.
The Minneapolis Star Tribune interested in your thoughts on intelligent design, evolution, and their proper places in school curricula. Write an e-mail of no more than 150 words and send it to opinion@startribune.com, with the word “evolution” in the subject line. Be sure to include your name, address and telephone number so we can contact you if we decide to publish your response. Please reply by Monday, May 2.
The New York Times
Send a letter to the editor by e-mailing letters@nytimes.com or faxing (212)556-3622.
You may also mail your letter to:
Letters to the Editor
The New York Times
229 West 43rd Street
New York, NY 10036
The Washington Post
We offer two methods of sending a letter to the
1) You can e-mail your Letters to the Editor to letters@washpost.com. Please do not send attachments; they will not be read.
2) If you prefer, you can send your letter by regular mail to:
Letters to the Editor
The Washington Post
1150 15th Street Northwest
Washington, DC 20071
USA Today
To comment on editorials, columns or other topics in USA TODAY, or on any subjects important to you, contact editor@usatoday.com. Please include address and daytime phone numbers for verification.
The Wall Street Journal
Letter to the editor for publication in the print Journal
wsj.ltrs@wsj.com