I have to agree with you. You would, in my humble opinion, not have all that much more luck finding a "simple-mindedly pious audience" in Kansas than in any other sizable region in the world.
In fact, theres more likelyhood of finding an audience that at least appears simple-mindedly pious in places like Turkey, where standing up to argue a scientific viewpoint in the wrong company is more likely to result in physical violence and even death threats than in Kansas, where the likely results of arguing evolution's case with its opponents are frustration and incredulity at displays of wilful ignorance.
In fact, theres more likelyhood of finding an audience that at least appears simple-mindedly pious in places like TurkeyInteresting enough, Kansas anti-evolutionists hired an Islamic creationist (Mustafa Akyol) from Turkey (whose organisation [Bilim Arastirma Vakfi] quite successfully have stiffled education in the TOE with amongst other methods - threat of violence) to argue in the kangaroo court they had there earlier this month.
You're right. It illustrates how the swipe at Kansans detracts from the message of the article.