Posted on 11/19/2005 7:11:47 PM PST by jennyp
An exhibition celebrating the life of Charles Darwin has failed to find a corporate sponsor because American companies are anxious not to take sides in the heated debate between scientists and fundamentalist Christians over the theory of evolution.
The entire $3 million (£1.7 million) cost of Darwin, which opened at the American Museum of Natural History in New York yesterday, is instead being borne by wealthy individuals and private charitable donations.
The failure of American companies to back what until recently would have been considered a mainstream educational exhibition reflects the growing influence of fundamentalist Christians, who are among President George W Bush's most vocal supporters, over all walks of life in the United States.
While the Darwin exhibition has been unable to find a business backer - unlike previous exhibitions at the museum - the Creationist Museum near Cincinatti, Ohio, which takes literally the Bible's account of creation, has recently raised $7 million in donations.
The outbreak of corporate cold feet has shocked New York's intellectuals. "It is a disgrace that large companies should shy away from such an important scientific exhibition," said a trustee of another prominent museum in the city, who was told of the exhibition's funding problem by a trustee of the AMNH.
"They tried to find corporate sponsors, but everyone backed off."
Creationism is increasingly widely backed in America. A CBS News poll last month found that 51 per cent of Americans reject the theory of evolution, believing instead that God created humans in their present form. Another poll in August found that 38 per cent of Americans think that creationism should be taught in schools, instead of evolution.
In Dover, Pennsylvania, last week, a jury began considering a case brought by parents against a school board that insisted that "intelligent design," which argues that a supernatural force populated the earth, be taught alongside evolution in science classes.
The AMNH is coy about its failure to find corporate money to mount the exhibition, which will tour the US before moving to London's Natural History Museum in 2009 to mark the bicentenary of Darwin's birth.
Asked which companies had refused to give money, Gary Zarr, the museum's marketing director, said he would have to ask those concerned before he could identify them.
Steve Reichl, a press officer for the AMNH, said a list of forthcoming exhibitions was sent to potential sponsors and none wanted to back the Darwin exhibition. He declined to reveal which companies, or how many, had been approached.
The Bank of America previously sponsored a similar exhibition on Leonardo da Vinci and the financial services provider TIAA-CREF funded an Albert Einstein show.
A prominent Metropolitan Museum donor said: "You can understand why the Museum of Natural History might not want to admit such a thing.
"They are concerned about finding corporate funding for exhibitions in the future."
The museum will have to depend more heavily upon the profits of its Darwin-related merchandise to finance the cost of staging the exhibition, including a 12-inch Darwin doll, Darwin finger puppets and, for a $950, a replica of the vessel Beagle, made in China and assembled in Vietnam.
Niles Eldredge, the exhibition's curator, confirmed that the exhibition was intended to redress the balance in the battle between scientists and creationist Christians being fought across the country.
"This is for the schoolchildren of America," he said. "This is the evidence of evolution."
The moronic liberals scared them off with a nice dose of Bush/Christian bashing.
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/gossip/story/366903p-312314c.html
If you could somehow force or "get" all or most all Americans to believe in Darwinism, it wouldn't have nearly the wonderful effect many people claim. It wouldn't speed up medical research, wouldn't get a man on Mars any sooner, and wouldn't make the world more happy or peaceful.
The evolutionists are guilty of overplaying their hand. Others are right to be wary.
*puts on flamesuit* personally, I would like to see more support for scientific exhibits. Some of the most religious people I have met have been talented scientists. Also, I don't agree with the notion of being scared to show your support for something for fear of public backlash ( as the same fear the rats have).
I'm dying to know which corporations they approached. Would Microsoft wimp out on something like this? AstraZeneca? Pfizer? Google? Vulcan?
Not really.
Who is John Baldacci?
|
Or Microsoft, "By all means, switch to Linux. We'd love to make it known that every science-phobic, Young Earth Creationist is a Linux user."
Contrary to their image as nervy, corporations tend to be incredible wimps.
I've read that Microsoft (or maybe it was Gates, individually, or through his foundation) has contributed to the Discovery Institute.
There's nothing wrong with a Darwin exhibit. But it looks as if the exhibitors themselves have politicized it. I suspect that the whole thing was put together in the first place at this particular time for political reasons by rich liberal New Yorkers, mentioned in the article, who are worried about losing the Darwin monopoly in the public schools.
I can remember, when I was growing up, a time when Freud was God and Woody Allen was his prophet. Now both of them have virtually disappeared from the scene. So has Marx. Darwin is next in line.
There is nothing so cowardly as a million dollars.
The movers and shakers at that particular museum are anything but liberal. There is much more to this story than meets the eye.
Corporations are the men and women who run them. They'll fry a competitor in a heart beat, but when it comes to "public image" you're right. The only word is "wimp".
There was a theater flap a while back. Some theater chains not wanting to show science flicks because of creationist "threats" to boycott.
I've know about a dozen CEOs, two of them quite well (big guys, not mom and pop stuff).
To a man they are all very cautious.
May not be anti-evo, but anything that keeps the doors open benefits the Creo message.
Do you have an inside story?
I have always liked the Natural History Museum. And since they do nature, animals, and science, Darwin is a natural fit for them. But it seems more than a coincidence that they should do a major Darwin exhibit at this particular time.
Yes, the Gates Foundation. But I think they only contribute to the DI's Cascadia Institute, which researches transportation options. (For Western Washington I guess.)
Funny, for all the transportation-related issues that have come up in the Seattle area - and there have been several very contentious ones over the years - I've never heard the DI weigh in on any of them. The DI's head honchos must consider it an afterthought.
Since the Dover trial is a jury trial in here, are there also other mistakes?
No. Sorry.
"The Discovery Institute today announced a 10-year, $9.35 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The grant will enable Discovery Institute to increase the efforts of its “Cascadia Project,” a long-term initiative to develop balanced, seamless, and expanded transportation systems among Washington, Oregon and British Columbia through public-private partnerships and innovative financing."
Will the "Cascadia Project" be intelligently designed? Will it be "irreducibly complex?" Will it be as scientific as anything else from DI?
Tune in tomorrow, boys and girls ...
Gimme some and I'll test your hypothesis. Maybe it'll become a theory!
From under the bed.
The so-called advocates for science and biology are its worst enemies.
I'm talking about people here as representative. Stupid, shallow, ignaorant yet judgemental and condemning of a whole class of people and obnoxious about it.
Biologists do not need or want your help.
Let me know. It could become a LAW!!!!!
The Law of a Million.
Still, you'd think one of the big pharmaceutical outfits would step forward.
Why? There's very little to gain and a lot to lose.
Decloaking Klingon warship alert.
"Blame the folks here who make it a religious issue, making it seem evolutionary theory or biology for that matter is anti-Christian."
Those would be the creationists.
Sounds like a Frank Capra picture.
If there was any actual proof for DARWINIAN EVOLUTION there would probably be more commercial support. True science does not support either case so why should businesses pick a side on the issue? Evolution theory defies nearly all the laws of physics, mathematics, and biochemistry. Religion and evolutionary theory both ask you to deny the actual laws of science. Both require a large element of blind faith but only one is called religion!
BTTT
Evolution in action.
Something here doesn't pass the smell test.
Why is the Discovery Institute involved with transportation?
Intelligent Design is to biology what socialism is to economics: wish-fulfilment with no basis in fact or reality.
Do you realize the implications of your post?
the lights are going out even faster than I expected.
Maybe they're researching ways to duplicate the means by which humanity was dispersed after the Tower of Babel?
Thanks for the ping!
The Aliens From the Deep film which exhibiotrs were supposedly cowed into not showing by the creationuts was funded by the Christian conservatives at Walden Media. I doubt that corporate sponsors, who always buck to pressure by race pimps and feminists, and can be forced to their knees by the gay lobby (literally?) would be as susceptible to pressure by a much smaller, though just as obnoxious, pressure group.
I loved H.G.'s Sci Fi. His other "fiction" is awful.
But "The Island of Dr. Mareau" (sp?) was one of the best. We had some fun at PH's expense a while back Re:The Time Machine and his new new flame (Ed)weena.
Similar to muslims going ape$#!+ on a teacher for praising Jews and Americans.
Utter nonsense. I challenge you to name just one law it defies, and to justify your answer.
But I expect you to slink away.
Aaaargh!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.