German "brights" try to stifle free speech
I'll have plenty more to say on this very topic later (as I had intended to write about it), but - coming on the heels of the Guillermo Gonzalez case - here is a post I just received:
Hi,
some minutes ago I postet something on my blog that might interest you:
We also made an english abstract as you can see:
Here we present an investigative report about how the German branch of the so called „brights" movement tried intentionally (and partly successful) to stifle free speech on german universities. We had the luck to have access to websites where their concerted actions got prepared and afterwards commented. Their actions and comments show that they are not far from the threat that they want to fight against: „fundamentalism", or at least a popular/particular view of „fundamentalism". This contribution shows how narrow and loaded with ignorance thinking can be amongst so called „brights". The investigators found also hints that attempts to stifle free speech are not just made by a brand of activistic atheism and show connections to members of a scientific respectable organization. Evolution-critics who feel that they are at least protected by the right for „free speech" should carefully examine our contribution. They may easily face mechanisms and thinking like it is documented here.
With best wishes,
Christoph Heilig
Why am I not surprised?
Anyway, I posted updates to the Gonzalez case yesterday. Incidentally, when I first started tracking this story a week ago, I picked up 604 Google hits on "Guillermo Gonzalez" + tenure. This morning, I got 34, 5000. So if anyone thought that it could all just be kept under wraps, well, dream on. I wonder when the deadtree media will start getting it all wrong. (Although, in fairness, they have started to get a few things right.) More later.
My other blog is the Mindful Hack, which keeps tabs on neuroscience and the mind.
If you like this blog, check out my book on the intelligent design controversy, By Design or by Chance?. You can read excerpts as well.
Are you looking for one of the following stories?
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Anti-God crusade ... no, really! My recent series on the spate of anti-God books, teen blasphemy challenge, et cetera, and the mounting anxiety of materialist atheists that lies behind it.
Catholic Church A summary of the Catholic Church's entry into the controversy, essentially on the side of ID.
Collins, Francis My review of Francis Collins’ book The Language of God
Columnists weigh in on the intelligent design controversy A summary of recent opinion columns on the ID controversy
Darwinism dissent Lists of theoretical and applied scientists who doubt Darwin
Gilder, George A summary of tech guru George Gilder's arguments for ID and against Darwinism
Intelligent design academic publications.
Intelligent design-friendly students should be flunked, according to bio prof Evolutionary biologist’s opinion that all students friendly to intelligent design should be flunked.
Intelligent design controversy My U of Toronto talk on why there is an intelligent design controversy, or my talk on media coverage of the controversy at the University of Minnesota.
Intelligent design controversy timeline An ID Timeline: The ID folk seem always to win when they lose.
Intelligent design and culture My review of sci-fi great Rob Sawyer’s novel, The Calculating God , which addresses the concept of intelligent design.
March of the Penguins A critical look at why March of the Penguins was thought to be an ID film.
Origin of life Why origin of life is such a difficult problem.
Peer review My backgrounder about peer review issues.
Polls relevant to the intelligent design controversy A summary of recent polls of US public opinion on the ID controversy
Stove, David O'Leary's intro to non-Darwinian agnostic philosopher David Stove’s critique of Darwinism.
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Labels: free speech, intellectual freedom, intelligent design in Germany
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