Mired in creationismSunday, February 1, 2009 Editor - In regard to "Restoring the nation's faith in science" (Jan 26): I am appalled that only 40 percent of Americans accept Charles Darwin's theory of evolution as set forth in his "Origin of Species," published in 1859, and his subsequent writings. His theory is considered the foundation of biology. After 150 years, his theory is supported by information which has been tested again and again. The discovery of DNA further confirms Darwin's theory and explains how traits are passed on. Genetics also confirms the most controversial part of Darwin's theory: that humans and apes have a common ancestry. Unfortunately, Darwin's theory is anathema to the adherents of an "intelligent design" theory of creation ("intelligent design" is "creationism" repackaged). How are we going to keep up with the rest of the world in innovation and scientific discovery when adherents of pseudoscience wield so much influence in our society? What is more troublesome is that there are creationists teaching science in our colleges and universities, and even in our high schools. Junk in, junk out. RALPH E. STONE, San Francisco Our shabby front yardEditor - I am saddened that funds for the National Mall were cut from the stimulus plan. Last June, my husband and I took our granddaughter to Washington to show her America's heritage and pass on our pride in our democracy. We were also honoring my father, who died in World War II. We found the Mall in a shameful state. This is our nation's front yard, crowded with visitors from the whole world. We stumbled along rutted paths and crumbling sidewalks, viewed dying grass and were forced to use shocking restrooms. We were embarrassed, watching foreign tourists navigate the mess. We asked a gardener who was trying to mow a potholed lawn, "What happened to the Mall?" "Years of neglect," he said. Restoring the mall is rightly a priority and an excellent choice for President Obama's recovery plan. The proposed $200 million in tax dollars - $100 million to be matched from private donors - would have created jobs and restored our most-visited national treasure. MELODY ERMACHILD, Berkeley Losing movesEditor - If there's one thing you can count on from Republicans in Congress, it's unabashed shamelessness. First, they spend eight years praising George W. Bush's decision to ignore the middle class and, instead, cut taxes for the rich. Then, they campaign against President Obama's plan to replace those cuts with tax relief for everyday families and small businesses. Now, after a responsible tax plan helped put Obama in the White House, Republicans have decided to try and re-establish their relevance in American politics by arguing that the president's economic stimulus package does not have enough middle-class tax relief. Never mind that one-third of the plan provides tax relief to middle-income families, and never mind that the rest of the plan will create jobs in a time of skyrocketing unemployment. I'm fairly sure those newly laid-off Microsoft employees would prefer full employment to more tax benefits. The fact is, it wouldn't matter if Obama proposed $1 trillion in middle class tax cuts. Republicans would still play politics with our economy. Maybe instead of saying "I won," President Obama should have reminded Republicans that they lost. SEAMUS MURPHY, San Francisco In a holeEditor - My kindergarten teacher told us a story many years ago: The moles were always digging tunnels and they had a lot of dirt left over that they were tired of looking at. They met and decided to solve the problem by digging one big hole to hold it all." We 5-year-olds easily understood the folly of this. Now, it appears our economic advisers are seriously considering just that, by creating a "bad bank" to hold all the "bad securities" in our banking system. Are they serious? JONATHAN FRANCIS, Berkeley
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