CNN is cutting to the chase:
Yes 69%
No 31%
This poll will rack up big numbers, I suspect, so don’t expect a big turn-around…but do get in there and make a tiny little popping noise as you click and drop in your contribution!
Greg Laden is entirely correct the case in question reference by this poll is about some teachers who are being tried for contempt of court, and this particular court case is not about separation of church and state. However, the poll is asking a more general question:
Should educators be fined or jailed for offering prayer in public schools?
Yes (12.6%)
No (87.4%)
I say yes: teachers who organize sectarian prayer in their classroom are betraying their trust and are in violation of the principle of separation of church and state. Imagine the outcry if a teacher were a Satanist and tried to lead the class in a demonic invocation — as stupid and ineffective as such a ritual would be, parents would be rightly irate that their kids were being indoctrinated into a religion, and compelled by pressure from an authority figure to participate in a rite they find odious. The classroom must remain secular, and although I might quibble with the details of the punishment (they ought to be fired for violations, not necessarily jailed or fined), there has to be a way to sanction such actions.
That also goes for teachers who push atheism in the public schools.
A group of prominent Swedes have come out with a manifesto decrying the influence of religion in the world — which is great, but I do wonder why every time I read about famous Swedes, at least one of them has to be a former member of ABBA. It’s a fine statement that promotes humanism as the only valid source of morality.
Anyway, a Danish newspaper ran a poll asking if its readers agree. Here it is:
Tolv fremtrædende svenskere blæser i manifest til kamp mod religioner, som de mener fylder alt for meget i samfundet. Er du enig? (Twelve prominent Swedes fan of manifesto to fight against religions that they feel fills too much of society. Do you agree?)
Ja (Yes)
90%
Nej (No)
9%
Ved ikke (Don’t know)
2%
I feel so superfluous. Sure, go ahead, contribute to the landslide. It would be very pleasant to live in Denmark, except that their complicated language always fills me with confusion.
This is how to design an online poll to stymie the Pharyngulistas: make sure it makes no sense and limits the options to only unpalatable choices. Go ahead and try and figure this one out…although it does say it is for creationists, and it is for Christians only.
Why Creationist is your favorite?
15% (3) Kent Hovind
5% (1) Ken Ham
36% (7) Both
42% (8) Neither… someone else
“Why creationist,” indeed.
Seed is planning to roll out some big upgrades to the commenting system here, and they’re going to potentially add a lot of new features, which is cool. They also want to know what you think, but they’ve chosen to get user input in a way I find rather uncomfortable. They’re doing it with an online poll.
Oh, no. Hoist by my own petard.
You better go vote, before the Rapture-lovin’ fundagelicals move in and voice their opinions, and we end up with every comment ending in a honkin’ big sig with huge-eyed puppy dogs and pink script with sparkly graphic effects.
President Obama is going to deliver a speech to students, broadcast on CSPAN, on 8 September. He’s going to “speak directly to the nation’s children and youth about persisting and succeeding in school. The president will challenge students to work hard, set educational goals, and take responsibility for their learning”. OK, sounds harmless enough, and I think it’s a good idea for our president to care about the students.
But not in Texas, apparently. There’s a poll on a College Station radio site that has some odd results.
What are your feelings about the President addressing school children in a speech on September 8th?
I have no problem – 40.6%
Depends on the topic – 17.5%
Wouldn’t let my children see it – 42.0%
Let us leaven their results with the contribution of a horde of godless, international fiends.
When we hit that poll at Sedalia the other day, the newspaper noticed — they actually have a news story on their poll being crashed.
Richard DeFord, The Sedalia Democrat interactive systems manager, said Saturday’s online paper had 25,118 page views, Sunday had 22,096 and as of 4:40 p.m. Monday had 70,939.
If views continue at the current rate, DeFord said, it will reach 90,406 before the night is done. DeFord said Monday’s views indicate the story is viral, or has become popular in a short period of time.
Of those views, many originated from as far away as London, England; Sydney and Melbourne, Australia; Dublin, Ireland; Stockholm, Sweden; Helsinki, Finland; Oslo, Norway; and Auckland, New Zealand, DeFord reported.
Good work, you globe-spanning rascals. I think it’s immensely useful to let small town America know that one of the effects of the internet age is that the whole world can pay attention to you. No one gets to be provincial anymore.
Via ERV and Coyne, I’ve learned that there was a poll associated with that story about the yanked evolution shirts for the Smith-Cotton band program. You must pharyngulate this poll!
Should the Sedalia school district have pulled the Smith-Cotton High School band T-shirts?
Yes, the evolution image was inappropriate
29%
No, critics and the district are overreacting
71%
CNN has tossed up a scientific issue for a vote.
Should Pluto be reinstated as a planet?
Yes 83%
No 17%
It’s as if changing the title of a piece of rock in space suddenly changes its physical characteristics, and if enough people truly believe, it will be so.
Governor Charlie Crist of Florida has been sending prayers off to Israel every year…and now he wants to claim responsibility for averting hurricanes. Isn’t that just so sweet? Now you can let Florida know what you think of their governor in an extremely objective and scientifically valid online poll.
Another good reason not to vote for him! 53%
It is good to know that we have a leader that believes in the power of prayer. 32%
Don’t knock it. Whatever works! 10%
Thanks for jinxing us now! 4%
