In another chapter in the Democratic War on Science, Kentucky scientists are concerned about Democratic Governor Steve Beshear's announcement that the state is partnering with Answers in Genesis (AIG) to create "Ark Encounter," to make what developers call a full-scale ark including models of dinosaurs. Cost: $150 million.
It has dinosaurs, so these are not the young earth creationists who believe in no science at all (dinosaurs did not exist 6,000 years ago, obviously) but Daniel Phelps, an environmental geologist for the state, believes the tax breaks the park will get (it claims to be creating 900 jobs) is "government entanglement with religion".
"I don't envision people, especially those with science backgrounds, wanting to move to a state where the 'ark park' has government support," says Phelps, though providing tax breaks for anyone creating jobs is not really government support. If anything, it would be discrimination not to give them the same tax breaks it would provide to a company engaged in paleontology.
And doesn't Phelps live in Kentucky, since he is president of the Kentucky Paleontological Society? Would he not move there because an ark has dinosaurs at a theme park? He must not visit Disney World because he can't actually travel Back to the Future either.
