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From: lew@ihuxr.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.misc
Subject: Ray Miller's Paluxy article
Message-ID: <893@ihuxr.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 7-Feb-84 17:45:35 EST
Article-I.D.: ihuxr.893
Posted: Tue Feb  7 17:45:35 1984
Date-Received: Thu, 9-Feb-84 22:30:52 EST
Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Naperville, IL
Lines: 47

A few weeks ago, Paul Dubuc graciously sent me a spare copy of ORIGINS
RESEARCH (Vol. 6, no. 1), published by "Students for Origins Research"
or SOR. He has stated that this organization "seems to consider both sides
objectively", and he recommends this tabloid to those seeking a balanced
view of the "Creation/Evolution controversy". Incidentally, this issue
contains "A Reply to Niles Eldredge", which Paul transcribed onto the net
last May.

The paper is interesting, but I don't think I can agree that it is objective.
It is in fact the organ of a self-professed creationist organization. Pauls
characterization is evidently inspired by their practice of "giving
evolutionists some space" in the letters column and in some feature articles.
This is commendable, but the editorial point of view shows through quite
clearly.

I said it was interesting. Check this item:

	Most college students head south for the beaches during spring
	break. SOR President at Urbana, Ray Miller, also headed south
	but for different reasons - to discover fossilized footprints.
	Ray and SOR faculty advisor Professor M. E. Clark spent
	the last week in March on the McFall farm on the Paluxy River
	in Glen Rose, Texas. There they joined Dr. Carl Baugh and others
	in the excavation of the Cretaceous limestone in a search for
	fossilized footprints. In all the group discovered 31 dinosaur
	prints, 3 barefoot human prints, and three possible moccasin prints.

On the same page there are 2 photos, one of some footprints, and one of
Dr. Carl Baugh working at the site. Net.religion readers might remember
that Dr. Baugh is the one currently engaged in raising 3.5 million dollars
to build an ark-shaped creationism museum near Glen Rose. In my opinion, the
ark-museum casts a long, dark shadow over the scientific legitimacy of
Dr. Baugh's paleontology.

In Ray Miller's account of his Paluxy River excursion, he adopts the
stance of a disinterested observer. He refers to creationists in the
third person plural, as though not to include himself. Of course, he
omits to mention his Presidency of the Urbana chapter of the SOR. And
he presumes to lecture us on the requirements of objective judgement!

Let me anticipate Ray's protestation that his occupancy of that office
is irrelevant to his account.  I'm sure that most people would consider
it highly relevant. Would he have us believe that it just didn't occur
to him to mention it?  Well, I don't believe that. I think his whole
account was an imposture.

	Lew Mammel, Jr. ihnp4!ihuxr!lew