Anti-Science Extremism

The Republican Party has embraced, promoted and endorsed this level of ignorance and would continue to do so were it not for the public outcry.

Newt Gingrich appeared with Akin.

It's time to time to define extremism.

The anti-science wing of the Republican party is growing, signaling bad news for like-minded Americans.

Rep. Todd Akin claims that evolution is not a 'matter of science'

October 12, 2012

By: Robert Sobel

U.S. Rep. Todd Akin (R-MO) and Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich (not pictured) address the media on September 24, 2012 in Kirkwood, Missouri.

Credit: Photo by Whitney Curtis/Getty Images

The Republican Senate candidate who claimed women couldn't get pregnant from "legitimate rape" is back with more outrageous claims, this time attacking science.

After Rep. Todd Akin made his "legitimate rape" comment, he faced a vicious backlash including people from his own party. Republican presidential candidate, Mitt Romney, denounced Akin's comments and the Republican hierarchy urged the Missouri Senate candidate to drop out of the race. While the pressure from national Republicans was strong, Akin decided to stay in the race and is running neck and neck with his Democratic opponent, Claire McCaskill.

According to Think Progress, Todd Akin spoke to a group of Tea Party members where he questioned evolution, claiming that it wasn't actual science.

"I've taken a look at both sides of the thing and it seems to me that evolution takes a tremendous amount of faith...To have all of the sudden all the different things that have to be lined up to create something as sophisticated as life, it takes a lot of faith. I don’t see it as even a matter of science because I don’t know that you can prove one or the other."

The Republican Senate candidate who claimed women couldn't get pregnant from "legitimate rape" is back with more outrageous claims, this time attacking science.

After Rep. Todd Akin made his "legitimate rape" comment, he faced a vicious backlash including people from his own party. Republican presidential candidate, Mitt Romney, denounced Akin's comments and the Republican hierarchy urged the Missouri Senate candidate to drop out of the race. While the pressure from national Republicans was strong, Akin decided to stay in the race and is running neck and neck with his Democratic opponent, Claire McCaskill.

According to Think Progress, Todd Akin spoke to a group of Tea Party members where he questioned evolution, claiming that it wasn't actual science.

"I've taken a look at both sides of the thing and it seems to me that evolution takes a tremendous amount of faith...To have all of the sudden all the different things that have to be lined up to create something as sophisticated as life, it takes a lot of faith. I don’t see it as even a matter of science because I don’t know that you can prove one or the other."

Akin's anti-science comments continue the party line of questionable claims about facts and evidence. According to a recent Gallup poll, 95 percent of all scientists accept evolution as an absolute fact. As the religious right continues to take over the Republican party, the anti-science rhetoric from conservatives will continue to grow.

http://www.examiner.com/article/rep-todd-akin-claims-that-evolution-is-not-a-matter-of-science