When I was a kid, one of my favorite stories was Dr. Seuss's And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street. It's about a young boy named Marco who is walking home and observing the mundane sights and sounds along the title thoroughfare.
On the way home, all Marco sees is a horse-drawn wagon. This prompts him to complain:
That's nothing to tell of,
That won't do, of course...
Just a broken-down wagon
That's drawn by a horse.
That won't do, of course...
Just a broken-down wagon
That's drawn by a horse.
So, in place of the wagon, Marco dreams up an elaborate tale to tell to his father about the amazing menagerie that he saw parading down the street, including a big brass band on a trailer being pulled by an elephant and two giraffes, a police escort, the Mayor, an airplane dumping confetti, and more!
I couldn't help but be reminded of this story when I read Casey Luskin's recent Evolution News and Views post in which four people constitute a "Parade of Ph.D. Biologists."
That's some parade!
Even more giggle-inducing is the comparison between Luskin's paltry list and the National Center for Science Education's extensive list of fifty-four scientific and educational societies calling for the approval of the standards as originally submitted, without the misleading "strengths and weaknesses" language.
In the end, it turns out that there is a significant difference between the imaginative young Marco and Mr. Luskin.
When faced with the choice, Marco decided to abandon his tall tale and just tell his father the truth.
posted by Jeremy Mohn
