Denying Science

Intermittently over the past few years I have mentioned the fact that the bookstore operated by the National Parks Service at the Grand Canyon sells Grand Canyon: A Different View, a piece of creationist piffle that claims the canyon was formed by Noah's Flood. The book in question was the only item approved for sale in the Parks Services bookstore in 2003 (22 other items were rejected). The book is supposed to be reviewed, but no review has been scheduled or requested.

This War on Science launched by the Parks Service is more apparent in the western parks and monuments where the science of geology is often highlighted. At the John Day Fossil Beds Monument in southern Oregon, the dates of fossils have been challenged by administration hacks who would prefer those inconvenient fossils just go away and stop confusing people.

The erosion of science at the Grand Canyon has continued unabated, in spite of complaints from the scientific community. Now, when tourists inquire about the age of the canyon, the official reply is "No Comment." The Bush administration has edited the geologic record out of the Grand Canyon.