Democrats in the House have introduced a resolution to create a national holiday for the man behind the theory of evolution.
Connecticut Democratic Rep. Jim Himes introduced House Resolution 67, calling for national recognition of Charles Darwin on his birthday, Feb. 12.
The resolution praises Darwin for the theory of evolution, a point that is likely to draw criticism from some conservatives.
“Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution by the mechanism of natural selection, together with the monumental amount of scientific evidence he compiled to support it, provides humanity with a logical and intellectually compelling explanation for the diversity of life on Earth,” the resolution states.
The American Humanist Association, whose motto is “good without a god,” has been a driving force behind the movement. They started the International Darwin Day Foundation, whose “mission is to promote the public education of Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution and to encourage the celebration of science and humanity.”
“With climate change deniers and others with anti-science views threatening our planet, there is an urgent need for our politicians to openly voice their support for scientists and science education,” Roy Speckhardt, executive director of the AHA, said in a statement.
This is the fourth year that the Darwin Day Resolution has been introduced, according to the AHA.
“Charles Darwin’s discoveries gave humankind a new, revolutionary way of thinking about the natural world and our place in it,” Himes said in a statement. “Without Darwin’s contributions to science, philosophy and reason, our understanding of the world’s complexity and grandeur would be significantly diminished.”
A 2014 Gallup poll showed that 42 percent of Americans believe in creationism, that God created man in his current form about 10,000 years ago. More than half of Americans believe humans evolved, with the majority saying God guided the evolutionary process.
The percentage who believe evolution was not guided by God is on the rise.
The resolution was cosponsored by a slew of democrats: Matthew Alton Cartwright, Stephen Cohen, Rosa DeLauro, Bill Foster, Mike Honda, Zoe Lofgren, Alan S. Lowenthal, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Adam Schiff, Louise Slaughter and Adam Smith.
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