Kentucky Cuts Education; Preserves Tax Breaks For Creationist Theme Park
Kentucky Cuts Education; Preserves Tax Breaks For Creationist Theme Park
In one of the most spectacularly mis-prioritized state budgets in recent memory, Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear (D), is suggesting over $50 million in cuts to education – while preserving $43 million in tax breaks for the Ark Encounter, a creationist amusement park centered around a life-sized Noah’s Ark. The park is sponsored by Answers In Genesis, a non-profit organization that promotes a “literalist” interpretation of the Book of Genesis while promoting an anti-evolution (and other sciences) agenda.
There are a number of reasons why this is a bad idea. First of all, it makes no sense to cut education at this point without reforms that go along with it to ensure that education services don’t suffer as a result. This budget doesn’t do that. Education dollars are an investment in the future – both culturally and economically. Moreover, a tax subsidy in support violates – in spirit if not in letter – the sacred American principle of the separation of Church and State.
Moreover, in a time of austerity, surely it makes most sense to eliminate wasteful subsidies first, rather than essential public services. Especially subsidies that are of dubious value to begin with, whether its this “Ark Park” or a football stadium.
There are religious considerations, too. I’m not an evangelical myself, but hostility to evolution has caused a rift among evangelical Christians. For example, Liberal evangelical Fred Clark has a problem with this and other anti-science promotions by his fellow evangelicals, because he thinks that they’re not only factually wrong, but also drive people away from evangelical churches.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/alexknapp/2012/01/23/kentucky-cuts-education-preserves-tax-breaks-for-creationist-theme-park/
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