Possible Utah Smokescreen

There's an article on Vice Magazine about the anti-gay laws that were recently passed in Nigeria.  The article, by Oscar Rickett,  asserts that the convoluted, illogical, and often redundant laws against homosexuality in Nigeria may be a smokescreen drawing attention away from systemic problems inside the Nigerian government.  These problems include power shortages, economic inequality, piracy, militant terrotism, and ethnic strife.  Rickett says in his article:

With all these issues going unaddressed, the one thing Jonathan could guarantee support on was bashing homosexuality.

This article piqued my interest.  With all the attention that was being brought to Nigeria, and other African countries, over their anti-gay laws, none of that attention included talk about the other problems that people are encountering in their country.  It makes me rethink the coverage of such issues in the media.  It also makes me rethink the actions of my local officials.

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Clarification On Kansas's Rejection Of Common Core Standards

On Monday, reports started circulating about the Kansas Republican Party passing several resolutions.  Included in these was one demanding state leaders reject the Common Core standards and prohibit the adoption of new science standards.  Most of the reporting on this story focused on Kansas's dubious history as it relates to science education, specifically citing the Kansas Evolution Hearings held in 2005.  However, the issue that the Kansas Republican Party has with science education may have less to do with the science part and more to do with the education part of the Common Core standards.

Politicians in Kansas have cited the "religious liberty" of the students as the motivating factor for passing this resolution.  When asked by this publication for a clarification, State GOP Chair Kelly Arnold gave the following statement:

"It is a great concern for us, as well as all conservative politicians, that the religious liberty of all people, no matter their age, be protected.  All citizens should be free to worship as they please, and our public education system must not infringe on a person's religious beliefs.  So, if someone believes that the very act of learning information, outside of what is taught in church and in the home, is against God's will, that belief must be protected.  That is the motivating factor behind this resolution.  We do not want to force anybody's belief system down their throats.  We want to prevent people from forcing education down the throats of the unwilling.  That is what I, and the Kansas Republican Party believes in."

So, after wading through the questionable violent sexual imagery contained in that comment, the true motives behind the resolution in question appears clear.  It's not that the Kansas Republican Party doesn't want evolution taught in public schools.  The Kansas Republican Party doesn't want anything taught in the public schools.