Ben Stein's withdraws as university speaker

Questioninggeller

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Reportedly due to outcry:

Stein Withdraws as UVM Speaker
Burlington, Vermont - February 2, 2009
WCAX.com

...
Just last week, the university announced that Stein, who is highly acclaimed as an actor, author, and economist, would be delivering this year's commencement address. But Monday, the school announced that he has now withdrawn as speaker.

Stein has made headlines recently for his views regarding Darwin's theory of evolution, intelligent design and the role of science in the Holocaust. Several people from the academic community-- both locally and beyond the UVM campus-- quickly expressed concern over his selection and once notified of that, Stein withdrew from the ceremony.

"This is not, to my mind, an issue about academic freedom or the openness of the campus to all points of view. Ben Stein spoke here last spring to great acclaim," UVM President Dan Fogel said. "It's an issue about the appropriateness of awarding an honorary degree to someone whose views in many ways ignore or affront the fundamental values of scientific inquiry and I greatly regret that I was not attuned to those issues."
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WCAX.com


The funny thing is the Discovery Institute's spin:

Darwin Defenders Get Ben Stein Expelled from University of Vermont’s Commencement Address
February 3, 2009 3:50 PM
Evolutionnews.org

The Chronicle of Higher Education reports that Ben Stein “has withdrawn from an engagement to speak at the University of Vermont’s spring commencement after his invitation drew complaints about his views on biological evolution.” The article reports: “According to the Burlington Free Press, the vast majority of protesters were not affiliated with the University of Vermont; only ‘about a half dozen’ objections came from the campus.” So why did protests about Stein start pouring in from outside the University of Vermont (UVM)? The answer seems clear: Stein’s invitation to speak at UVM was first raised to the Darwinist community in a post by PZ Myers titled, “University of Vermont makes an embarrassing decision.” Given the large following of PZ’s blog, this undoubtedly resulted in readers who were “not affiliated with the University of Vermont” sending e-mails protesting Stein’s involvement.

It also seems highly unlikely that Stein's withdrawal was completely voluntary—after all, Dan Fogel, the President of the UVM, has been making it patently clear that supporters of intelligent design deserve second-class treatment at his school. Fogel has been all but parroting PZ’s rhetoric that “it's a real slap in the face for the university to drag in this disgrace who has been a figurehead for a movement that is trying to replace science with superstition,” as Fogel stated::
...
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Source

OK, Stein withdraws and the IDiots claim he was "expelled" and it was "unlikely... voluntary." Why do creationists see a conspiracy in everything?

You made a bad documentary about an academic "conspiracy" with little fact in it, link the Holocaust to evolution, science to murder, and get shocked that people don't want you there?

 
He does ads for eye drops on the radio here. "Clear Eyes" brand.

Well, as a direct result of that ad, when I went to buy eye drops the other day, I bought Visine brand. Not quite the result Clear Eyes intended, but one I think they will experience more and more as time goes by.
 
BenBurch said:
He does ads for eye drops on the radio here. "Clear Eyes" brand.

Well, as a direct result of that ad, when I went to buy eye drops the other day, I bought Visine brand. Not quite the result Clear Eyes intended, but one I think they will experience more and more as time goes by.
Click to expand...

As someone else keeps saying, you need to let them know why you aren't buying your product or it makes no impact, however small.
 
Actually, they're right on this one, unless the author of that other thread claiming to have started the campaign to have him booted was either wrong or lying. (But maybe that thread was at BAUT, not here. I'll try to find it. It's not very old.)
 
Why I didn't buy Clear Eyes;

Ben Stein.

His rejection of science and embracing of the insane creationist religious right is SO objectionable to me that I will never buy your product. And I know I am not alone in being disgusted by your choice of him as a spokesperson.

So when I needed eye drops the other day, I bought Visine.

Ditch Stein, and I will consider your product next time.

-Ben Burch
Click to expand...

And if you want to send a similar note, here is the URL;

http://cleareyes.com/contact.htm
 
Is it really worth boycotting a product because the pitchman holds a viewpoint you consider dumb? Just wondering.
 
Questioninggeller said:
The funny thing is the Discovery Institute's spin:

Source

OK, Stein withdraws and the IDiots claim he was "expelled" and it was "unlikely... voluntary." Why do creationists see a conspiracy in everything?
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Because it justifies their narrow worldview. The thing I think is so damn funny about all this is that on the one hand many creationists will say that clearly the majority of people agree with them (the implication is that they are the majority - hence all the "Christian nation" babble). Yet in the next breath they start to spin conspiracies about how they are the poor, persecuted minority - wah, wah, wah.

Such a martyr complex just makes me want to gag every time :rolleyes:

You made a bad documentary about an academic "conspiracy" with little fact in it, link the Holocaust to evolution, science to murder, and get shocked that people don't want you there?

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Of course the Disco Institute is shocked - they have The Truth! How can people not see that? :confused:

[/sarc]
 
I am boycotting the product "Clear Eyes", thanks to Ben Stein's endorsement of this product. Ben Stein, in the alleged documentary "Expelled", showed (along with whoever helped created it), a profound dislike for honesty or the ability to discern factual information from fantasy.

As such, I cannot trust Ben Stein's endorsement of your product, "Clear Eyes".

Thank you for understanding.
 
Didn't Stein recently disparage universities? Something about them being full
of nonsense or whatever? So why would he want to speak at one or accept
an honorary degree?
 
TX50 said:
Didn't Stein recently disparage universities? Something about them being full
of nonsense or whatever? So why would he want to speak at one or accept
an honorary degree?
Click to expand...

Because he's a ******** idiot *********? :p
 
Magnifico2.0 said:
Is it really worth boycotting a product because the pitchman holds a viewpoint you consider dumb? Just wondering.
Click to expand...
Yes- unless you cannot do without the product. Worked with Anita whatever on the Gay thing.

I like to tell businesses I have a problem with that I defend their right fully to follow certain procedures/ use certain agents to sell product, etc. But I want them to understand that I have an equal right to not buy from them/buy their product. Same reason I don't eat at Outback - their food's ok but so are many others. Others whose corporate giving does not go to pro-life organizations (loathe that name - they are only pro-forced birth. Most could give a feces less what happens with the child after birth.
 
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