Here’s a clever nomination for Censor of the Year from thoughtful reader Steven in Connecticut. Other nominations have not particularly surprised me, but I thought this was very cute, with a nod to Time:
Dear Mr. Klinghoffer,
In the spirit of Time magazine’s past nominations of the collective person of the year, e.g. The American Fighting Man (1950), U.S. Scientists (1960), The Whistleblowers (2002), etc., I’d like to nominate The Reviewer of Dr. Stephen Meyer’s book Darwin’s Doubt.
Because of his self-imposed gag order, The Reviewer has not exercised his right to free speech in addressing the book’s two main theses — the origin of information during the Cambrian explosion and the Great Darwinian Paradox of genes governing major developmental changes that do not vary or vary to the detriment of the organism (embryonic lethals).
Three examples stand out in my mind of the censorship neo-Darwinists have imposed on themselves in 2013 and why they deserve the honor of Censor of the Year:
1. The “no-viewers” at Amazon.com and other online bookstores. Not only have they been forbidden to address Dr. Meyer’s main arguments in Darwin’s Doubt but it seems they have not been allowed to even read the book judging from the content of their reviews.
2. Dr. Nick Matzke prudently imposed a gag order on himself when, in the conclusion of his 10,000 word “flashview,” he quickly stated “Meyer discusses a number of other issues, e.g. development, that would be better treated by others”. Amounting to about 1/10 of 1% of his total review.
3. The Unknown Scientist featured on the ENV website back in September has given himself a cease and desist order in his review of Darwin’s Doubt.
https://scienceandculture.com/2013/09/meet_the_unknow076271.htmlAfter 25,000 words in 20 posts in which he only danced around the fringes of the book, reviewing (“shredding”) the Prologue, chapters 1,2*,17 & 18, he complied with the order and stated “I think I’m done with that monstrosity”.
http://www.skepticink.com/smilodonsretreat/2014/01/16/book-prereview-the-monkeys-voyage/So I nominate you, Mr. Darwin’s Doubt Book Reviewer. No one has limited his own free speech more than yourself.
*stopping short of the chapter ominously titled “Soft Bodies and Hard Facts”
Respectfully submitted,
[Snip]
Nominations will close tomorrow, January 29. Send them to editor@scienceandculture.com. I am arbitrarily setting midnight Pacific Time on Wednesday as the moment the door slams shut.
I’m now on Twitter. Find me @d_klinghoffer.