ID is being used as smokescreen

To the editor:

The recent attempt by the Bush administration to promote intelligent design as a viable criticism to modern evolutionary theory is nothing more than a blatant attempt to draw attention away from more important issues.

Evolution is a good theory. It is based on solid reasoning and observable evidence. This is evident to anyone who has ever taken high school biology. The only people who want to argue whether it is a good theory are those on the far religious right who don't believe anything unless it's written word for word in the Bible. These are the same people who want state-sponsored religion.

Intelligent design is nothing more than creationism being promoted as a science when it is not. Ask anyone who promoted intelligent design. I bet he will tell you he was intelligently designed by aliens.

The Bush administration is trying to promote an us-versus-them mentality, "us" being the God-chosen Republicans, and "them" being the evil, godless liberals.

The Bush administration also is trying to draw attention away from a bungled war with no viable exit strategy and from the nearly $3-a-gallon gasoline prices that are wreaking havoc on the middle class.

Those of us who support good reason and faith are not fooled by this attempt to use religious debate as a political smoke screen.

CHRIS SIEBERT, Cape Girardeau