FIC Blog

Some headlines write themselves, but the first person to commit them to print goes down in legend. For instance, Mel Blanc’s epitaph: “That’s all, folks.” I wish I had been responsible for “UConn Professor Goes Ape.” That’s precisely what happened as UConn’s James Boster publicly disgraced himself, becoming flat-out belligerent toward an anti-evolution demonstrator. See the video here.

The Wolfgangs have their own nifty title here. And this being the second incident of its kind, I do hope our friends in the legislature will call out Professor Boster with the same vehemence they did Professor Terry.

Fortunately for my fame and posterity, Boster’s performance invites comparison to film’s Nutty Professor – or, more specifically, the Professor’s testosterone-soaked alter ego. A word of advice to Dr. Boster: assuming that this is not in fact the real you, next time, leave Buddy at home…preferably under lock and key. This ain’t a Hollywood stage, and you’re no Jerry Lewis or Eddie Murphy!

At the point when you resort to bellowing, shaking your fists, and shouting obscenities, you’ve not only lost – you’ve become a spectacle. I’m reminded of my experience at 40 Days for Life when a man got in my face, called me a “retard,” and (irony is always lost on such individuals!) lectured me about women’s rights as I stood in a public place holding a pretty tame sign.

As Boster’s revivalist zeal draws a crowd, one gets a sense from the students’ nervous tittering while they humor his shouts of “Praise Darwin” that they are, in fact, laughing at the man and not with him. They don’t need a gray beard or PhD to recognize an immature, unbecoming tantrum. That’s both encouraging and sad. They probably are also highly aware that stuff like this hits Youtube or Facebook in mere minutes.

Here at FIC, we know that evolution is a hotly debated topic. Personally, witnessing this exchange, I come away sympathetic to the man with the sign – the man who maintains a calm, reasonable decibel level – regardless of what the facts are or aren’t. Nobody should be subject to this kind of abuse anywhere, let alone on a college campus, for expressing an opinion. It’s absolutely chilling. Unfortunately, our pro-life, pro-marriage friends know this is all too common. In addition to my experience, our Executive Director has fielded numerous colorful threats over the years.

What more can I say about this? I think I’ll summarize with the timeless wit of Bill Watterson’s Calvin and Hobbes.

Calvin: Do you believe in evolution?
Hobbes: No.
Calvin: You don’t think humans evolved from monkeys?
Hobbes: I sure don’t see any difference.