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  <title>Right Wing Watch</title>
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  <updated>2008-08-07T15:58:29-05:00</updated>
  <entry>
    <title>Blaming Virginia Tech Tragedy on Evolution, Lack of School Prayer</title>
    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/blaming-virginia-tech-tragedy-evolution-lack-school-prayer" />
    <id>http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/blaming-virginia-tech-tragedy-evolution-lack-school-prayer</id>
    <published>2007-04-20T15:55:18-05:00</published>
    <updated>2008-08-07T15:58:29-05:00</updated>
    <author>
      <name>Ezra</name>
    </author>
    <category term="American Family Association" />
    <category term="Creationism" />
    <category term="Education" />
    <summary type="html"><![CDATA[<p>Within 24 hours of a shooting spree   that left 33 dead at Virginia Tech, countless right-wing commentators took the opportunity to call   for increased access to guns on   campus. Some on the   Right have also used   the tragedy to launch less-expected   tirades.</p>
<p>American Family Radio, a part of the   American Family Association, <a title="http://www.afr.net/newafr/wekickedgodout.asp" href="http://www.afr.net/newafr/wekickedgodout.asp">read</a> over the air <a title="http://www.nehemiahinstitute.com/articles/index.php?action=show&amp;id=31" href="http://www.nehemiahinstitute.com/articles/index.php?action=show&amp;id=31">an   anonymous e-mail</a>, updated to include this latest tragedy, that blames school   shootings on the lack of school prayer and Bible-reading in public schools, on   abortion and access to condoms, and on the Lewinsky affair. &ldquo;We reap what we   sow.&rdquo;</p>
<p>WorldNetDaily.com published an   article featuring letters from readers <a title="http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=55252" href="http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=55252">outraged that a   Muslim spoke</a> alongside President Bush, Gov. Kaine, and others at Virginia   Tech&rsquo;s convocation after the events: &ldquo;How are we to know this wasn't a signal to   a sleeper cell?&rdquo;</p>
<p>And AFA&rsquo;s news website offered the   warnings of &ldquo;a full-time creation evangelist&rdquo; and apparent kitten-hater, Grady   McMurtry of Creation Worldview Ministries, who pinned the blame on   evolution:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>For years, he says, public schools   and universities have taught the theory of evolution as fact, with no opposing   viewpoints -- and the result, he contends, is a lack of respect for human   life.</p>
<p>Therefore, he asserts, people should   not be surprised when mass shootings occur, such as the one on the Blacksburg university   campus on Monday. &quot;And at Virginia Tech, what do we have?&quot; he asks rhetorically.   &quot;We have a person who, unfortunately, thought that humans had no more value than   cats and dogs -- and unfortunately, I think, probably felt the same way about   themselves.&quot;</p>
<p>The creationist continues explaining   his premise. &quot;And so what happens? If we are nothing but thinking animals, [and]   if you have excess people, then you can just put them in a bag, throw them in   the river the way you would too many kittens or too many   puppies.&quot;</p>
</blockquote>
    ]]></summary>
    <content type="html"><![CDATA[<p>Within 24 hours of a shooting spree   that left 33 dead at Virginia Tech, countless right-wing commentators took the opportunity to call   for increased access to guns on   campus. Some on the   Right have also used   the tragedy to launch less-expected   tirades.</p>
<p>American Family Radio, a part of the   American Family Association, <a title="http://www.afr.net/newafr/wekickedgodout.asp" href="http://www.afr.net/newafr/wekickedgodout.asp">read</a> over the air <a title="http://www.nehemiahinstitute.com/articles/index.php?action=show&amp;id=31" href="http://www.nehemiahinstitute.com/articles/index.php?action=show&amp;id=31">an   anonymous e-mail</a>, updated to include this latest tragedy, that blames school   shootings on the lack of school prayer and Bible-reading in public schools, on   abortion and access to condoms, and on the Lewinsky affair. &ldquo;We reap what we   sow.&rdquo;</p>
<p>WorldNetDaily.com published an   article featuring letters from readers <a title="http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=55252" href="http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=55252">outraged that a   Muslim spoke</a> alongside President Bush, Gov. Kaine, and others at Virginia   Tech&rsquo;s convocation after the events: &ldquo;How are we to know this wasn't a signal to   a sleeper cell?&rdquo;</p>
<p>And AFA&rsquo;s news website offered the   warnings of &ldquo;a full-time creation evangelist&rdquo; and apparent kitten-hater, Grady   McMurtry of Creation Worldview Ministries, who pinned the blame on   evolution:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>For years, he says, public schools   and universities have taught the theory of evolution as fact, with no opposing   viewpoints -- and the result, he contends, is a lack of respect for human   life.</p>
<p>Therefore, he asserts, people should   not be surprised when mass shootings occur, such as the one on the Blacksburg university   campus on Monday. &quot;And at Virginia Tech, what do we have?&quot; he asks rhetorically.   &quot;We have a person who, unfortunately, thought that humans had no more value than   cats and dogs -- and unfortunately, I think, probably felt the same way about   themselves.&quot;</p>
<p>The creationist continues explaining   his premise. &quot;And so what happens? If we are nothing but thinking animals, [and]   if you have excess people, then you can just put them in a bag, throw them in   the river the way you would too many kittens or too many   puppies.&quot;</p>
</blockquote>
    ]]></content>
  </entry>
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