Cincinnati proclaims Feb. 12 2008 "Darwin Day"

I have issued this press release to the major news outlets in the city and the Associated Press. Look or listen for it tomorrow. Thanks to Mayor Mallory for signing and enacting this document just as I wrote it. I didn't think he would but it just goes to show that you don't know until you ask.

PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release:

The Free Inquiry Group of Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky, Inc. (FIG) is pleased to announce that the Honorable Mark Mallory, Mayor of the City of Cincinnati, has proclaimed February 12, 2008 as ?DARWIN DAY.?

The Proclamation reads as follows:

Proclamation

City of Cincinnati
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Be It Proclaimed:

WHEREAS, The City of Cincinnati has always been at the forefront of scientific research, medicine, and academia; and

WHEREAS, The City will continue to support the sciences at all levels of education; and

WHEREAS, many scientific advancements can be traced back to the work of Charles Darwin and his groundbreaking discovery 150 years ago, that living things change over time, or evolve, in response to selective pressure of their environment; and

WHEREAS, Darwin's theory redefined the direction of research and progress, and has since been the cornerstone of the biological sciences that have brought advancement in medicine, agriculture, zoology, paleontology, and conservation, to name a few, to benefit us all; and

WHEREAS, Charles Darwin was born on February 12, 1809, and

WHEREAS, February 12 is a world-wide Darwin Day Celebration; and


Now, Therefore, I, Mark Mallory,

Mayor of the City of Cincinnati do hereby proclaim

February 12, 2008,

as

"DARWIN DAY"

in Cincinnati.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have

hereunto set my hand and caused this seal

of the City of Cincinnati to be affixed this

7th day of February in the year Two

Thousand and Eight.



/signed/

Mark Mallory, Mayor

City of Cincinnati

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John Welte, Sr., President of FIG, who had requested the Proclamation, said he was very gratified to see the City of Cincinnati continue its historic support of science, reason, and free inquiry. ?This is particularly important in light of the fact that there are constant attacks on the evidence of evolution by the ?Creation Museum? here in our area, by educators who want to allow the religious viewpoint called ?Creationism? to be taught in our schools, and even by candidates for the Presidency of the United States. Evolution has been clearly established as one of the most robust of scientific facts,? Welte said.

Brilliant! Thank you, John.

While some (like me) talk, you've taken action. Thank you for taking the steps that help insure I can more comfortably express my own beliefs openly. Your efforts are appreciated.

Thank you.

Strong work John. Where is this going to be released? Can we find it in a newspaper?

Great work, John !

Here is my best way to say thanks!

(From Dawkins website today)

John, thanks for your work. I'm astounded he signed it so easily, it gives me a glimmer of hope. Nice list of "whereases".

You can check the newspaper, local TV and radio, along with cincinnati.com. Edwin Kagin and I spent the day calling and e-mailing every media outlet we could think of. Unfortunately the mayor's office did not confirm until this morning and I actually picked up the proclamation at about noon. There was not much time to get the word out. I requested the proclamation on January 18.

Thanks for the link Mike. Enjoyed it.

Good work John! Do you happen to have Mallory's email address? I would like to send him a thank you message and commend him on his courage. My opinion of Mallory just improved considerably.

WOW. Nicely done, john. Happy Darwin Day everyone!

P.S. to john-john - that is a rock star idea.

Please do e-mail the mayor with thanks. I am mentioning the significance of this proclamation is greater due to the close proximity of the creation "museum".

Mayor Mallory's e-mail address

It looks as though that link will not work so...mark.mallory@cincinnati-oh.gov