Why Is Ken Ham in Kentucky?

Here in Australia, creationism is in trouble. Outside of Queensland (the Fuckhead State), it’s banned for mention in science, and since 2010, the Australian Academy of Sciences has stated categorically that any science education that includes non-science information, explicitly citing Intelligent Design and Creationism, does not count as any form of education and will not be considered as acceptable for any nationally recognised credit. Simply put, in Australia, if you teach creationism as a science, you’re messing up. In Queensland, you can do it,  but if the kid can’t pass tests on Evolution – including questions about ‘how does it work,’ then bam. Get lost.

There are other problems, the efforts of the religious to earn Special Religious Institution status, and they suck, but the point is, in Australia, a minority of a minority with very little political power believe in creationism. If you were a creationism lobbyist, if you were trying to, on an ideological level, spread creationism for its own sake, you would probably want to be here, working as hard as you can to push back against this terrible wave of disbelief.

I mean, if that was your thing.

So why the fuck is Ken Ham in Kentucky?

Kentucky already is a creationist space. It’s a space where people can happily espouse the idea that Creationism is true and Evolution is a lie from hell. It has political representatives who espouse creationism. It may even have a creationist presidential candidate – or two! – soon. Its state government gave millions to a creationism museum and money to build an ark!

Kentucky is pretty damn safe space. Why are the crusaders milling there?

It’s almost like there’s some incentive system that pulls them there. Almost like they’re not actually all about the promotion and distribution of their ideology, and like they’re moving to the greater centres of reward.

Hm, hm, hm.