Monkey Business in Kansas Conferance

November 5-7 1999

In early November of 1999 I attended the Monkey Business in Kansas conferance in Kansas City, Kansas. It was put on by several national organizations to bring attention to the recent actions by Kansas and several other states to lessen the teaching of evolution. It started out on Friday morning with a protest on Stateline Road by several students belonging to the Campus Freethought Alliance and the Young Freethinkers Alliance. The participants came from all parts of the country to participate and were joined by those of us in the host state to protest the Kansas School Boards actions. Friday afternoon and on saturday we moved to the University of Kansas Medical Center right down the street for various lectures and discussions on the subject. Some of the speakers were Massimo Pigliucci, Robert Price, Molleen Matsumara, Fred Whitehead, Tom Flynn and Paul Kurtz . Sunday there was a panel discussion on evolution with two evolutionists two intelligent designists and one compatablist. The Intelligent designists were far out matched in both quality of material and presentation by their other panalists. In the evenings there was plenty of giant pizza (30 inch diameter) and various alcoholic beverages in which to partake as the CFA held its nightly parties. Overall it was a very enjoyable and educational experience.