To the editor:

We need to honor the forgotten heroes of the Culture War. Their extraordinary performance on the battlefield should be recognized, like any other warrior with an appropriate decoration. I propose the Star of Arrogant Dogmatism, Second Class, be awarded with solemn ceremony to the following veterans of the Kansas Board of Education science-standards hearings:

¢ State Board of Education conservatives who didn’t bother to read their opponents’ statements:

¢ The president of a national science organization who refused to appear before the board to hear or respond to critics of evolutionary theory.

¢ The attorney who berated the board for two hours, and refused to hear their subsequent questions or comments:

¢ All street-corner and armchair controversialists who consider that THEIR side mounted a principled defense of truth against the other side deceitful arrogance.

Steve Hicks,

Lawrence