Ben Stein sends regrets, rational beings are pleased

( – promoted by buhdydharma )

Maybe it was the fact that he saw odum’s web poll and retreated in fear of the inevitable costumed protestors a la the monkey and banana that dogged George Allen. Or, maybe, Richard Dawkins had more to do with it.

At any rate, Ben Stein’s gonna be a no-show at the UVM commencement.

Pharyngula:

Here’s the letter from President Fogel. They asked Stein to speak as an authority on economics?

 

Dear Professor Dawkins,

   As one who has been deeply instructed by your work and who applauds your scientific leadership, I was honored to find a personal email from you in my inbox, but very sorry indeed that the occasion was the decision to invite Ben Stein to be a Commencement speaker and honorary degree recipient. Although we have recently learned that Mr. Stein will be unable to receive the honorary degree here or to serve as Commencement speaker, please know that it was our expectation that his remarks would address the global economic crisis and that he would speak from his widely acknowledged area of expertise on the economy. We regret that he will be unable to do so.

   With thanks again for writing, with admiration, and with every good wish–Daniel Mark Fogel, President, The University of Vermont

Darn. And here I was gonna show up with my family dressed up as troglodytes. and my dog done up as a dinosaur.

It would have been so easy, even a caveman could do it.

Backstory here.