Happy Darwin Day, Sort Of

So now we're celebrating Darwin's birthday as Dawrin Day, partly because his ideas have been so important, and partly to help us to educate people about evolution (though holding it on a Sunday probably doesn't serve to facilitate that purpose), but mostly, I think, to stick it to creationists (and holding it on Sunday definitely facilitates that purpose). And believe me, I'm all for sticking it to the creationists. I can even show you where on creationists I want to stick it, if you'd like.

Just ask me where on this diagram of a creationist I would like to stick it.

But is calling it Darwin Day really the ideal way to stick it to them, or to faciliate evolution education? I mean, haven't biologists and others who are pro-science and know anything whatsoever about contemporary biology been trying to shed the silly label "Darwinists?" Because let's face it, modern biologists aren't really Darwinists, in the same sense that modern physicists aren't Keplerians. Biology has actually produced some advancements in the last 150 years. Wouldn't it be better to call it something like Evolution Day, then? That way, we don't look like we're Darwinists worshipping at the alter of Darwin. We could still hold it on Darwin's birthday, or maybe the closest weekday (the Friday before or the Monday after, giving science teachers a chance to reiterate the importance of evolution to their students). But the name itself would help to convey the fact that we're not celebrating a 150 year old theory, because we're celebrating a very contemporary theory; one that continues to, for lack of a better word, evolve, just as any good scientific theory does.

So Happy Evolution Day,everyone, and may you have many more.