Scalia commencement speech: Humans have 'been around for at least some 5,000 years'

[KamaAina]

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/06/05/1390877/-Scalia-commencement-speech-Humans-have-been-around-for-at-least-some-5-000-years

Supreme Court Justice Nino Scalia just gave the commencement address for the graduating class of one of his 36 grandchildren, delivering some comic stylings by skewering weighty maxims like "to thine own self be true" and "never compromise your principles." (Hard-hitting stuff!) The best part, though, was when he threw a triceratops femur to the young Earth creationist set:

"Class of 2015, you should not leave Stone Ridge High School thinking that you face challenges that are at all, in any important sense, unprecedented," he said. "Humanity has been around for at least some 5,000 years or so, and I doubt that the basic challenges as confronted are any worse now, or alas even much different, from what they ever were."

At least 5,000 years—he's not wrong! And McDonald's posts those signs, you know, that say, "Over 5,000 served." Of course, he's also hedging by a factor of 40, since good ol' homo sap. emerged 200,000 years ago.

So why that specific number, 5,000? It just so happens to be right around what those who take a literal view of the creation story in Genesis believe the age of the earth to be. (Current year in the Hebrew calendar: a nicely palindromic 5775.) Surely a coincidence, yes? Well, Scalia's right: We're still facing the same old challenges as we always have—in this case, rank ignorance.

Oh, a high school. I was wondering what college would allow Fat Tony to give its commencement address.

[spanone]

1. kill me.

[greyl]

2. Holy fucking shit! nt

[BrotherIvan]

6. You read my mind!

[Iliyah]

3. He's a creationist.

Probably Thomas and Scalia as well, that's why it is so important to keep the WH.

[pscot]

4. I read that as Stone Age High School

I thought, he's found the right venue.

[KamaAina]

7. DUzy!

[Kalidurga]

5. Yes at least 5000 years.

Written history goes back more than 10,000 years. There are cave paintings (you could argue some are maps) that are 40,000 years old. And recent studies show that chimpanzees can learn how to cook and prefer cooking so there are some hominidae behaviors that could possibly go back millions of years.

[greyl]

8. K&R nt