Hopkins students must arm with knowledge

Growing up, you may have been told to hear people out when they express an opinion, if for no other reason than to show respect. There is, however, a much more significant reason to hear people out, and I believe it is crucial to overcoming a misinformation gap that is plaguing the American public. Bad arguments only stick when you and I fail to take them in, analyze and challenge them on the battlefield of words.  
Of course, it is hard to endure the incendiary rhetoric that often form the opening lines of a confrontation. You would probably be loath to sit through a conversation replete with such assertions as "abortion is murder," "global warming is bogus," "evolution is a myth," and "the gays are going to hell." However difficult, though, it is crucial to have the patience to hear out their "reasons" and "evidence" to prevent them from winning arguments on baseless accusations.
Regardless of what your personal opinions are on most of the aforementioned issues, you probably accept the validity of evolutionary theory and are most likely astounded by the utter failure of America to properly grasp it. A 2010 Gallup poll found that only 40 percent of Americans support evolution, while a 2011 Fox News poll showed that 40 percent support strict creationism over evolution or theist-driven evolution.
We can blame the failure of teachers to grasp evolution themselves or stand up to the pressures of misinformed parents who support religion in the science classroom. We can blame the politicians who have cast baseless claims against evolution, especially those vying for the coveted Republican nomination in the presidential election - catering to an increasingly misguided voter base concerning scientific issues. Ultimately, the blame can come down to us as well, in our failure to get our hands dirty and our personas insulted.
Scientists can only write so many op-ed pieces or give so many interviews to influence the public discourse. Politicians who support evolution can only devote so much of their time and efforts before they risk charges of politicizing science. To combat the misinformation in the American body politic, it is necessary that we students engage directly in the national discussion.
Sure, it is difficult for any one student to greatly influence the vast arena of discussion in America. Sure, the news media and established public officials hold more sway over the discourse. But from each one of our actions, we can form powerful and cogent arguments to sway the national debate. Armed with proper knowledge, we can instill in others an understanding of the truth, while at the same time defeating misinformation. To succeed in this process, though, we must hone our knowledge, properly informing ourselves and learning what others will say.  
I can think of no better example in which knowledge can defeat falsity than that of Ray Comfort, an evangelical who has tirelessly campaigned against evolution. Two years ago, his edited version of Darwin's On the Origin of Species featured a lengthy forward that was distributed here at Hopkins and at other universities which attacks evolution through a variety of arguments. These arguments, however, are mixed in with his attempt to spin natural selection as an evil idea that the Nazis used to justify the Holocaust.
Setting aside such mudslinging, Comfort's forward presents a number of false points that a deeper study of evolution can easily disprove. In one section, he tries to spin vestigial organs as evidence against evolution. His point falls short, however, in the assumption that natural selection leads only to the development of organs and appendages and not to their destruction. In reality, natural selection can actively hinder the growth - over many generations - of organs and appendages when they are no longer needed, saving the organism the energetic costs of forming those structures.
Should you ever come across a denier of evolution, don't shy away from a confrontation. Engage him, find out what he uses to argue his point, then develop your own arguments to counter his. Only when we strengthen our own understanding can we be better prepared to fight America's ignorance and expose the public to the truth.