Emerging past the realm of semi-science-fiction and into the world of soon-to-be-utterly-dismissed-by-governments-and-ignored-by-the-public, A group of anthropologists is pushing the theory that evolution can be tied to the shamanistic use of trances both induced by psychedelics and rituals.
Read about it in the Globe and Mail.

It’s not too far-fetched of a theory if you let yourself understand what they are saying. By pushing on, what Huxley termed, the doors of perception, new ways of thinking and living became apparent to those who allow themselves to explore this uncharted ground. One can certainly see why such a tool would be dangerous to governments whose power is drawn from the consent or, rather, the passive acceptance, of the people. If the citizenry starts thinking for itself, what would we have? Civil unrest? Young people questioning the motives and refusing to fight in a war? Can’t have that.

Oppression of the shamanic use of hallucinogens goes back a long way (and I don’t just mean back to the 60’s.) The Spanish invaders persectuted the Aztecs for using a variety of nature’s gifts, including peyote and teonanocatl. Same story, different era.

One would hope that this renewed press to restore the historical significance of psychedelics to the evolution of mankind will succeed but, given the recent attacks upon evolution itself, it seems as if it will be an uphill battle.

In other News:
From politics1.com:
GAY ADOPTION. State Senator Robert Hagan (D-Ohio) says he will introduce legislation to ban Republican couples from adopting children. According to Hagan, “credible research” shows that adopted children raised in GOP households are more at risk for developing “emotional problems, social stigmas, inflated egos, and alarming lack of tolerance for others they deem different than themselves and an air of overconfidence to mask their insecurities.” Hagan agrees there is no scientific evidence backing his claims about Republican parents — just, as Hagan notes, there is none backing State Representative Ron Hood’s (R) bill banning gay parents from adopting. Hood claims children purportedly suffer from emotional “harm” when they are adopted by gay couples. Hagan admits he created his proposal to mock Hood’s proposed ban on gay adoption in a way that people would see the “blatantly discriminatory and extremely divisive” nature of the bill. The GOP House leadership does not support Hood’s proposal.

Bush’s approval rating down to 34%. Cheney’s is down to 18%. (CBS News)