A village idiot of Lake City, Florida, Kenny Merriken has become something of a local attraction for protesting outside the county school administration building, every morning, over the fact that the state requires the school to teach evolution in biology classes. According to Merriken, he is “protesting the scientific teaching of evolution, which is a fallacy contrary to the Holy Bible.” One notes that Merriken doesn’t know what “fallacy” means. Apparently, his goal is public acknowledgment that Evolution is a fallacy contrary to the Bible, which suggests that he doesn’t quite grasp the Constitutional scope of role of government in religious matters either. Alternatively, he would accept a public debate with the Columbia County School District and its teachers. “I believe these teachings are persuading those who are weak in faith, courage or intellect,” says Merriken.
In his own eyes, however, Merriken is just trying to bring justice to poor students oppressed by the curriculum; “I’m standing up for the little guy,” said Merriken. Merriken is not standing up for the little guy.
Apparently he has talked to the city council, the county commission, a state representative and the state department of education, without luck. We imagine that they were as deeply impressed by his tenacity as they were by his acumen.
Diagnosis: Probably harmless, and certainly not helping his own cause.
I grew up with this guy as an adult in my church and as a long-term sub in my high school in Columbia, SC. My younger brother and his oldest son were best friends growing up. He's a nutjob for sure; his wife eventually left him because of mental health issues. He also tried to sail to Cuba to be a missionary to Castro.
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