More Recent Comments

Thursday, June 12, 2008

Charles McVety Visits the ROM

 
I was taking Bryant Ing1 to lunch today when we decided to check out what was happening at the Royal Ontario Museum. There was supposed to be a big anti-racism rally led by "Dr." Charles McVety. He's the man who claims that Charles Darwin was a racist [Canadian Creationist: Charles McVety].

Here he is (left) speaking to his supporters right in front of the museum where the Charles Darwin exhibit is housed. One of his supporters handed us a leaflet explaining why Darwin was a racist. (I'm sure you all know the quotes and I'm sure you all know that Darwin was very enlightened for a man of his time.)

We didn't stay long. McVety was going on about the title of Darwin's famous book. He was making the point that the book is about the preservation of favoured races.2 There were at least three or four people nodding their heads in agreement.

Toronto's finest were there in full riot gear to keep the huge crowd under control. You can see from the photo that they were very suspicious of Bryant and me. Some of them seem to be reaching for their weapons. You can click on the photo to see a larger version where their facial expression tells all.

The last photograph (below) is a view of the entire crowd. I figure there were about ten McVety sycophants supporters present and about ten passers-by who were curious about what was going on. There were almost as many reporters and camera crews. It was a non-event. We went to the Faculty Club for a nice lunch. Mmmmmm, fish and chips!




1. Winner of Monday's Molecule #66.

2. The actual title is On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life.

5 comments :

Anonymous said...

There is comedy in this view of life with its several nutbars protesting a truly dismal bit of hero worship at a dreadfully redesigned museum.... Poor Chuck, he did deserved better than McV (and the AMNH's dreadful display), but after all he's been dead for 126 years!

There is something crypt-like about the ROM's bit of basement hagiography.

"Our Charles, who art in Down, Bromley, Kent, hallowed be thy Earthworms."

Anonymous said...

With this kind of a huge riot, there usually are burning cars and stuff, and at least 1000 police officers trying to control the masses.

I`m so glad they didn´t have to call the army.

Glendon Mellow said...

Oh, I wish I'd stopped by there instead of Trinity-Bellwoods on my way home. I like sitting & drawing on the benches after the museum closes. That would've been interesting...umm.

I guess McVety hasn't visited the exhibit then? I thought it was quite honest in its view of the people in Darwin's time. I liked it. Learned loads too.

Anonymous said...

Old Chuck McVety would be humorous if he didn't have some influence. Until recently (hopefully) the Harper government would actually listen to this idiot. I'm sorry. I must retract the last statement as it is offensive to legitimate idiots.

But now that they have taken him off the air, he gets to play the martyr.

Unknown said...

I got a good laugh out of that picture. It looks like Chuck has his very own mini-McVety (look at the guy behind him, beside the guy in the blue ball cap).