David Brown's thought-provoking article on science vs. creationism (September EXPLORER> failed to emphasize one point: As an American, as well as a geoscientist, it dismays me that the problem of which he writes is, like obesity, an exclusively American problem.

Delegates to the AAPG in Paris will notice an absence of overweight people (except American visitors). If more of us spoke French we would realize, too, that there is a remarkable absence of religious bigots there, too.

I can't say that I go to bed at night worrying about what French people think about my country, but it does concern me that the whole world, except America, accepts the basic principles of science and we don't. I am not exaggerating: To my knowledge, public schools in India, Israel, Nepal and Saudi Arabia all teach evolution without any concern by powerful lobbies that this will cause the collapse of Hinduism, Judaism, Buddhism or Islam.

How come only American parents believe that religious beliefs will wither away unless they are presented in the classroom as scientific truths?

One reason, perhaps, is that in the countries I mentioned teaching is still considered an honorable profession and teachers are respected. In America, for years we have paid our teachers little more than supermarket clerks, and then as scientists wonder why so many of our fellow citizens have little or no understanding of basic science.

It's sad. And it isn't going to change any time soon with the increasing percentage of our shrinking tax dollars going to military spending rather than education.

Paul Ware
Bellaire, Texas