Today marks the two-hundredth anniversary of the birth of Charles Darwin. All over the world, people are holding Darwin Day events, and if you get to that website early enough, you might still have time to attend one of them, if that’s your thing.

Meanwhile, only 39% of Americans believe in evolution. Indeed, the objections to Darwin’s theory are so widespread that even a respectable polling organization like Gallup discusses evolution in terms of believing. The poll’s intentions seem honorable enough; there’s no sign that they’re trying to tear down belief in evolution, and the accompanying text expresses alarm (of the restrained, Gallup-y variety) that so few people are willing to accept Darwin’s theory.

On the positive side, it also says that people who believe in evolution are the largest single group in the poll, followed by “No opinion either Way” at 36% and “Do not believe in evolution” at 25%. That’s a hell of a lot better than science has done in previous polls — so much better, in fact, that I’m wondering if something has gone horribly wrong with their methodology. Remember this chart from 2006?

(Click for larger image)

Yeah. Either a lot of people have changed their minds in the last couple of years, or Gallup just got lucky and called more indecisive people than crazy ones. Or one of a thousand other, more plausible solutions which I’m not addressing because they aren’t funny.

The worst part is, the Darwin Day festivities will almost certainly backfire. They will be treated as “proof” that scientists secretly worship Darwin, or evolution itself, just as their opponents worship God, or Xenu, or whoever. After all, Charles Darwin wasn’t born with a copy of On the Origin of Species in his hand. His birth has nothing to do with his scientific legacy. And yet, instead of celebrating the voyage of the Beagle, or the publication of his book, they’re holding events on his birthday. Seriously, I have heard this argument being made already.

Well, guess what? It’s not science’s fault that our society places an inordinate amount of emphasis on birthdays and anniversaries. And it’s certainly not their fault that people love to celebrate milestones whenever they get a chance. On the Origin of Species will turn 150 in November, and I’d love to see another round of nerdy celebration when that happens. Richard Dawkins could give a keynote address, perhaps titled, “Apparently, It Takes More Than 150 Fucking Years For an Idea to Sink In.”

I shouldn’t let my frustration color this event any more than it already has. Happy Darwin Day, everyone. Now get your asses out there and evolve already.

P.S. Today marks another important birthday. On February 12, 1809 — the same day as Darwin — Abraham Lincoln was born. Lincoln had a far more profound effect on this country’s history than Darwin, and was the subject of far more controversy at the time, but his legacy is now more or less secure. While he still has his opponents, they are few and far between; nearly every group in America today wants to claim Lincoln as their own. But, in the interest of keeping banks open, we rescheduled his birthday to Presidents’ Day, and now celebrate it by buying shit at Target. It’s not the most dignified memorial for the man who freed the slaves, but I suspect Darwin would envy the public’s easygoing acceptance of Lincoln.