February 12 is widely celebrated as the anniversary of Charles Darwin's birth. His theory of evolution by natural selection is now almost universally accepted outside the Islamic world. However whether we personally accept his theory or not, the fact is that he is one of the best known scientists in history.
As the United States is, and wishes to remain, a global leader in scientific research it is essential to appropriately honor Darwin Day. Internationally the day is intended not just to celebrate Darwin's contributions but to promote science in general. If the USA alone among advanced economies did not recognize it, this would harm our scientific credibility globally.