The extreme right wing depiction of science as a conspiracy of elitist lies used to undermine the authority of the family and biblical truth while promoting a dangerous liberal/socialist agenda has been given an undeniable legitimacy within mainstream Republican politics. Climate change denial. The assault against women’s reproductive choice. Creationism. We speak constantly about providing a quality education for our kids that will enable them to be productive and competitive in the world, yet we elect a growing number of people to public office whose policies are dangerously, ignorantly anti-science. Do you think there will be consequences?
So much of the male dominated discussion about abortion, contraception and women’s reproductive health is devoid of a basic knowledge of anatomy and even goes so far as to require in some states medically incorrect information to be provided to women seeking an abortion. Can there really be that many unapologetically ignorant men walking around and women who stand by their unapologetically ignorant men? U.S. Representative Todd Akin, who maintained that a woman’s body has the ability to shut down if there is a “legitimate” rape is running against Missouri U.S. Senator Democrat Claire McCaskill– and he may very well win. It should be noted that Akin is currently a member of the House Science, Space and Technology Committee. We need ….
The Avenging Uterus
Louisiana has fully embraced the voucher system for education. This system will shovel millions of public dollars into private charter schools which exist in an alternative universe of educational standards. Louisiana is about to become praise the Lord privatization at its finest. This is just the ticket to get poor kids in under-performing schools out of poverty. Rep. Paul Broun (R-GA) provides an amen corner on the national level. With a memorable back drop of stuffed deer heads, he informs his audience that evolution and astronomy are “lies from the pit of hell.” It should be noted that Broun, who is a MD, joins Todd Akin on the House Science, Space and Technology Committee.
Because the Bible Tells Me So with Rep. Paul Broun
It was a delicious thought that Bill Nye the Science Guy called Todd Akin a F@cking Idiot. That was a hoax. Bill Nye did have something to say about creationism as a mandated part of the science curriculum. He doesn’t need the F word to set us straight on this one.
Bill Nye: Creationism Is Not Appropriate for Children
Anna Daniels
Latest posts by Anna Daniels (see all)
- Bob Dorn: Rest in Power! - December 3, 2018
- The Urgency of Transgender Safety, Legal Protections - November 27, 2018
- Chaos and Cruelty at the Border - November 26, 2018
Anna, these are a great collection of videos and your summation is spot on.
It is truly mind-boggling that we can be one of the most progressive countries in the world and simultaneously have such a Dark Ages mentality. It seems to be seeping into everything, despite supporters’ inability to prove anything. I just don’t get it.
All of this makes me think that, evolution-wise, we’re slowly evolving into a world of small minds and big behinds.
I don’t agree with either of these Akin or Broun, but it does no good to call them names. There are many reasons why we won’t be able either to make the fundamentalists go away or, in most case, change their beliefs. With that in mind we have to figure out how to compromise and live with them.
Shall we compromise by saying that the world was created 13,000 years ago, instead of 6,000? That is a dangerous response. We are going to compromise on scientific facts that an extreme segment of the population rejects?
There are human beings in the world who have religious affiliations who nevertheless know that climate change is one of the greatest challenges we face; who know that a woman’s control over her reproductive life positively affects the well being of her own family as well as her opportunities to be educated and economically independent; who know that the science of evolution does not threaten his or her spiritual beliefs.
The term “compromise” is ludicrous when we are talking about fact based reality.
Really.