Conservatives, including many industrialists, politicians and farmers, are selective in their appreciation of science. While they rely on scientific progress for the development of jet fighters, satellite technology, modern transportation, biomedicine and high-tech agriculture, they resist scientific evidence when in comes to subjects such as evolution and climate change. Protecting their faith and their industries, they sow doubt among their legions and ridicule the evidence itself.
Worse yet, as we have seen in Idaho this week, pressure is placed on educational systems to avoid or "tone down" discussion of these "controversial" issues. In other words, conservative politicians are deciding what can or cannot be taught in our public schools, regardless of the scientific evidence.
Science, long at war with religion, must now battle conservative zealots from both the government and the corporate sector. Human enlightenment and social progress have long been fueled by scientific discoveries and, if we allow the Right Wing to censor science, we do so at our own peril.
Worse yet, as we have seen in Idaho this week, pressure is placed on educational systems to avoid or "tone down" discussion of these "controversial" issues. In other words, conservative politicians are deciding what can or cannot be taught in our public schools, regardless of the scientific evidence.
Science, long at war with religion, must now battle conservative zealots from both the government and the corporate sector. Human enlightenment and social progress have long been fueled by scientific discoveries and, if we allow the Right Wing to censor science, we do so at our own peril.
