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Re: [Phys-l] Conservative/Liberal science?



On 11/12/2010 5:58 PM, John Clement wrote:
... we have a problem in that one party has
bought into anti-science attitudes. At the very least, the intelligent
people in that party are cowed into silence. /snip/

John M. Clement
Houston, TX

I am sorry to report that I have a conclusion that differs in some details.

We seem to have a problem in the US; the problem is that we can too easily
be led to demonizing people who hold views that differ from ours.

If you are democratic leaning, then savor the feeling you have about political
talk show hosts who figure on FOX and some other channels.
If you are republican-leaning, taste the sensation that arises when I mention the
name of a spokesperson called Nancy Pelosi.

In one case, you are pretty sure that the talking heads are spouting biggoted
rubbish, on the other side, you are pretty sure that her way paves the high road to Hell.

This does not affect only the poorly educated, the folks full of misconceptions,
the below average: I am referring to people of the stature of John M., Bob laM.,
-- Marx (he does not use a first name, recently). If it happens to them, you
can be quite certain it happens to people who are less prepared to evaluate
propaganda and smear materials in lieu of weighing the available evidence.

It is surprising. It is disappointing. If it is the case that the first casualty of war
is the Truth, then we are most certainly at war: not with some external
enemy - but with that fellow over the road - that woman across town.
Those people who wear "rags" on their heads, those people who are certain
that we must abolish taxes in general.

Brian Whatcott