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

[John Mallinckrodt <ajm@csupomona.edu>]

On Nov 12, 2010, at 6:37 PM, brian whatcott wrote:

> 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.
>
> ...
>
> 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.

Without wanting to appear defensive or even to deny the possible truth of what you say here, I wonder if you could point to a comment or two from me that appears to you to be "demonizing people who hold views that differ from" mine.  

I certainly don't deny reacting strongly--perhaps overly so--when I hear what sounds to my ears like nonsense or political or religious views masquerading as established fact coming from my phys-l colleagues.  But I try to limit myself to *responding* to--and not generating--such remarks and I think I stay far away from ad hominem or anything that could be characterized as demonizing people.  

In any event, I have no interest in demonizing people on this list and I am more than willing and ready to be set straight if I do.

Sincerely,

John Mallinckrodt
Cal Poly Pomona