Racism is a huge problem. Suppression of truth in the service of advancing a political agenda is also a huge problem. The latter is, indeed, a most convenient t

Racism is a huge problem. Suppression of truth in the service of advancing a political agenda is also a huge problem. The latter is, indeed, a most convenient tool that the ruling elite has to leech off others. Look at any system where some people are exploited, and you’ll find an integral component is distorting the truth. Another point that is pertinent is that incentives matter a lot. A person who is by prejudice unable to, e.g., rent a house, is suffering an injustice, but it’s not like they can do much about it. A scientist, who is enjoying respect and prestige, on the other hand, can very easily be swayed by some rather small pressure to take up some politically expedient lies to preserve their lifestyle. So while the pressure on scientists might indeed be trivial compared to what minorities suffer, the effects of this pressure can be society-wide still.