4 ms·

This article appears very partisan and I really can’t discern what is actually going on from it. At face value it seems to be a misunderstanding by a legislato

by efitz 4y ago

This article appears very partisan and I really can’t discern what is actually going on from it. At face value it seems to be a misunderstanding by a legislator of the difference between the lay definition of the word “theory” and the usage of that word in scientific contexts. More likely, there is some behind the scenes fight going on and a silly sounding law is being proposed to fight it. However the article is stuck in the trope that Republicans are all theocratic bumpkins that despise knowledge; I can’t take that seriously as characterizing your political opponents as evil or stupid is the oldest form of propaganda.

polemic 4y ago
The article states facts. It doesn't call anyone evil, or stupid. But at face value, outlawing the teaching of well established scientific theory in science class is exactly the sort of thing you'd do if you were a theocratic bumpkin who despised knowledge.
vineyardmike 4y ago
> However the article is stuck in the trope that Republicans are all theocratic bumpkins that despise knowledge; I can’t take that seriously as characterizing your political opponents as evil or stupid is the oldest form of propaganda. If the shoe fits /s But seriously, trying to restrict education is what republicans are trying to do. There’s no way around that. They’re limiting what can be taught for some sort of political gain. Not every republican voter is a bumpkin of course, but a large chunk of republican state legislators are fighting very public battles to rewrite textbooks. Some of which have a religious bent, implicitly or explicitly. At face value, yes looks a misunderstanding over the word “theory”. But is it, or is it using this vague definition to disrupt science? Why was this bill introduced at all, that’s the real question. Does the senator think that students should spend more time in science learning about gravity instead of magic… or perhaps less time on “the theory of evolution”. The bills sponsor explicitly is anti-vaccine and pro-Christian-education, and has said that more of “religious facts” should be taught in school. So I would guess this was not an honest mistake to force schools to teach “real facts” instead… but to exploit scientific nomenclature of “theories” to interrupt honest and accurate education.
toss1 4y ago
It is not propaganda when it has been continuously ade repeatedly demonstrated, and is getting worse over the past decade. E.g., the Republicans had a memmber controlling the US House of Representatives in the last week who publicly spouts Qanon "theories" and claims that California wildfires have nothing to do with climate change but are actually caused by "Jewish Space Lasers". This is not some random fringe statehouse rep from an East Nowhere district, this is someone accepted into national party leadership. Another of the major R leaders is actively banning books in his state, and is a leading presidential candidate. The former President of the party propounded multiple anti-vaccination and unfounded, actually dangerous fake cures to a deadly pandemic. When he finally said something positive about vaccines at his rallies, he was roundly booed. The entire party and it's media are courting and herding anti-science. There is no equivalency. The leaders are cynically broadcasting anti-science and pandering to anti-science stupidity. This is so bad that they are literally killing their own constituents by the hundreds of thousands [0][1]+++. It is not demonization, it is literal truth. attempting to say otherwise is false equivalence. [0] https://ysph.yale.edu/news-article/study-finds-large-gap-in-excess-deaths-along-partisan-lines-after-covid-19-vaccines-introduced/ https://ysph.yale.edu/news-article/study-finds-large-gap-in-... [1] https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/people-in-republican-counties-have-higher-death-rates-than-those-in-democratic-counties/ https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/people-in-republi...

by efitz 4y ago

polemic 4y ago

The article states facts. It doesn't call anyone evil, or stupid. But at face value, outlawing the teaching of well established scientific theory in science class is exactly the sort of thing you'd do if you were a theocratic bumpkin who despised knowledge.

vineyardmike 4y ago

> However the article is stuck in the trope that Republicans are all theocratic bumpkins that despise knowledge; I can’t take that seriously as characterizing your political opponents as evil or stupid is the oldest form of propaganda. If the shoe fits /s But seriously, trying to restrict education is what republicans are trying to do. There’s no way around that. They’re limiting what can be taught for some sort of political gain. Not every republican voter is a bumpkin of course, but a large chunk of republican state legislators are fighting very public battles to rewrite textbooks. Some of which have a religious bent, implicitly or explicitly. At face value, yes looks a misunderstanding over the word “theory”. But is it, or is it using this vague definition to disrupt science? Why was this bill introduced at all, that’s the real question. Does the senator think that students should spend more time in science learning about gravity instead of magic… or perhaps less time on “the theory of evolution”. The bills sponsor explicitly is anti-vaccine and pro-Christian-education, and has said that more of “religious facts” should be taught in school. So I would guess this was not an honest mistake to force schools to teach “real facts” instead… but to exploit scientific nomenclature of “theories” to interrupt honest and accurate education.

toss1 4y ago

It is not propaganda when it has been continuously ade repeatedly demonstrated, and is getting worse over the past decade. E.g., the Republicans had a memmber controlling the US House of Representatives in the last week who publicly spouts Qanon "theories" and claims that California wildfires have nothing to do with climate change but are actually caused by "Jewish Space Lasers". This is not some random fringe statehouse rep from an East Nowhere district, this is someone accepted into national party leadership. Another of the major R leaders is actively banning books in his state, and is a leading presidential candidate. The former President of the party propounded multiple anti-vaccination and unfounded, actually dangerous fake cures to a deadly pandemic. When he finally said something positive about vaccines at his rallies, he was roundly booed. The entire party and it's media are courting and herding anti-science. There is no equivalency. The leaders are cynically broadcasting anti-science and pandering to anti-science stupidity. This is so bad that they are literally killing their own constituents by the hundreds of thousands [0][1]+++. It is not demonization, it is literal truth. attempting to say otherwise is false equivalence. [0] https://ysph.yale.edu/news-article/study-finds-large-gap-in-excess-deaths-along-partisan-lines-after-covid-19-vaccines-introduced/ https://ysph.yale.edu/news-article/study-finds-large-gap-in-... [1] https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/people-in-republican-counties-have-higher-death-rates-than-those-in-democratic-counties/ https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/people-in-republi...