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Yes... it can be possible to do both of those things, but it's not remotely possible to create any credible equivalency between, them: a.) your paper refuting

by veidr 1y ago

Yes... it can be possible to do both of those things, but it's not remotely possible to create any credible equivalency between, them: a.) your paper refuting those claims doesn't get widespread coverage b.) your paper refuting those claims gets you beaten to death on the streets, or imprisoned and totured to death in prison (or even just imprisoned and released some time later) This isn't even _good_ whataboutism

ath3nd 1y ago
There is much more equivalency between a dissent crushing nation like Iran, and the tactics big-corp have been utilizing to crush dissenting opinions. You can definitely go in jail for going against big oil: For example, environmental lawyer Steven Donzinger was placed under arrest for exposing the crimes against the planet of big oil: https://www.amnesty.org.uk/urgent-actions/environmental-lawyer-under-house-arrest https://www.amnesty.org.uk/urgent-actions/environmental-lawy... You can also be financially ruined: https://climatebase.org/blog/greenpeace-slapped-by-big-oil-suit https://climatebase.org/blog/greenpeace-slapped-by-big-oil-s... You, a scientist, can also be deported for your views if they don't align with the state's false narrative: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/apr/11/mahmoud-khalil-deportation-ruling-immigration https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/apr/11/mahmoud-khal... You can even get some death threats for doing your job by debunking disinformation: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/article/2024/jun/03/anthony-fauci-covid-19-threats-harassment https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/article/2024/jun/03/anth... I'd say it's pretty good whataboutism, the parallels are more than enough. Iran was a progressive country with flourishing science before nationalistic/religious fundamentalists took over, sadly the US taking its first steps on the same path.
- veidr 1y ago
  Yeah, Iran was a more proimising country before cultists took over... and, um, so was the US. OK, you may have found a point of commonality in our opinions. The US isn't yet as far down that road, but... yeah. It's catching up quickly. But the present debate started with the false equivalence between science in "free countries" being influenced by various corporate and political interests, vs being influenced by theocratic dictatorship inclided towards torture and murder. That the US is becoming increasingly more like Iran doesn't negate that, it just makes the US not the right example to demonstrate the point.

by veidr 1y ago

ath3nd 1y ago

There is much more equivalency between a dissent crushing nation like Iran, and the tactics big-corp have been utilizing to crush dissenting opinions. You can definitely go in jail for going against big oil: For example, environmental lawyer Steven Donzinger was placed under arrest for exposing the crimes against the planet of big oil: https://www.amnesty.org.uk/urgent-actions/environmental-lawyer-under-house-arrest https://www.amnesty.org.uk/urgent-actions/environmental-lawy... You can also be financially ruined: https://climatebase.org/blog/greenpeace-slapped-by-big-oil-suit https://climatebase.org/blog/greenpeace-slapped-by-big-oil-s... You, a scientist, can also be deported for your views if they don't align with the state's false narrative: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/apr/11/mahmoud-khalil-deportation-ruling-immigration https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/apr/11/mahmoud-khal... You can even get some death threats for doing your job by debunking disinformation: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/article/2024/jun/03/anthony-fauci-covid-19-threats-harassment https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/article/2024/jun/03/anth... I'd say it's pretty good whataboutism, the parallels are more than enough. Iran was a progressive country with flourishing science before nationalistic/religious fundamentalists took over, sadly the US taking its first steps on the same path.

veidr 1y ago
Yeah, Iran was a more proimising country before cultists took over... and, um, so was the US. OK, you may have found a point of commonality in our opinions. The US isn't yet as far down that road, but... yeah. It's catching up quickly. But the present debate started with the false equivalence between science in "free countries" being influenced by various corporate and political interests, vs being influenced by theocratic dictatorship inclided towards torture and murder. That the US is becoming increasingly more like Iran doesn't negate that, it just makes the US not the right example to demonstrate the point.