For Bush, science is a dirty word

[_TJ_]

In America's right-to-die controversy the facts were not allowed to get in the way of evangelical populism

Tristram Hunt
Tuesday March 22, 2005
The Guardian

The interference by the White House in the case of Terri Schiavo - the woman at the centre of America's latest right-to-die controversy - marks another milestone in President Bush's campaign for faith over fact. More concerned with the wonder of miracles than Schiavo's 15-year irreversible vegetative state, Bush and his allies have blithely overturned multiple court decisions to maintain artificial feeding and let evangelical populism triumph over medical opinion

Thanks to the policies and prejudices of the Bush administration, science has become a dirty word. The American century was built on scientific progress. From the automobile to the atom bomb to the man on the moon, science and technology underpinned American military, commercial and cultural might. Crucial to that was the presidency. From FDR and the Los Alamos laboratory to Kennedy and Nasa to Clinton and decoding the genome, the White House was vital to promoting ground-breaking research and luring the world's scientific elite. But Bush's faith-based, petro-chemical administration has reversed that tradition: excepting matters military, this presidency exhibits an abiding aversion to scientific inquiry that is in danger of affecting the entire country.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,3604,1443104,00.html

[Ruffhowse]

1. It's pretty sad when a British media outlet knows and understands

our country better than our own media does.

[_TJ_]

2. The level of ignorance displayed in relation...

...to the Schiavo case and others by the religious right
honesty makes my head spin. :(

If America doesn't get its sh*t together in the 21st century
we'll all be back reliving the 17th century before too long.

[Jon8503]

3. TJ, thanks for this article, I subscribe to the Guardian Weekly but

missed this one. This entire article should be put on the Front Page for reading. Says a lot about the way things are right now. May God help America to wake up and maybe start taking us in a different and right direction.

Recommended this for the front page.

[rodeodance]

5. -we have our form of regime change here in the US!!

[Jon8503]

9. Hi, what is that form?

[ClintonTyree]

4. It's a lot easier to believe than it is to think...............

with believing, you don't have to read a lot of books (just one, and then only the parts that support your agenda) and spend a lot of time studying. Thinking...........well now, you've just gone and opened a hornets nest there. There's so many damned books, theories, numbers and stuff that it just clogs up the brain.
No, no.....the rabid right will take believing any day, thank you! Thinking and learning take up too much valuable time that could be spent working three jobs that pay minimum wage. It's a whole lot easier just to go to church on Sunday and leave all that science stuff to the lord. He created it all anyway, let him take care of it. Besides' there's a NASCAR race on this afternoon, wouldn't want to miss Dale Jr. :eyes:

Unfortunately, the reality of most Americans is somewhat like the above screed. They've dumbed down this country to a point where, if breathing wasn't an involuntary function, millions would die each day. Sad, but true.

[Daphne08]

6. I've traveled a good deal

and have always found one thing to be true. Most people of the world despise and distrust our government, but they generally like Americans as a people; however, I fear this perception just might be changing.

[_TJ_]

7. It' ain't changing here missy !

Anyone who makes the effort will realise good people should not
be blamed for the evils of their corrupt government.

Everyone I've spoken to this side of the pond feels the same way.

We still loves ya! :hug:

[Bellamia]

8. You still love us ?

Well, thank god for that, whoever or what ever you believe He, She or It, is.

[Jon8503]

12. Thats correct TJ. However, our problem over here is the good

people do not get out and vote. Only the extremists or rather the majority of the extremists vote and the result is you are seeing extreme governance all over in the US.

The liberals, moderates or common sense good people need to rev their kind up and get out and vote and that is one way we can get our government back.

[Daphne08]

13. That's good to hear.

Thank you. :)

[Coastie for Truth]

10. Even extends to people who claim to be physicians

Mr Bill Frist
Mr Dave Weldon
Mr Tom Coburn
Mr Leon Kass

[kilgore65]

11. This is a really excellent piece

I agree that it should be placed on the front page...