I really feel bad for scientists some times. Today in class, I had a student question the validity of global warming. Not even anthropogenic global warming, but the very fact of global warming itself. There is no dispute that the globe is getting warmer. None. Even the US Senate voted 99-1 (Thanks for your "Keep Dope Alive" vote, Sen. Inhofe) that global warming was happening.
Scientists overwhelmingly believe that human beings are causing global warming, too. The science is really not all that controversial. We know what greenhouse gasses do. We know we are pumping our atmosphere full of them. We can measure the effect of rising temperatures. But people remain steadfast in their stupidity.
Now we have the vaccine debate. Which really isn't a debate. Vaccines prevent diseases, deadly diseases. But Jenny McCarthy's boobs read a website or something and so people are getting the measles again.
A few days ago, I praised Rand Paul (R-Bongsylvania) for his measured and considerate thinking on medical marijuana, and the hypocrisy of supporting harsh criminal measures against pot use, when you yourself got high a lot in high school and college.
But now Senator Aquabuddha is coming out and suggesting a link between vaccines and autism. And he's a freaking DOCTOR.
Chris Christie - who freaked all the fuck out over an Ebola crisis that didn't exist - has said that vaccines should be left to the discretion of the parents. He has since walked that back some, but seriously?
What is interesting is how narrow the anti-vaxxer constituency is. It consists of religious fringe elements, glibertarians and kale-eating, cleansing-detox dieters who get their organic quinoa in bulk from Whole Foods. While two of those are possible Republican constituencies, I don't think the last is.
This is exactly the sort of ridiculous BS that sinks the credibility of libertarians like Paul the Younger and destroys the idea of acting on principle of politicians like the Outlaw Jersey Whale.
At least Ben Carson has said that you should get your vaccines. I hope that won't hurt his
No comments:
Post a Comment