Ignorance is not Skepticism

I am getting a little tired of hearing evolution deniers and climate change deniers calling themselves "skeptics." And I dislike it even more when the media does it.

This is misinformed behavior at best, but really, it's just plain old ignorance. Doubting evolution does not make you a brave warrior for the truth, it makes you a superstitious, medieval serf. Or a republican. Disregarding the overwhelming evidence for anthropogenic global warming does not make you a maverick, it makes you a scientifically illiterate oaf. Or a republican.

I don't know why the republican party is so dedicated to belief-based policies, but its anti-science stance is horrifying. Looking at the two GOP front-runners for office, Mr. Perry and Mrs. Bachmann, I am not sure who is more off-base, but they are an alarming trend in modern American politics, wearing their theology on their sleeves and spouting paragraphs of nonsense rife with the possibility of dangerous policy outcomes.

Republicans and Science: A Dawkins Op-ed

You don't have to love Richard Dawkins; you don't have to agree with his opinions on religion; but when it comes to science and a certain major American political party's denialism, I don't think you really get to argue.

"To die in ignorance of [the theory of evolutions'] elegance, and power to explain our own existence, is a tragic loss, comparable to dying without ever having experienced great music, great literature or a beautiful sunset." - Richard Dawkins

p.s. Don't read the comments if you want to persist in the belief that Americans are, as a whole, thoughtful, critically-thinking individuals.

p.p.s. For another example of the behavior and critical thinking skills of an evolution denialist, how about this?

Yay Science!

Today, President Obama lifted the limits on stem cell research. His administration will "make scientific decisions based on facts, not ideology."

I haven't heard such good news since this or this.