^ßortlanh (Dhsertu'r
Page 16
D ecem ber 15, 2010
Opinion articles do not necessarily represent the views o f the
Portland Observer. We welcome reader essays, photos and
story ideas. Submit to news@portlandobserver.com.
We’re ‘Dumbing Down’ as a Nation
Political forces push America back
by
W illiam M c C artney
As pundits and politicians argue
about what the GOP midterm elec
tion sweep means, there are grow
ing and d istu rb in g signs that
America increasingly is moving (and
voting) to retreat from our nation’s
commitment to scientific research
and knowledge. W e’re "dumbing
down" collectively as a nation.
Although economic issues get
more attention, we shouldn't dare
overlook the increasing array of
political forces pushing America
back from the intellectual sophisti-
cation and scientific accomplish
ments that brought our nation to its
pinnacle of power, prestige and in
fluence.
In our rush to fulfill political ob
jectives and economic wants, we’ve
em b raced an a n ti-in te lle c tu a l
mindset. A growing number of poli
ticians either deny sound scientific
knowledge in various areas, or have
found it prudent to make their con
stituents think they do.
Perhaps they have been influ-
enced by their tea party backing,
but in the recent elections, a sober-
ing number of GOP candidates, in
cluding those in 19 of 20 in con
teste d S en ate rac es, d en ied
society’s contribution to global
warming. Most of them don't even
accept the reality of this environ
mental time bomb.
The preponderance of empirical
evidence is that our planet is expe
riencing an unprecedented warm
ing - and humans contribute sig
nificantly to it. Scientists attribute
our oceans' growing acidity to
greater amounts of CO2 in the atmo
sphere. Ice cores in glaciers give an
historic timeline for the escalating
levels of pollution in recent years.
Melting polar ice caps have opened
sea lanes over the top of the world
that never existed before.
Granted, a few isolated scientists
dispute these claims. Likewise, a
few scientists say baseball players
can't throw a curve. Try telling that
to batters.
The alliance between politics and
this anti-intellectualism often plays
out in tea party rallies, whether from
the platform or among the faithful. A
founder of one regional tea party
unit complained, "This so-called
climate change is just ridiculous.
If sail just amoney-control avenue."
Too
\M oRse Cowves VoWotóV ’
AMD
Ç & S W # OV>T
À
nuclear
WINTER
Z O TbÄ .
\
(Obseruer
Established 1970
USPS 959-680 ______________________________ __
4747 NE Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd., Portland, OR 97211
Charles H. Washington
E u ito r : M ich a el L eig h to n
D is ir ib u t io n M anager : M ark W ashington
C reative D irector : P aul N e u feld t
E ditor - in -C h ief , P ublisher :
P ostmaster : Send address changes to Portland Observer,
PO Box 3 1 3 7 , Portland, OR 9 7 2 0 8
The Portland Observer welcomes freelance submissions. Manuscripts and pho
tographs should be clearly labeled and will be returned if accompanied by a self
addressed envelope. All created design display ads become the sole property of
the newspaper and cannot be used in other publications or personal usage
without the written consent of the general m anager, unless the client has
purchased the composition of such ad. © 2008 THE PORTLAND OBSERVER
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, REPRODUCTION IN W HOLE OR IN PART
WITHOUT PERMISSION IS PROHIBITED. The Portland Observer-Oregon s
Oldest Multicultural Publication—is a member of the National Newspaper Asso
ciation-Founded in 1885, and The National Advertising Representative Amal
gamated Publishers, Inc, New York, NY, and The West Coast Black Publishers
Association
CALL 503-288-0033
FAX 503-288-0015
news@portlandohserver.com
ads @ portlandohserver. com
suhscription@ponlandohserver.com
A small business owner in Indiana
complained about climate change
legislation. "They’re trying to use
global warming against the people.
I cannot help but believe the Lord
placed a lot of minerals in our coun
try and they’re not there to destroy
us." A man from Connecticut de
clared that global warming doesn't
exist, "because we can’t afford to
correct the problem."
Recent administrations not only
took actions diametrically opposed
to the scientific community (e.g.,
prohibiting stem cell research), but
also decimated many government
scientific agencies by replacing rel
evantly trained professionals with
political hacks.
Many politically fashionable eco
nomic policies also unmask the grow
ing intellectual nihilism. It’s politi
cally popular to embrace the decep
tion that lower taxes are the panacea
for economic ills. Such facile anti-
intellectualism is in stark contrast to
the strong words and recurring tes
timony of the bulk of our nation's
best econom ists—even including
conservatives like David Stockman
and Alan Greenspan.
In the mid 19th century, the" Know
Nothing" movement was known for
its negativism, especially against
Catholics, Jews, and immigrants. Its
proponents earned their name be
cause members were instructed to
answers questions by saying, "I
know nothing."
There’s an interesting parallel
between the "Know Nothings" and
today'sgrowing disdain for science.
Just as the folks 150 years ago re
fused to acknowledge knowing any
thing, today’s counterparts refuse
to acknowledge there’s anything
for them to know—except their pre
conceived notions.
When politicians disparage es
tablished science because of its in
convenience, it jeopardizes our
nation’s leadership role and our
future.
Rev. William McCartney is a re
tired pastor and district superin
tendent o f the United Methodist
Church. He lives in Delaware, Ohio.
Advertise
with diversity in
11 "Portland
Observer
Call 503-288-0(133
ads @ portlkndobserver.com