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Page 16
D ecem ber 15, 2010
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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."
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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.
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