Friday, February 25, 2005
Demonizing Scientists
Is it just Red State Rabble, or does anyone else see the connection between the sleezy attack on the American Association of Retired Persons by the none-too-Swift Boat Vets, and the pending attack on scientists by the Discovery Institute?
The right's strategy, as Paul Krugman points out in his NYT column today, (see below) is to mobilize Christian conservatives by demonizing:
The right's strategy, as Paul Krugman points out in his NYT column today, (see below) is to mobilize Christian conservatives by demonizing:
- Hollywood
- John Kerry
- Liberals
- Teachers
- Gays
- The ACLU
- Scientists
- All of the above and more to be named later, as needed.
The revulsion to the Swift Boat attack on the AARP has revealed some of the inherent weaknesses in their wedge strategy. The Discovery Institute -- by placing an announcement for the talk on its website -- has warned us what's coming, and given us a priceless opportunity to put a stop to it. Those of us in the reality-based community need to roll up our sleeves and launch a pre-emptive attack.
It isn't scientists who are acting as Nazis. The real danger is that the hard right -- empowered by Bush and the corporate elite -- will morph into an incipient Nazi movement.
See the post "Little Kansas Nazis" for the background on the Discovery Institute plan to label science and scientists as nazis.
