Thursday, January 19, 2006
Who's Delusional?
Moops:
If we ever start discussing politics in this "conversation" we're having here, I thought this might be a good article for fodder. It's an address by Dr. Joseph Chuman to the Ethical Culture Society of Bergen County, NJ.
The word "delusional" developed multiple (some unintended) meanings to me after reading it.
On one hand it's just another "Republicans are evil" article. But I actually checked out the author's claim re the CDC.gov website (it's about 2/3 of the way down the webpage). I thought it would be interesting to tackle one particularly interesting comment the author makes and see if he's representing it fairly.
He suggests that the entire CDC fact sheet on condoms is reduced to one bible thumping quote:
“The surest way to avoid transmission of sexually transmitted diseases is to abstain from sexual intercourse, or to be in a long-term mutually monogamous relationship.”
...and that the Bush administration "suppressed" all the other information.
First of all, the CDC site has hundreds of documents and research papers on condoms. This "fact sheet" he refers to is actually a factsheet on sexually transmitted diseases, and while the quote he refers to IS there, it is one of several other quotes that talk very clearly about condom use and sexual behavior. I struggled mightily, but I was unable to find either a vast right-wing conspiracy or any suppression of information.
I had hoped that if I just picked out ONE random (and intriguing I might add) claim from this essay (which by the way is very persuasive and well-written, if unethically so) that it might hold up better under some scrutiny.
It only takes a cursory look at the CDC.gov website to find plenty of information here to make a born-again religious right fanatic mad, believe me. But I guess that doesn't sound quite as sexy and as provocative as averring that the Bush Administration (probably with the help of the Cigarette Smoking Man and certainly with the financial backing of a gigantic born again Christian fundamentalist machine with MILLIONS of members) is out to steal our information, delude us into thinking the end-times are coming...and um, destroy science in the process.
I'm sorry but our government (whether run by Democrats or Republicans) does things like make two dollar bills and dollar coins that look like quarters. This is not the X-Files, people. :) Put the New York Times and the conspiracy theories down and SLOWLY WALK AWAY.
What do you think?
--Mopes
If we ever start discussing politics in this "conversation" we're having here, I thought this might be a good article for fodder. It's an address by Dr. Joseph Chuman to the Ethical Culture Society of Bergen County, NJ.
The word "delusional" developed multiple (some unintended) meanings to me after reading it.
On one hand it's just another "Republicans are evil" article. But I actually checked out the author's claim re the CDC.gov website (it's about 2/3 of the way down the webpage). I thought it would be interesting to tackle one particularly interesting comment the author makes and see if he's representing it fairly.
He suggests that the entire CDC fact sheet on condoms is reduced to one bible thumping quote:
“The surest way to avoid transmission of sexually transmitted diseases is to abstain from sexual intercourse, or to be in a long-term mutually monogamous relationship.”
...and that the Bush administration "suppressed" all the other information.
First of all, the CDC site has hundreds of documents and research papers on condoms. This "fact sheet" he refers to is actually a factsheet on sexually transmitted diseases, and while the quote he refers to IS there, it is one of several other quotes that talk very clearly about condom use and sexual behavior. I struggled mightily, but I was unable to find either a vast right-wing conspiracy or any suppression of information.
I had hoped that if I just picked out ONE random (and intriguing I might add) claim from this essay (which by the way is very persuasive and well-written, if unethically so) that it might hold up better under some scrutiny.
It only takes a cursory look at the CDC.gov website to find plenty of information here to make a born-again religious right fanatic mad, believe me. But I guess that doesn't sound quite as sexy and as provocative as averring that the Bush Administration (probably with the help of the Cigarette Smoking Man and certainly with the financial backing of a gigantic born again Christian fundamentalist machine with MILLIONS of members) is out to steal our information, delude us into thinking the end-times are coming...and um, destroy science in the process.
I'm sorry but our government (whether run by Democrats or Republicans) does things like make two dollar bills and dollar coins that look like quarters. This is not the X-Files, people. :) Put the New York Times and the conspiracy theories down and SLOWLY WALK AWAY.
What do you think?
--Mopes
# posted by Moopy and Mopey @ 10:58 AM 
Comments:
<< Home
I'm not sure if I'm supposed to comment on your entries here, or in a new blog post, but here goes:
First of all, LOL about putting the NYT down and backing away. Someone should say something about mixing journalism and politics, but that's a whole other subject.
In response to the Chuman article, I have to say I DO think that politics has intruded on science during this Bush's administration. Maybe W doesn't himself believe in the Christian fundamentalists' version of science as it pertains to the spread of STDs or the environment, but he must look the other way while scientists with contrarian views are removed from federal scientific advisory boards. If this is true (I feel strongly that anyone making a statement that certain events took place should produce a reference-able quote which is missing from Chuman's article- unfortunately this makes him look alarmist at best, insincere at worst).
But maybe Bush believes all this crap too. The bottom line is that Bush is an intellectual dud, and the Christian right is using him to push their agendas. Perhaps he's too simple to understand the concept of rational scientific inquiry. Maybe it just doesn't suit his purposes. Current research on global warming, condoms, and mercury pollution are inconveniences to him politically, perhaps personally, and he doesn't care that he looks like a dope to his peers. He's powerful enough not to give a shit. It's a little scary. Thank G-d the President is not that powerful, in the big scheme of things. The average citizen/activist can usually find a sympathetic journalist who will blow the top off anything too "out-there", refer the issue to Congress if protective legislation is needed, and we can then laugh at the whole episode, waiting for a more worldly dude to take Bush's place. Like Angela Merkel taking over for Schroeder.
And heehee on the X-Files links. I almost got too distracted walking down memory lane to finish this comment.
-Moops
First of all, LOL about putting the NYT down and backing away. Someone should say something about mixing journalism and politics, but that's a whole other subject.
In response to the Chuman article, I have to say I DO think that politics has intruded on science during this Bush's administration. Maybe W doesn't himself believe in the Christian fundamentalists' version of science as it pertains to the spread of STDs or the environment, but he must look the other way while scientists with contrarian views are removed from federal scientific advisory boards. If this is true (I feel strongly that anyone making a statement that certain events took place should produce a reference-able quote which is missing from Chuman's article- unfortunately this makes him look alarmist at best, insincere at worst).
But maybe Bush believes all this crap too. The bottom line is that Bush is an intellectual dud, and the Christian right is using him to push their agendas. Perhaps he's too simple to understand the concept of rational scientific inquiry. Maybe it just doesn't suit his purposes. Current research on global warming, condoms, and mercury pollution are inconveniences to him politically, perhaps personally, and he doesn't care that he looks like a dope to his peers. He's powerful enough not to give a shit. It's a little scary. Thank G-d the President is not that powerful, in the big scheme of things. The average citizen/activist can usually find a sympathetic journalist who will blow the top off anything too "out-there", refer the issue to Congress if protective legislation is needed, and we can then laugh at the whole episode, waiting for a more worldly dude to take Bush's place. Like Angela Merkel taking over for Schroeder.
And heehee on the X-Files links. I almost got too distracted walking down memory lane to finish this comment.
-Moops
Moops you can "comment" by making a new blog post if you like! You don't have to put comments only in the "comments" section.
I like your thoughts.
I like your thoughts.
Mopes,
I just figured my comment about this post would stay with the post. Know what I mean? Otherwise, the subjects get all mixed up and it's confusing to follow the "debate".
Post a Comment
I just figured my comment about this post would stay with the post. Know what I mean? Otherwise, the subjects get all mixed up and it's confusing to follow the "debate".
<< Home
