When the Homily is about Immunology

Bigotry

I hear it regularly from the mouths of those who would no doubt consider themselves the very pinnacle of political correctness and tolerance as they bestow from on high all manner of derision upon the people of regions they deem to be unenlightened, ignorant, prejudiced, and backwards. The "fly-over" states or the conservative "backwoods" of the south...any place where rednecks, cowboys, farmers, NRA members, hunters, church-goers, or NASCAR fans may be found in relative abundance are all subject to such derision and disdain. Remember where NBC decided to send their "stunt Muslims" to show how prejudiced Americas are? That's right, NASCAR events, and alas despite their preconceived beliefs they were unable to find any worthy instances of redneck prejudice...funny how they never showed this piece, isn't it? Maybe they should have sent some NASCAR fans adorned richly with #3's to an Al Gore disciple's rally? Yes, I am sure many of "rednecks" return the favor to their coastal elite counterparts, but then again we rather expect that don't we? The extent to which people apparently look down their noses at rural boondockers has come as rather a shock to me lately.

You may recall awhile back during one of the republican presidential debates the questions was asked "is there anyone on the stage that does not believe in evolution?" Now if you stop and think about it, what an odd question to ask a politician! What exactly do the possible replies tell us about a candidate? Besides the fact that to "believe in evolution" is an exceptionally obscure question, as Logan Gage notes in this excellent article when he writes:

What makes the original question difficult to answer yes or no is that “evolution” can mean many things. It can range from simple change over time, which no one disputes, to the specifically Darwinian idea that all of life’s diversity — from bald eagles to newborn baby boys — is owed to the mindless process of natural selection and random mutations and nothing more. As the eminent Harvard Paleontologist George Gaylord Simpson famously summarized it, “Man is the result of a purposeless and natural process that did not have him in mind.”

So if the questioner meant the latter "mindless process" then I would have to say that I am an evolutionary infidel. And having said so, the bigotry would suddenly be heaped upon me. For you see, being a republican is not quite enough to earn you the label of a backwoods creationist bible-thumper, but to outright deny evolution (no matter how many paragraphs you OUGHT to be allowed to have to explain such a denial) is a cardinal sin...even worse than calling into question the data on global warming. Those who did raise their hands on that stage are now hopelessly lumped into the coastal elitist's stereotypes worthy of their self-righteous disdain.

Well, the world of politics is one thing, but such truly mindless bigotry is not limited to politics. Sadly, more and more, Science is the new church for our age. A brief perusal of news stories ought to quickly convince you that we rather expect that science should be able to provide us with all of the answers we need in life (and indeed some we do not need). Here's a recent example: THIS news story about the increase in teen suicide rates is making the rounds right now and my local paper chose the following title for it: "Teen Suicide Rates Up, But Scientists Can't Discern Why?"

Has anyone stopped to consider that maybe we shouldn't expect scientists to be able discern why? I doubt it. As I said, our society looks to science to entertain us, to explain us, and yes even to save us. Can anything escape the materialistic grasp of holy mother science? Our new church...and this church has about as much mercy on dissenters as the medieval church is perceived to have had on heretics. Don't believe so?

I recently met a scientist who has to live in virtual hiding. In fact I dare not even mention his name or how I know him because he was all but driven from his home and place of employment by the scientific villagers wielding pitchforks and torches. He had dared to suggest that the scientific community should be more open to new ideas and debate, specifically with regard to some very credible data that calls into question many basic assumptions of neo-darwinism. But, just as the medieval Church shut down Galileo, so now dissenting voices in science (no matter that many of them have outstanding credentials, data to support their positions, and seriously well reasoned arguments) are silenced and run out of town. Instead of their data being examined or their ideas being discussed they are simply labeled EXACTLY like the Republican candidates who dared to raise their hands at the debate: creationists, backwoods psuedo-scientists, religious maniacs, or members of bible-thumping "sleeper cells."

Having one's career ruined and their reputation tainted isn't all that happens either: their CV's are ran through with a fine toothed comb, their personal lives examined, their outside of the lab activities monitored as frothing-at-the-mouth opponents search for a smoking gun that will prove their prey isn't a real scientist. Emails are sent out en mass with libelous statements, harassing phone calls, letters, and emails...even physical threats! And in one case a scientist was actually assaulted and seriously hurt.

More and more I think I have never met a more intolerant set of people than lofty coastal elitists who believe they know everything. It's so ironic that they wrap themselves up in garments of peace, love, and tolerance...while they likely have no qualms in branding evolution or global warming dissenting scientists with a scarlet letter, after all they dared to move into their neighborhood.

This elitist bigotry can often be found in Academia of all disciplines. Ben Stein is coming out with a film next year that exposes the intellectual bigotry being experienced by numerous scientists today. Make sure to see it.