Science, in Spite of the White House

This morning brings us exciting news from the outer Solar System. The Cassini space probe has made a close pass past the moon of Titan, which many scientists speculate could be a home for life of some kind. Soon, a separate space probe will break off from Cassini, and descend down to the surface of Titan, getting a view of what lies beneath its thick, visually impenetrable atmosphere.

Now, I’m among those who think that this kind of exploration is a great thing. I think it’s important for us to know about our solar neighborhood, and explore as far as we can go. I think it’s important for us to acquire knowledge so that we have more tools to use to confront the problems that come our way. I think science is a great thing.

There are those who disagree with me, who think that science is a distraction from what they regard as truth. They seek to pray for knowledge, and hope that it comes all on its own. George W. Bush is one of these people. Instead of conducting thorough investigations to uncover solid information, he acts on his “instincts” and prays for guidance.

When it comes to science, George W. Bush has hacked away at the funding for important research. Bush has ripped intellectual independence away from scientists working for the government, ordering them to rewrite their findings according to Bush’s political needs. Bush has crippled America’s schools, demanding that they satisfy new bureaucratic requirements without providing the funding necessary to make such requirements achieveable.

With Bush at the helm, the United States of America will not see any new Cassini space probes.

What’s that? Didn’t Bush say that he was going to start a Moon Colony?

Well, yes, Bush said he was going to do that. Searching for a way to inspire the American people, he copied John F. Kennedy’s pledge to send a man to the Moon. Then, Bush forgot all about it, and failed to provide the funding necessary to actually complete the project. His wandering mind was led elsewhere.

We cannot afford another four years of such a tremendous lack of discipline and such an antipathy to knowledge as now exists in the White House. Our peace, our children, and our future as a curious species depends the decision to change leadership now, before chaos and ignorance is allowed to eat away at the very core of our human heritage.