According to Ron Burgundy, anchorman, “You’re just a woman with a small brain. A brain a third the size of us. It’s science.” Champ, Mr. Burgundy’s sports reporter, supports his point, saying, “It is ‘anchorman,’ not ‘anchorlady,’ and that is a scientific fact!”
While I appreciate “Anchorman” as much as the next guy, for the purposes of this article, let’s use the dictionary.com definition of science: “A branch of knowledge or study dealing with a body of facts or truths systematically arranged and showing the operation of general laws.”
Science is provable. Science is fact. You cannot pick and choose when science works and when it does not.
I really wish there were a counterpart to the Democratic Party that believed in science and facts. I believe in options. Options are democratic. Unfortunately, the reason I cannot vote for a Republican is that the party does not believe in the fundamental concept of science — that and its legislative distaste for women, minorities, gays and lesbians, and the poor. Furthermore, Republicans have a propensity for manipulating science and math to create fear, confusion and ignorance — also known as “politicizing.”
The recent Ebola “crisis” is an example of what happens when supposedly serious, credible people — with the help of the media — turn the land of the free, home of the brave, into the land of the dumb and home of the wimps. And one case in particular perfectly illustrates the victimization of good people when people use “science” subjectively.
Upon returning from a mission trip to Kenya, a teacher at a local Catholic school was asked by her superiors to take a paid leave of absence for 21 days to ensure that she had not contracted Ebola, which has plagued West Africa for nearly a year. What started in Guinea spread significantly to Liberia and Sierra Leone … nowhere near Kenya. In fact, as best I can count, there are at least nine countries that separate Kenya from Liberia and Sierra Leone. And from the center of Kenya to the center of Liberia — a country approximately the size of Ohio — it is about 3,000 miles. Approximately the same distance from Louisville, Kentucky, to Anchorage, Alaska! Mexico City and back!
This is like saying that if she were visiting New York City, she should have to take leave because of Ebola in San Francisco, California! Or Dublin, Ireland!
Adding hypocrisy to their ignorance, the administration and Archdiocese of Louisville acknowledge some faith in science — by calling for a 21-day (the time it takes to begin showing symptoms of having Ebola) leave of absence — before blatantly disregarding the inconvenient science that victims are not contagious until they are symptomatic. You cannot use only the half of science that suits your purposes, and disregard the science that does not.
This is insanity on a whole new level. And to think that these are supposed to be the adults in the room: the mentors of children, the masters of knowledge. I got my master’s degree in teaching. I admire anyone willing to pursue a career in education, and know there are not nearly enough of them. So when one is compelled to quit on account of personal bias and ignorance, my frustration level is brought to a boil (water boils at 100 C or 212 F at 1 atmosphere of pressure, called sea level. … It’s science).
Now, I understand the criticism that will come: “You don’t know. You don’t have children.” This is true. But if I am ever so fortunate as to become a dad, I will use these kinds of opportunities to teach my kids about rational thinking, appropriate reaction, trust in others and, most important, common sense.
It is my determination that this school has disqualified itself from teaching science or geography, because it clearly lacks the qualifications and credibility to do so.
Note on the cover:
LEO commissioned this week’s cover of Alison Lundergan Grimes before the election results were in last Tuesday. Win or lose, this cover was a go.
The title of “Hopeless” was determined Wednesday morning. While there were plenty of wonderful alternative options had the result gone the other way, in the end, the sentiment of so many Democrats, our candidate and the election itself was “hopeless.”
Before criticizing her campaign, I will always preface with an acknowledgement that Alison was courageous to even challenge Goliath. A 35-year-old woman risked her young political career to challenge a 30-year incumbent and king of Kentucky politics. She may have bought a ticket on the Titanic when she entered the race.
But in the end, running away from President “Hope” and as “McConnell Lite” made her the “Hopeless” candidate.
