Science or Propaganda?
George Deutch, the 24 year old former Bush campaign worker appointed to NASA's public affairs office last year, resigned earlier today. His resignation comes in the wake of a growing scandal regarding manipulation of NASA scientists and the altering of scientific reports by political appointees with no background in science.
Among other duties, Deutch was notable for telling Nasa scientists, "to refer to the Big Bang as a "theory" because NASA should not discount "intelligent design by a creator." Aside from this interference, NASA scientists have continually asserted that, "reports on global warming were constantly watered down to minimize the connection to the burning of fossil fuels and other human-made pollution."
James Hansen, NASA's chief climate scientist, has says that he was "threatened with 'dire consequences' by White House appointees at NASA headquarters if he continued to call for prompt action to limit emissions of heat-trapping gases linked to global warming."
When legitimate scientific research is censored and altered by those with a political agenda, it ceases to become science and becomes propaganda. This is especially disturbing in regards to NASA, since the very future of our planet may depend on the actions we take as a result of their studies.
Among other duties, Deutch was notable for telling Nasa scientists, "to refer to the Big Bang as a "theory" because NASA should not discount "intelligent design by a creator." Aside from this interference, NASA scientists have continually asserted that, "reports on global warming were constantly watered down to minimize the connection to the burning of fossil fuels and other human-made pollution."
James Hansen, NASA's chief climate scientist, has says that he was "threatened with 'dire consequences' by White House appointees at NASA headquarters if he continued to call for prompt action to limit emissions of heat-trapping gases linked to global warming."
When legitimate scientific research is censored and altered by those with a political agenda, it ceases to become science and becomes propaganda. This is especially disturbing in regards to NASA, since the very future of our planet may depend on the actions we take as a result of their studies.
posted by Anonymous at 1:04 PM
1 Comments:
This is a great story. The question is whether this supervisor was acting on his own or whether he was following a policy handed down from above is a crucial issue. George Deutch was a low-level political appointee who may have created a scandal that does not lead all the way into the White Hous. Did he have to be told to censor NASA employees? Or did he act on his own, knowing that global warming is a volitile issue?
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