Other People's Beliefs

When I was a kid, there always seemed to be the same group of kids in my science classes that sat in the back and slept. I am willing to bet that most of those people are registered Republicans now. The Republican Party's (selective or otherwise) ignorance of basic science is scary.  I am not a scientist, not even a computer scientist.  Most of my knowledge of science comes from my high school classes, a few college electives and many years of listening to and watching science programs.  But when I see Republicans resisting simple scientific concepts like climate change and evolution, I have to wonder were they paying attention in high school?  And what do their high school science teachers think?  Does Republican Senate candidate and Representative Todd Akin really believe that the bodies of rape victims "shut down" and prevent pregnancies?  Or is this something he said just to get publicity?  I don't purport to be all knowing or a genius. I am woefully ignorant of many aspects of life. I am simply amazed when I get exposed to the things that other people believe.  With the Republican Party's National Convention starting this week, I brace myself.

I don't consider myself a Democrat.  I am more of an Anti-Republican.  I have voted for Republicans in the past, but since the late 1980's, the Republican Party has taken such a turn to the right that I can't, in clear conscience, vote for any of them.  Since the Bush (43rd) Administration I decided not to vote for any Republican on any level whatsoever.  I won't vote (R) for school counsel or town auditor, not until they get a clue.  People can believe what they want and I won't care until it affects public policy.  Once it does, it very much becomes our business.  They want to teach Creationism in science class, they want to talk about global climate change like it is a myth ... then I stop being quiet about it.

It is with great dismay that I point out that the stupidest thing I have ever seen, in regards to ignorance of science, is not by a Republican but by a Democrat.  This link from Youtube is of a Democratic Congressman from Georgia, Hank Johnson, who thinks that the island of Guam is going to tip over if we put too many people on one end of it. When I say that I am amazed by what other people believe, this is a perfect example. This man, an elected official, thinks that islands float. So instead of islands just being a part of the Earth that is above sea level, he thinks they float like logs. Scary indeed.

Congressman Hank Johnson said this in the halls of Congress in March 2010.  Later that year he was reelected. I have to ask, as a Democracy, do we get the government that we deserve? If we demanded excellence of a government officials, would this man have been reelected? Or was his opposition so bad that he was just reelected as the lesser of two evils?  A third option had to exist... like a third party or a write-in candidate. Certainly, we can do better than this.  Right?