Although citizens of the area around Chelyabinsk, Russia might not find a Meteor crashing into Earth fascinating, the rest of the World does. Over the centuries, mankind has gazed in wonder at the universe that surrounds our great Earth, pondering life outside our planet and the great depths of space within our galaxy and beyond. But some on the political Right, still see Space as the outer reaches of Heaven, not to be considered seriously because of their literal beliefs in Scriptures they believe limit our imagination beyond our orbit. I do not wish to interpose my religious beliefs, but my religion has great respect for both biblical and scientific origins of mankind and the planet upon which we all live. But for many Conservatives and their representative politicians, science is not to be believed!
Come on man, you've got to be kidding, right? Unfortunately, I am not. At the top of the list of Republican's in denial of science is Georgia Republican Congressman Paul Broun, who actually chairs a House Science Subcommittee. In September, 2012, Broun publicly announced that scientists have made up lies about "evolution, the age of planet Earth, the Big Bang Theory, and embryology…and that those lies come straight from the pit of Hell.” Really?
Which gets me to my point. While discussing the fantastic footage of the Meteor streaking over the Russian sky, someone piped in that it was a hoax. Huh? Yep, they claimed that the space rock plummeting through our outer terrestrial rings at speeds of 40,000 MPH and exploding some 25 miles over land resulting in producing tremendous sonic booms and blistering glass and brick shattering sound waves, was not a meteor at all. When I pressed this person further, they claimed they heard on the news it was instead "something America shot over Russia and was not from space after all!" When I asked where she heard this news, she pondered for awhile and claimed it was all over the news "last night." She ultimately claimed she heard it on ABC News. When I expressed my amazement with her comments, she told me "just watch the news tomorrow and it will be all over!" But I could not find anything tying ABC News to such a false report. For that matter, I could not find any news source claiming the meteor was instead something coming from "America."
I did however, find a news report that a Russian politico by the name of Vladimir Zhirinovsky claimed the "meteor" was nothing more than the result of a "secret testting of a new weapon by the U.S." So there we have it! A Russian politician making an outrageous assertion that a Meteor, actually tracked by several scientific agencies, can not possibly be a naturally occurring scientific event, but a man-made military event. And who would believe such a statement? Folks gullible enough to ignore science! And which side of the political spectrum seems to place science into the "not to be believed" category? Those on the Political Right that's who! Any wonder most of those very same folks cling to inane notions that President Obama is a Kenyan, a Muslim, a Terrorist, the Anti-Christian, Anti-Gun, Anti-American president? Now add them to the list of "Chicken-Little" naysayers that disrespect science only because they do not understand it. Like most folks, I sat back in complete awe at the power and spectacle of science and space, but for many it seems, scientific thinking is not their strong suit. If this keeps up, it will not only be Asteroids, but also be some Republicans and their anti-science beliefs that will be crashing to Earth!
Come on man, you've got to be kidding, right? Unfortunately, I am not. At the top of the list of Republican's in denial of science is Georgia Republican Congressman Paul Broun, who actually chairs a House Science Subcommittee. In September, 2012, Broun publicly announced that scientists have made up lies about "evolution, the age of planet Earth, the Big Bang Theory, and embryology…and that those lies come straight from the pit of Hell.” Really?
Which gets me to my point. While discussing the fantastic footage of the Meteor streaking over the Russian sky, someone piped in that it was a hoax. Huh? Yep, they claimed that the space rock plummeting through our outer terrestrial rings at speeds of 40,000 MPH and exploding some 25 miles over land resulting in producing tremendous sonic booms and blistering glass and brick shattering sound waves, was not a meteor at all. When I pressed this person further, they claimed they heard on the news it was instead "something America shot over Russia and was not from space after all!" When I asked where she heard this news, she pondered for awhile and claimed it was all over the news "last night." She ultimately claimed she heard it on ABC News. When I expressed my amazement with her comments, she told me "just watch the news tomorrow and it will be all over!" But I could not find anything tying ABC News to such a false report. For that matter, I could not find any news source claiming the meteor was instead something coming from "America."
I did however, find a news report that a Russian politico by the name of Vladimir Zhirinovsky claimed the "meteor" was nothing more than the result of a "secret testting of a new weapon by the U.S." So there we have it! A Russian politician making an outrageous assertion that a Meteor, actually tracked by several scientific agencies, can not possibly be a naturally occurring scientific event, but a man-made military event. And who would believe such a statement? Folks gullible enough to ignore science! And which side of the political spectrum seems to place science into the "not to be believed" category? Those on the Political Right that's who! Any wonder most of those very same folks cling to inane notions that President Obama is a Kenyan, a Muslim, a Terrorist, the Anti-Christian, Anti-Gun, Anti-American president? Now add them to the list of "Chicken-Little" naysayers that disrespect science only because they do not understand it. Like most folks, I sat back in complete awe at the power and spectacle of science and space, but for many it seems, scientific thinking is not their strong suit. If this keeps up, it will not only be Asteroids, but also be some Republicans and their anti-science beliefs that will be crashing to Earth!
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