Politics and Science
My last post was a slight departure from the normal posts that I have been writing. My fiancee Kelly pointed me to the “GOD or NOT” blog carnival, and after my recent experience at TAM4, I felt obliged to write something. Religion and the most recent attempts to put religion into our schools at the expense of science have been on my mind a lot lately. As a strong athiest and a die hard believer in the scientific process, it hurts my brain to see our country getting dumber and dumber about science, while China and India are stocking up on brainpower.
Right now, the focus of religious zealots seems to be the American biology class. However, as Phil Plait pointed out in his TAM4 presentation, it won’t be too long before the godiots start attacking other sciences. As his blog as pointed out, it’s perhaps already started.
My particular expertise in science is with computers and internet technology. I’m not sure I can imagine a way religious nuts could interfere with that, but perhaps I’m not being imaginative enough. If they do try to interfere, I’m afraid myself and other hackers will be at a big disadvantage. Not because they would be right, but because of the politically apathetic nature of hackers. When it comes to politics, most hackers get bored and move on. They’re not involved in the process, and they are very cynical about the whole thing.
When it comes time to lobby for legislation or policy, will there be the hacker point of view in the mix? Who represents us? Is there a PAC or 529 that represents hackers? Doubtful. Most technology is represented in Washington by billion dollar companies, who are only trying to protect their turf. Read Robert Cringely’s latest column to look at a current example. Think back about how many large companies want to outlaw reverse engineering, and then think how well armed the hacker side is.
Sure we have the EFF to a point, and a few other small groups who focus on free speech on the Internet. I’m just not sure they will be much use when Congress is trying to debate issues such as QOS TCP packet preference laws. We know how clueless Congress is. They’re a big joke. But hackers are going to have to get involved in the process or technology issues will be decided by the lawyer infestation in Washington who get their information from large corporations. The time is not to be so cynical as to not vote. It’s time to get informed, vote, and write your congressman.
