Tuesday, November 20, 2012

4.54 Billion Reasons

As a moderate extremist, I’m not inclined to automatically dismiss anyone or anything outright. Drones just might be the most effective weapon in asymmetric warfare. Some degree of entitlement privatization probably warrants further study. If a corporation can demonstrate a resolve to behave sustainably, perhaps it should pay nothing in taxes. I’ll listen to the arguments. I might even be inclined to agree. Despite the chill, I’m willing to swim (or, at least, wade) in a handful of conservative/libertarian think-tanks.

But when I hear conservative-sweet-twenty-sixteen Mark Rubio declare, “Whether the Earth was created in 7 days, or 7 actual eras, I’m not sure we’ll ever be able to answer that. It’s one of the great mysteries,” well… my tolerance shrinks and shrivels down to an unforgiving dogma, “I cannot image ever voting for a Republican.”

The phrase deserves an asterisk. The *’s caveat might read: “Until the party and its people accept radioactive dating into their lives.” I’m not asking for a complete devotion to science, just some semblance of empirical thinking… a post-Renaissance, Enlightenment, and Industrial Age approach to our world.
Why endure leadership that doesn’t fathom the intricacies that stem from biologic life? We don’t have time to teach presidents the dependencies entwined in biodiversity. Surely, presidents are swamped by US economic and diplomatic tutelage. How might a Republican, who’s curiosity and knowledge of life science remains stunted somewhere between first and second grade,  ever catch up? I fear they wouldn’t, won’t, couldn’t, can’t.  And, thus, I’m forced to meet their dogma with some of my own.

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