The reason for conservatives often distrust science is because it sometimes interferes with their basic conservatives impulses. It is the very nature of conservatives to cling to power and influence by attempting to maintain the status quo. Anything that challenges the status quo is not only suspect, it also challenges conservatives personally. All too often throughout history new discoveries in science turned the status quo on its head and conservatives always reacted predictably.

When the thinking of Copernicus and the observations of Galileo threatened to challenge a key teaching of the Church which featured the earth, and by extension man, as the center of the universe, conservative leaders ridiculed their discovers, forced Galileo to recant, and then kept him under house arrest for the rest of his life. When Charles Darwin challenged the bible’s version of creation and the notion of man being God’s greatest creation, he threaten the power of conservatives over the general population and they fought back. Even today, when Darwin’s theories are considered proven by most reputable scientists, conservatives still try to ban or subvert the teaching of evolution in our schools. Of course the discovery of global warming also threatens the status quo and the ability of businesses to continue to put profits ahead of the health of the planet and its people. That’s why conservatives continue to deny, deny, deny.

So through out history science has unearthed “inconvenient truths” which have challenged the status quo and interfered with the ability of conservatives to continue to exercise their power in a manner that profits themselves and others of their ilk.

Cajun     Edited 11/1/15