Reality check for Justice Scalia, PLEASE!

[thewayne]

"Humanity has been around for at least some 5,000 years or so, and I doubt that the basic challenges as confronted are any worse now, or alas even much different, from what they ever were."
—SC Justice Antonin Scalia, in a graduation speech at his granddaughter's high school

Yes. Because the Babylonians had such a problem with people texting while driving that there is no more Babylon.

Comments

[cp.livejournal.com]

It begs the question, should rejection of basic science be a disqualifier for a Supreme Court Justice, or for public office in general? If so, we've got a LOT of unqualified people where they ought not to be. But we can blame voters and gerrymandering for most of them, Scalia less so.

[thewayne.livejournal.com]

I suppose it's too much to ask for rationality to be a qualifier for any office. If it were a requirement, they'd redefine rationality.

[silveradept]

It should be a disqualifier, because we need to have politicians and judges who will use the best science and knowledge we have to make decisions.

Unfortunately, we have far many more people who want to know if their politician has the same religions as them instead of whether they would actually be good at governance.

[moiraj.livejournal.com]

I just can't wrap my head around the idea that there are actually some people who believe humans have existed for only 5,000 years. All the facts that have to be ignored ...

[thewayne.livejournal.com]

People who so deeply subscribe to willful ignorance are just amazing. In a way I hope I don't end up discussing politics with Europeans because the disconnect between a lot of the American public and the people who govern us is pretty amazing.