April 19, 2017
Dear Mr. President,
Do you know what's awesome?
Science. There is probably no
other single thing that has brought so much health, wealth, or happiness to all
of humankind. Now because your election
has lit the fires of protest and activism all across America, you will have a
few hundred thousand science-loving folk descending on you on April 22. The purpose of this science march is a
"public celebration of science and the enormous public service it provides
to our democracy, our economy, and our daily lives."
I really don't understand why your budget proposes to cut so
much science-related funding. That's
really not a smart move. Think of it
this way: Science education develops critical thinking, problem solving skills,
and perseverance (and don't we all want that for our students?) Scientific
knowledge and expertise is one of our biggest exports (think medicine and
computers). What better way to
"build our brand" as you businessmen say then to support scientific
research and development that keeps the United States at the forefront of world
science issues. Right now highly skilled
doctors, computer programmers, and researchers from all over the world want to come HERE because
the US is the epicenter of world-changing science. Science transcends geopolitical
boundaries. It's a unifier, and don't we
need a little more global unity right now?
There are many issues such as climate change and diminishing energy
sources that will only be solved through the diligent and rigorous application
of science. Melting glaciers in
Greenland means loss of waterfront property in Palm Beach (sorry
Mar-a-Lago). Cutting funding to science
related programs right now just seems like shooting yourself in the foot. And why cause more problems for yourself…you've
got quite enough already.
I wish that I could be there for the march but I will be
leaving Washington on Thursday. Take my
advice and listen to the demonstrators.
Read the signs, listen to the speeches, and at least try to understand
their messages because right now you don't understand this issue very well and
you are making decisions that will affect our country for generations to come.
Sincerely,
Amy Beaton
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