Those of us that work in these fields have brought the problems on ourselves by our reticence to roll in the mud right from the beginning when these questions come up. We have to learn that it is not caused by any latent anti-science mood in the general population but by the work of agents provocateurs that leverage these issues to collect funds or aggregate influence and power.

We have to be willing to fight these things, and if necessary fight dirty. We have to be willing to become politicians at every level of government, and not be afraid to gather and involve members of the public that are fans (for lack of a better term) in our work and in science in general even if they cannot contribute directly.

Say what you will about the opposition, they keep their followers involved and informed, ill- informed of course, but none the less they are made to feel that they are part of something. It’s no wonder that letter-writing and fundraising campaigns are successful given the level of commitment that this treatment evokes.

I cannot see any reason that we should not try something similar.