Publishing in Science — a premier scientific journal — carries significant weight. When STEM PhDs use this platform for political advocacy, it misleads the public into assuming scientific consensus on divisive issues. It undermines trust in science which is already facing a crisis in legitimacy.
The letter states: "As political parties in the US and beyond seek to recodify white supremacist philosophies, STEM leadership must take urgent action." This clearly implies a link between anti-DEI efforts and white supremacy. This is an inflammatory leap, and tying it to their PhDs, let alone to Science, disgraces the scientific establishment. And your claim that this doesn't refer to anti-DEI efforts is disingenuous. There is no other phenomenon at play that the alleged "recodification of white supremacy philosophies" could be referring to. The letter is a reaction to the anti-DEI program and is plainly implying that this program amounts to recodification of white supremacy philosophies.
They’re using their credentials as a bully pulpit to push a narrow ideological viewpoint. It’s dogmatic and unethical and the decision by Science to give this a platform further undermines the credibility of the scientific establishment.
Racial affinity groups promote segregation, clashing with the color-blind foundation of modern science. They are indefensible, and attempts to legitimize them by labeling critics as white supremacists are intellectually dishonest to a shameless extreme. Claiming that disallowing these racial-identity groups in taxpayer funded institutions amounts to promoting civil liberties violations by emboldening racists is just more totally baseless and inflammatory smear tactics to maintain programs that reject colorblindness and thereby promote racism.
While they keep conjuring up the racist right-wing boogeyman, actual codified racism — ruled on by the Supreme Court — pervades academia. Racial affinity groups, propped up by this broader racial privilege ideology, have fueled discrimination across academia, where applicants are judged heavily by race. Yet these ideologues have the gall to claim the real threat is to so-called disadvantaged groups. It’s a sham, and the evidence proves it.
You're defending atrocious behavior by people who are brandishing their scientific credentials to legitimize it.