The march has begun.

Trump’s recent release of the budget plan proposes to slash $12.6 billion from the Department of Health and Human Services. The response was substantially greater than anyone originally anticipated, with over 600 satellite marches in addition to the primary massive one in Washington D.C. If you are in doubt of science, just look at the sheer number of people in support of it. Various celebrities, such as Bill Nye the Science Guy and Jamie Hyneman from Mythbusters, were there to uphold the very foundation of our modern society today. Bill Nye, especially, voiced his opinion that science itself is not a myth:

“Today we have a great many lawmakers — not just here but around the world — deliberately ignoring and actively suppressing science. Their inclination is misguided and in no one’s best interest. Our lives are in every way improved by having clean water, reliable electricity and access to electronic global information.”

He is right in so many ways. The current administration wishes to suppress scientific inquiry, whether to attack environmental policies or commit the funds to other departments like the military. It’s ridiculous–the reason we have a stellar military is because of technology. The reason why you’re reading this article is because science built you that computer, and the reason why Trump tweets so much is because Twitter was developed.

An estimated 1 million people all around the globe agree. The marchers come from every walk of life. As co-organizer Liz Homsey states, the issue is nonpartisan. It’s not about race or religion (kind of). Even people in other countries that aren’t directly influenced by Trump’s decisions are marching. You know this is a serious problem when people in other countries are taking the time to march against an administration in another country. We can’t remain silent.

Ed Yong of the Atlantic posted an article with 21 reasons why we’re marching for science, posted here:

1. Celebrate “passion for science.”
2. Celebrate what science does for people and “the many ways that science serves our communities and our world.”
3. Encourage the public “to value and invest in science” and “appreciate and engage with science.”
4. Encourage scientists to “reach out to their communities” and share their research and its impact.
5. Encourage scientists to “listen to communities” and consider their research from the perspective of the people they serve.
6. Affirm science as a “vital feature of a working democracy.”
7. Show science to be “first and foremost a human process” that is “conducted, applied, and supported by a diverse body of people.”
8. Support research “that gives us insight into the world” and “upholds the common good.”
9. Encourage people to “support and safeguard the scientific community.”
10. Call for robust federal funding “in support of research, scientific hiring, and agency application of science to management.”
11. Advocate for “open, inclusive, and accessible science” that is “freely available.”
12. Support science education that teaches people “to think critically, ask questions, and evaluate truth based on the weight of evidence.”
13. Encourage political leaders and policy-makers to enact evidence-based policies, and “make use of peer-reviewed evidence and scientific consensus, not personal whims and decrees.”
14. Oppose “policies that ignore scientific evidence” or “seek to eliminate it entirely.”
15. Oppose policies that “threaten to further restrict scientists’ ability to research and communicate their findings.”
16. Oppose an “alarming trend toward discrediting scientific consensus.”
17. Oppose the “mischaracterization of science as a partisan issue.”
18. Protect science from “manipulation by special interests.”
19. Hold leaders in science and in politics “accountable to the highest standards of honesty, fairness, and integrity.”
20. Stand up for scientists: “Speak up for them when they are silenced” and “protect them when they are threatened”.
21. Encourage and support a new generation of scientists “that increasingly includes historically underrepresented groups.”

We can’t just sit by and let the administration be the beginning of our end. Go and march today!

Source:

1. https://www.cnn.com/2017/04/22/health/global-march-for-science/index.html
2. https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2017/03/what-exactly-are-people-marching-for-when-they-march-for-science/518763/