Neil DeGrasse Tyson Says Left Is Just as Guilty of Anti-Science as Right

June 6, 2016

There’s a popular notion that liberals are science-minded, while conservatives are the major perpetrators of anti-science rhetoric. But astrophysicist and science personality Neil DeGrasse Tyson says the left is deluding itself.

Tyson appeared on Real Time with Bill Maher last week and said that both parties are hotbeds of scientific idiocy—it’s just compartmentalized into different issues. The context of this debate being that Maher himself is the embodiment of liberal anti-science ideas.

“Don’t be all high and mighty there,” Tyson said to Maher, interrupting Maher’s anti-Repbulican screed. “Because there is certain aspects of science denial that are squarely in the liberal left.”

“I know one, but I don’t want to get into it,” Maher replied, subtly denoting vaccine skepticism.

Tyson lists the anti-vaccine movement, alternative medicine and opposition to genetically modified organisms as examples of left wing  anti-science. Most of these movements were kickstarted by leftist new agers in California, causing serious public health repercussions to the country.

Whooping cough is at epidemic levels in California, babies have died from parents treating their child’s curable illnesses with herbal remedies, and the proliferation of genetically modified golden rice has been stymied by activists.

Maher was less receptive to Tyson’s argument, which is not surprising, as he is guilty of many of the left’s anti-science dumbassery. Maher is a long-time vaccine skeptic, an avid anti-flu shotter, and has made repeated claims about the debunked notion of toxins building up in the body. During the H1N1 swine flu epidemic Bill Maher declared himself immune to the flu because of his superior lifestyle. He even tried to convince David Letterman to replace his medication with alternative medicine not long after Dave survived a heart attack and bypass surgery.

Maher even fawned over Charlie Sheen’s quack doctor, who supposedly treated Sheen’s AIDS with herbal remedies, and did not question the doctor on any of his bogus claims.

Tyson’s critique of the left hit a little too close to home for Maher and his perpetual worldview of “left good, right bad.” Maher and his long history of anti-science on-air advocacy definitely needs a healthy shot of reality.