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Kevin Folta’s decision to step away from science outreach has sent shock-waves through the skeptic community. If it can happen to him, then what chance do we have? This ordeal has been a lesson in how little protection there is for us imperfect messengers of science. Our emails, private lives, and human failings are all potential weapons to use against us by those who refuse to believe that our support for consensus could be genuine, not paid for.
Being attacked by antis is nothing new to Folta, but I personally believe that it is the actions of those on the side of science and consensus that pushed him to his breaking point. Kevin Folta was left to twist in the wind – both by a myriad of official science organizations and by many science communicators who whispered amongst each other that he had brought it on himself.
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To every person who sat idly by while this man was bullied and his reputation and career were dismantled piece by piece – YOU are the reason why we can’t have nice things. Science needs every voice it can get, and the absence of Folta’s should make us all evaluate how we treat and support each other in this industry. Sci com has never before been dangerous. I would argue that it very much is now. Rather than counter the overwhelming evidence that GMOs are safe for human consumption, activists attempt to discredit those who do the research, and those who report its findings, and our blind faith that evidence will win out over emotional appeal, fear-mongering and underhanded tactics has left these men and women of science vulnerable to said attacks.
Read full, original post: Shooting the Messenger
