Harry Shannon
The group Anti-Science Politicians, or ASP, has rapidly backed down from its aims and is disbanding less than a week after it announced its formation. ASP was a growing international movement that promised to reject science and the products of science.
ASP was founded by Mike Pence and includes anti-vaxxer politicians and others with a range of views, such as flat-earthers, climate change deniers, and those who consider Covid-19 a Chinese hoax. Well-known members include Senator Ted Cruz and Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene in the U.S. and British cabinet Minister Jacob Rees-Mogg. In Canada, Ontario Conservative MPP Sam Oosterhoff joined ASP.
The movement collapsed when many critics lambasted ASP for its ignorance of what science has achieved. Members were especially disturbed when they realized that they wouldn’t be able to use the internet, to Tweet their messages, or travel by plane, train, or automobile. “We have God’s work to do, so He will forgive us for using science-based tools,” said Rees-Mogg.
The ASP website had stated that all knowledge that God allows humans to use can be learned from the Bible. Sam Oosterhoff was home-schooled and acknowledged that he didn’t know that science was behind so many things we use. “I thought that companies used the Bible to create them,” he said.
Marjorie Taylor Greene did not want ASP to fold and said that “Jewish space lasers clearly amount to illegiterate [sic] use of science.” But when she learned that science was behind the creation of firearms, she backed down, noting that “since God wants us to smite our enemies, He wants us to have guns.”
Mike Pence commented: “There’s a God-given right to bear arms.” When asked about the fact that 90% of all firearm deaths for children 0-14 years of age in high-income countries occur in the U.S.and about school shootings in the U.S. He replied, “Having boys and girls together in the same class is wrong. So what happened is God’s punishment for contact between the sexes. Frankly, I’m surprised we don’t get more of these incidents given how many classes in the U.S. mix boys and girls.” Ted Cruz added: “Besides, if we give up guns, we won’t get donations from the NRA (National Rifle Association) and the rest of the gun lobby.”