Wingnuts think moon made of light-generating Muenster cheese

A 2006 right-wing meltdown was largely swept under the rug, but lately it's resurfaced to bite America on the ass.

Three years ago, Bill Nye - who hosted the Emmy-winning educational show 'Bill Nye The Science Guy' - appeared in Waco, Texas, to give a talk on topics like energy consumption and planetary exploration.

When Nye correctly stated that the moon does not generate its own light, a woman in the audience jumped up and declared, "We believe in a God!" She then stormed out of the event with her kids.

The wingnut who walked out of Bill Nye's talk actually thought the moon created its own light, instead of reflecting light from the sun!

Sadly, the woman was not alone in her skepticism of basic science. Several other folks stormed out of the audience too.

It's a good thing Nye didn't bring up that "2 plus 2 is 4" thing!

None of this would be an issue now except that the rightist intelligentsia's anti-people scientific denial has consequences. Their political leaders reflect their views. They put Bush in office, so the Bush regime reflected their disbelief in science.

For probably the first time in the country's history, the United States had an administration in which a significant number of officials actually believed the moon produced its own light!

Even with Bush out of power, this continues to affect the world's view of the United States, impede scientific progress, and cost America important scientific investments.

I'm not saying people aren't entitled to their beliefs. But when someone stubbornly thinks something that can be scientifically disproven, and this costs our country its prestige and scientific advancement, they can expect to be called on their views.

(Source: http://www.examiner.com/x-4112-Skepticism-Examiner~y2009m4d22-Just-shoot-me)