By Mike Feinsilber
Some of their signs looked more like hypotheses, and I sort of expected footnotes and citations. But at Washington’s huge and rain-soaked Science March, most sign bearers showed that scientists can be witty and political. And longwinded, even on a placard.
The verbosity made my task hard, trying—in Saturday’s rain—to jot down the slogans. Carried in some instances by demonstrators wearing white lab coats.
My notebook got soggy, my ballpoint ink smeared and I felt like a cub. So I skipped the dissertations and went for the pithy. And, dry at home, searched the internet for more signs carried at marches elsewhere.
The science marches were intended to be non-political but this is the age of Trump. So: “Impeach Science Deniers,” cried one sign. “Make America Think Again,” said another. Another: “Engineers Build Bridges; Dictators Build Walls.” And “Grab Them By the Data.”
Others:
Science Is Not an Opinion
Earth Is Not Flat; Facts Matter
Science Cures Alternate Facts
Science: Because You Can’t Just Make It Up
Empirical Data Trumps
Imperial Alternate Facts
Think Like a Proton: Stay Positive
Me Neither
Thank you, Science.I’m a Biologist.
I love all cultures.
The temperature is rising and so are we.
We are not just resistors, we are transformers.
Pro Choice
Pro Science
Pro Planet
There Is No Planet B.
Science, Not Silence
Science. Because We’re Worth It
Climate Change Cannot Be
Undone by Tweet
Evolution: what happened.
Climate change: happening.
Recognition: must happen.
What do we want?
Evidence-based science.
When do we want it?
After peer review.
When Geeks Have to Demonstrate.
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Mike Feinsilber spent about a quarter century with UPI in Pittsburgh, Columbus, Harrisburg, Newark, New York, Saigon and Washington and about a quarter century with AP in Washington, with a spell as assistant bureau chief and a stint as writing coach.
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Slate also put up a good post with pictures of signs from the science march.
Nice reporting despite the climate, Mr. Feinsilber, many thanks.