Op/Ed

Letter to the editor: Science facts must now replace science fiction

We are all familiar with the tradition of the term Science Fiction dealing with imagined science and its impact on society and individuals. Now we are faced with and dealing with the physical phenomena of Science Faction: a sociopolitical ideology or absence thereof approaching a cult, where a great mental wall is created for selfish convenience selectively and absolutely blocking factual critical scientific data and reason, not a matter of what people believe but rather what they don’t believe.
This political faction, approaching a cult, is yielding horrific consequences on a vast global scale.
Starting with global warming and climate change, 99% of scientists around the world don’t just believe but understand that the entire earth, from the North Pole and the Arctic to the South Pole, is experiencing the massive devastating manifestation on this unprecedented scale, raising the very water level of our oceans.
All-time record-high temperatures around the globe are leading to devastating storms, droughts and uncontrollable fires. One vast area of Australia went an entire year without a single drop of rain. Millions of animals died from dehydration and thirst. The gigafire in Australia consumed 1.5 million acres.
California and the entire west coast is suffering from unprecedented extreme forest fires. What once was measured in thousands is now measured in millions of acres, with incredible, devastating, irreversible destruction.
Our southern gulf states are sustaining ocean-driven storms also of unprecedented magnitude and number, exhausting our alphabet. The highest-ever temperature in the U.S. was recorded in Death Valley this year.
In another chapter of Science Faction, countless thousands of Americans have perished needlessly because millions are ignoring and dismissing the extreme medical emergency of COVID-19, refusing to wear face masks and moving from social distancing to mental distancing.
Well, you know the old saying — faction speaks louder than words.
We can no longer tolerate Science Faction.
We must move with the rest of the world to Science Facts. 
I pray that we will all unite in spirit and function to turn these global tragedies into history and have a global rebirth of faith, love, spiritual and physical wellbeing.
Rustan Swenson
Shoreham

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