Around 1,500 people gathered at the California State Capitol on Friday, March 7, for a rally in support of science. Demonstrating their creativity, nearly a third of attendees carried homemade signs—each one a unique expression of advocacy for scientific integrity.
The crowd included participants from UC Merced, Sacramento State, government agencies, and, naturally, UC Davis. The strong turnout underscored the ongoing commitment of scientists, students, and public sector employees to evidence-based policy and research.
The event was largely peaceful, with one exception. Davis resident Beth Bourne appeared to be the lone counterprotester. Her disruptive chanting drew the attention of California Highway Patrol officers, who escorted her from the Capitol grounds to the public sidewalk.
Some rally attendees, perhaps unfamiliar with Bourne, attempted to engage her in a fact-based discussion. Their efforts proved about as fruitful as debating the self-proclaimed experts at the Flat Earth booth at the Davis Farmers Market—where believers in a vast scientific conspiracy offer their own “common sense” red pill as an alternative to empirical reality.
What is the purpose of this rally? Science is a process, not a conclusion. Is this not bringing politics into ‘science’, rather than the other way around? So many issues that were banned as ‘misinformation’ during the pandemic turned out to be true, for example. If the left shuts down discussion on issues, how is that not ‘anti-science’ ? It appears to me that this rally is more like, ‘we support scientific studies that support our belief system, and want discussion that threatens our belief system shut down’.
Alan did you read my interview with the organizers of the rally last week?
Nope. Was that part of the required reading for the midterm?
Was this addressed to Mr. Miller or author of this piece, the Lorax?
Alan Miller not Alan Hirsch. Ha!
It is exactly as you said it is, Alan M.
On a related note, if funding is cut for Space X (as advocated for by on one of the signs), I can’t think of a more direct way to “not” support science.
Then there’s the “science” of gender, which I suspect wouldn’t be welcomed on here – so I won’t mention it further.
It’s an anti-Trump rally. (And I’m no supporter of Trump.)
I wonder how much crossover there is in this crowd with anti-Zionists. Asking for a friend.
No evidence of this— well thus is the evidence:,
-no signs noting Israel/pwkestine
– only saw one cafeya (worn low as neck scarf) in the large crowd.
Some truth here re-early Pandemic public health advise. But science has self-correcting mechanism. And most of us don’t have experience to “fact check” the experts… who has not been afflicted by Dunning-Kruger?
But as for purpose of Rally, what should people do when their jobs and life work are threaten by illegal orders/budget cuts from the government? peaceful petition also seems to be a remedy guaranteed in constitution.
Does commentor have an alternative?
I have been told by someone the organizers estimate crowd at 400. It extended 1/3 way from west steps to sidewalk.