Jon Foley, executive director of the California Academy of Sciences, gave this speech this morning at the March for Science in Washington DC. So proud of my boss!
Text of his speech follows.
Across the nation, people are marching to show their support for science, and to oppose attacks on scientists — scientists who work every day to keep us safe, healthy, and secure.
Some will say we’re “politicizing” science. But we’re not. We’re defending it.
We’re defending science, because scientists work every day to defend us.
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But what’s at stake here today is bigger than science.
It’s about safeguarding our nation. It’s about ensuring the health of our children. It’s about building a better future.
And for many of us it’s personal. It’s about helping our friends, our neighbors, the people we love.
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Now take a look at the science that's under attack. They’re specifically targeting science that protects our health, our safety, and the environment — science that protects the most vulnerable among us.
Make no mistake: these attacks are serious, and many will suffer as a result. Some could even die.
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So when politicians attempt to kill the science that protects people from harm — that’s not ordinary politics, that’s oppression.
When they muzzle scientists, censoring their work, and try to keep us in the dark — that’s not politics, that’s oppression.
When programs that keep our air, our water, our children, and our planet safe are targeted for elimination — that’s not politics, that’s oppression.
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This seems like a dark time — with science under attack, and our health, safety, and security being compromised.
But I believe that we will prevail, and this will be our finest hour.
I believe that because of you.
Right here, today, you are all standing up for science, and standing up for the people you love.
Thanks to you, science will become stronger than ever, and be the *light* that guides us to a better world — where everyone can thrive.
Thanks to all of you, we can build that better world — a world where hope, freedom, and science win out over fear and oppression.
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Thank you!
You can watch the rest of the live stream from the March here.
Jon's view of the crowd in DC.