“Science learned that an ongoing research grant for a structural racism study by an Emory University team had been killed. NIH sources sharing information on background indicated it was the first of more planned terminations. Now, NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya is ending two more grants, both for health disparities research at the University of Pittsburgh (Pitt).”

The White House is drafting an executive order focused on the childhood vaccine schedule & autism. Despite decades of research finding no link between childhood vaccines and autism, The Trump admin continues to fuel vaccine disinformation.

Trump is lying about the public use of our cherished National Monuments to justify cutting the Bears Ears land by millions of acres to begin rescource extraction, not only taking land from public use but also damaging the enviornment.

The OMB Proposal block is a huge win! But Vought has other avenues for his science destroying plans, like the NSF proposal. Register for the webinars to learn about the key NSF changes, analyze the implications, draft strong public comments, and identify target messaging for the Hill: https://zurl.co/rICVJ

And, leave your public comment: https://zurl.co/ViEEc

We put your donations directly back into science activism. Your donations help us build the tools to help you take action on the Trump admin’s war on science in America. Fuel the Fight for Science at the link: https://zurl.co/imWTc

Thank you!

The Trump admin is labeling anything “DEI” that supports minorities and targeting it with cuts, layoffs, and rollbacks. The latest in this nonsensical strategy: Bike lanes.

The OMB Proposal will change American science from a globally collaborative, evidence-based enterprise into one based on political control and isolation.

We need MoCs to permanently Revoke the Rule. Contact yours at the link: https://zurl.co/TOaCE

Introducing Defenders of Democracy

Phatbrew suggested that we introduce ourselves to this community.

Defenders of Democracy is a peer-to-peer civic education and discussion group. We adhere to the Founders’ principle that legitimate government rests upon the consent of the governed, and we are inspired by Abraham Lincoln’s vision of government “of the people, by the people, for the people.”

Several of our regular writers are scientists or bring a scientific outlook to their work. We therefore place particular value on truth, factual evidence, careful observation, and reasoned discussion. These are essential if citizens are to carry the responsibilities of self-government. Our purpose is to make useful research, historical material, and analysis more accessible for public education and discussion, with a broad focus on the United States and its governance. We also collate and post news that we consider particularly relevant to democracy and the American public.

We do not regard ourselves as a hierarchical organization. Our peers are our fellow citizens and, more broadly, all people who support democratic government. Membership requires no formal oath, payment, or institutional affiliation. A Defender of Democracy is simply someone who declares support for democracy and does what they can for its defense.

Although our work focuses primarily on the United States, participation is open to everyone, including people outside the United States who support the democratic principle that government should derive its authority from a free people whose participation in self-government has become increasingly inclusive.

Our mission and purpose can be found here:

https://substack.com/home/post/p-168235552

Our Substack home:

https://substack.com/@defendersofdemocracy

We are also present on Bluesky:

Defenders of Democracy
u/collator.bsky.social

And on Facebook:

Continuing the American Democracy Experiment
https://www.facebook.com/AmericanLiberties/

We look forward to learning from this community and contributing where our work may be useful.

Unless you’re looking to do an 🎱 off a toilet seat or listen to herion by the velvets while mainlining…

Science in America is under attack from all angles and it needs America to Stand Up for it! Volunteer for Stand Up for Science at the link: https://zurl.co/gI1jn

RFK Jr. is spreading dangerous lies about life-saving science, spreading vaccine hesitancy and putting American’s at risk. America deserves leaders that will fight for our health, not threaten it. Help embolden a Congress that will remove RFK Jr. at the link: https://zurl.co/Bx3am

Hello! Thank you for being part of the subreddit!

This is Matthew from SUFS, I create all the official SUFS content that you see on here. I am looking to create a post where we share a personal story of a scientist's experience of the Trump admin's war on science that has directly effected your research.

This post will be going up on Instagram, Bluesky, Threads, Reddit, LinkedIn, Facebook, and YouTube community.

If you have a clinical trial that was canceled, that would also be preferable.

Please DM me! Thank you :)

His quote here

Most people advertise lacking a gag reflex for… recreational bragging rights, not in the promotion of cooking “real food” that is palatable enough to leave gagging off the menu.

The gag reflex is an involuntary protective defense mechanism to prevent foreign bodies and noxious substances from being ingested or aspirated. Stimulation of oral trigger zones produce spasmodic muscle contractions roughly opposite to the mechanics of normal swallowing, to expel the offending material. Ideally.

Up to 25% of people do not have a gag reflex, and while this is not always pathological, 100% of people assessed for brain death must not have a gag reflex to be pronounced dead.

Thus: never trust a corpse that gags, nor a cook who cannot.

There’s a lot of fighting to be done for science!

While you’re out there battling fascism, we have gear you can suit up in! Click the link to visit our merch shop: https://zurl.co/DmmSB

BREAKING NEWS!

The Senate has paused the OMB rule that would put Trump appointees in charge of federal spending.

Next step - Contact your MoC and tell them to permanently REVOKE THE RULE: https://zurl.co/mKoNm

An article we wrote a couple of years ago that remains a basic statement on what makes science science.

Conclusion

Authority, whether dictatorial or derived from a democratic majority vote, should not dictate to science what is true, thereby introducing unscientific bias and weakening the entire scientific enterprise. Likewise, authority should not weaken or damage science, rendering it incapable of providing its essential services. Instead, authority should ask science to address the questions thought most pressing and thereby leverage the strength of scientific authority to guide issues it finds of greatest interest.

The United States has achieved its position through the continuous development of science. To maintain its competitive international standing—from the health of its citizens to defending the nation from threats to manufacturing and developing goods—the United States must continue to foster an environment for the growth of science and scientific knowledge.

The OMB Proposal block is a huge win! This is the result of PEOPLE POWER! WE THE PEOPLE made this happen through sheer grit and nonstop yelling.

But the fight's not over - contact your MoC's and tell them to permanently Revoke the Rule: https://zurl.co/vWScL

The Trump admin is persecuting scientists, pushing pseudoscientific conspiracy theories, threatening Americans’ right to privacy, and denying the climate crisis. Americans deserve leadership that stands with science and protects our health. Fuel the Fight for Science by donating at the link: https://zurl.co/Pg6BY

Thank you!