Category Archives: Science And Society

The Steyn Countersuit

With his new attorneys, Mark has filed a motion to deny Mann’s motion to dismiss:

Mann’s lawsuit is not advocacy. It therefore does not even cross the statutory threshold. His misguided attempt to invoke the Anti-SLAPP law’s provisions to discourage Steyn’s counterclaims would defeat the very purpose of that law. That is so because Steyn’s counterclaims -– unlike Mann’s lawsuit — do not seek to interfere with a right of advocacy. Since Mann’s libel suit does not constitute “advocacy,” Steyn need not show a likelihood of success on the merits to defeat Mann’s motion.

Mann’s attempt to enlist the Anti-SLAPP law as a weapon to silence Steyn’s criticisms is perverse. It is contrary to the fundamental salutary purpose of that statute. It wrongfully seeks the imposition of costs and attorneys’ fees against Steyn in retaliation for his asserting and defending his constitutional right to speak out on a matter of great public interest.

No comment.

Cosmos

Chad Orzell has some problems with the reboot. So do I and while it’s not his main concern, he puts his finger on it:

The bit where he called out young-Earth creationism for the impoverished scale of its vision was cute, too, though I’m not sure it was all that necessary or useful (in that the people who believe that won’t be watching, and wouldn’t be convinced), but then the show has clearly established a pattern of throwing red meat to the anti-religious from time to time.

Yes, if by “from time to time” he means every episode so far. I’m not traditionally religious, but I find it gratuitous and off putting. The writers and Tyson seem to get some sort of righteous satisfaction from putting a rhetorical thumb in the eyes of believers. It does not advance science, or their own secular religious cause.