Scientists Go Rogue: Gag Rule Backlash Strikes Twitter | The Odyssey Online
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Politics and Activism

Scientists Go Rogue: Gag Rule Backlash Strikes Twitter

Scientists move to social media platforms as they plan a march of their own.

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Scientists Go Rogue: Gag Rule Backlash Strikes Twitter
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It is an image out of Star Wars: Darth Vader takes over, his constituents terrified even by his presence. A rebellion breaks out. The rebellion increases daily in number as the leader strips the people of their voices. Now, the United States's version of this iconic villain is turning on his own government.

It started with Trump’s bruised ego over a picture of Barack Obama’s (larger) inauguration crowd which was Re-Tweeted by the National Park Service account.

President Trump commanded that the NPS stop Tweeting until further notice. Trump then went on to issue a gag order against many science-centered departments of the federal government, taking away their First Amendment rights. This rule focuses on burying facts on the increase of global warming phenomena. Soon after the rule was enacted, Badlands National Park began rapidly Tweeting recent global warming statistics, which were quickly deleted without explanation.

They had had enough -- scientists had joined the rebellion. This is a precedent for political discourse, but the government is folding in on itself. They are even using the term “rogue” (yet another Star Wars reference) to describe the naysayers. First the pu**ies marched on D.C., then the president stranded innocent immigrants, and now he has alienated some of the greatest minds in our nation.

His actions drove the angered government workers ‘underground’, or, more accurately, online. Within 24 hours, "rogue" federal government accounts popped up all over Twitter, almost all advocating for factual evidence and disavowing Kellyanne Conway’s “alternative facts” that have become somewhat of a staple of Trump’s administration. Among the most popular accounts in existence now are @NotAltWorld (formerly unofficial National Parks Service), @RogueNASA, @altUSEPA, @AltForetServ, @Alt_fda, @altusda, which collectively reach millions.

While these accounts are "unverified," this kind of mass creation and popularization of social media accounts is almost unprecedented, especially in connection with the national government. Although every presidential administration has received backlash, the sound of resistance under Trump is near deafening. Although it is unsure whether or not these account creators are government employees, there is no doubt that scientists across the nation are angered. It was recently announced that The Science March on Washington will occur on Earth Day, April 22nd, with an estimated crowd that puts Trump's inauguration numbers to shame.
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