Science: a Prodigal Son Returns to the White House

President Obama with Chief Justice John Roberts, after taking
the oath of office a second time. Source: whitehouse.govWe didn’t want to be alone celebrating the inauguration of Barak Obama, so my wife Michele and I went to the Lesher Auditorium in Walnut Creek to watch it live on CSpan on a big screen with about 600 of our neighbors. Some joy must be shared.

Add to our joy as a regular citizens that of our tribe--scientists and other seekers of the truth in its many forms. It’s time we came out of the shadows. Here is some of the reason for our joy, in the form of excerpts from President Obama's inauguration speech.

"We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology's wonders to raise health care's quality. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age… "

"Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends--hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism-- these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths."

Our success depends on curiosity! Say amen! I say amen!

We have a world leader now who believes that moral clarity and the continual pursuit of truth are inseparable.

I could talk about the proposed economic recovery package and the billions of dollars that will weatherize 1-million homes a year; or the billions that will go to renewable energy research and development; or the millions of jobs that will be created in a new, more sustainable economy. But I want to take a moment to pat us on the back.

One of the values taught me in theology classes, which comes straight from the Bible, is the value of a faithful remnant. Some might know of the story of Abraham and God discussing the fate of Sodom and Gomorrah, and how God was hot to destroy the cities but Abraham talked God into relenting if only ten good people could be found there. There is the non-biblical story of the rainmaker who came to a town in the midst of drought, and by living a simple, quiet, decent life, brought rain. I don’t think God is into democracy. God won’t wait for 51% of us to get it right. It only takes a few. So to the relative few who continued to pursue goodness, beauty and truth in the last 8 years, I say congratulations. We kept the faith; we ran the race; we won. Way to go. There will be lots of hard work and setbacks ahead, of course. But for now, let’s celebrate.

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