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Stuff has responded to a recent Letter to the Editor that we published on The BFD about Stuff’s updated code of practice and ethics.
But how hypocritical of them to state on one hand that they are not biased, are accurate and are balanced when on the other hand they cheerfully admit that they are prepared to shut down one half of the argument about man-made climate change.
Either they need to change their policy on climate change or they need to seriously change their claims about bias, balance and accuracy.
The BFD Letter to the Editor
Stuff’s response is as follows:
As our charter states, we understand that the overwhelming majority (though not all) climate scientists agree with the statement, based on continuing reviews of the evidence, that human activities causing the production of greenhouse gas is driving climate change. I believe John Oliver best represents what this scientific consensus looks like here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjuGCJJUGsg
This excludes activists, who do not have similar education and experience and do not conduct research.
We take a similar position on other issues – for example, we represent all significant proposals and viewpoints on the funding and provision of cancer care and cancer treatments – however, we do not debate the well-established relationship, based on the consensus of medical professionals, that smoking causes cancer.
What do you think dear readers? Do we believe that smoking causes cancer because of the scientific evidence that it does or because of the consensus of medical professionals? I would argue that science should have nothing to do with consensus.
Let me put it another way. If you entered a room and saw me holding a shotgun and witnessed me shooting a man in the chest and him falling down dead (even though you are not a medical professional) what would you believe had killed him?
Now imagine that 5 medical professionals examined his dead remains and 4 out of the 5 claimed that he had died from COVID-19 according to their computer modelling. Would you believe the evidence in front of your eyes and the one professional who said that he was killed by the shotgun or the 4 medical professionals who had formed a consensus?
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