Today, a plea. Please click the button above or go to this webpage and sign a petition in support of free speech in science journalism.
The background for this is Simon Singh’s libel case: he is being sued by the British Chiropractic Association for alleging that their treatments are not scientifically validated. Simon made this claim on strong scientific grounds. The problem is, UK libel law is ridiculously punitive and stifles proper scientific debate, especially in areas of health and medicine. This is potentially life-threatening, as anyone who has been prescribed homeopathic prophylaxis for malaria could (but probably wouldn't dare to) attest.
The petition statement says:
The law has no place in scientific disputes
We the undersigned believe that it is inappropriate to use the English libel laws to silence critical discussion of medical practice and scientific evidence.
It goes on to explain the background to the case.
Sign it. This is important. Really.
It stems from the same problem that is leading to measles outbreaks in the UK (here is James Randerson's rant in the Guardian after his daughter caught a life-threatening bout): the "alternative" practitioners' right to spread dangerous lies and half-truths as if they were solid and scientific medical advice. I'm all for the right to speak - hell, I'm being hanged by the homeopaths and the anti-homeopaths since 13 Things came out - but it has to cut both ways. If Simon loses this case, science journalists will not be able to counter the wackiest of claims, and people will almost certainly die from preventable ailments (really) as a result. Here's an argument from a solicitor, made in New Scientist.
If you need celebrity endorsement to motivate you, Stephen Fry and Ricky Gervais have both signed.
What more can I do to persuade you?!
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