Laura Hellmuth, the former editor-in-chief of Scientific American, resigned Thursday after the letters she published. In Blue Sky shared opinions about Trump supporters in conservative circles. In a message that has since been deleted, Hellmuth characterized some Trump voters as “the most malicious, stupid, and bigoted people.”
Hellmuth also lamented that his generation of voters is “full of fucking fascists.
“I have decided to leave Scientific American after four exciting years as editor-in-chief. “I will take some time to think about the next step (and birdwatching), but for now I’d like to share a very small sample of the work I’m proud to support,” Hellmuth wrote on the social media platform.
He followed that message with links to several articles in the post and then added an apology for his election-related messages.
“These posts that I have deleted do not reflect my beliefs,” Hellmuth explained: “They were a misguided expression of shock and confusion about the election results.”
“I could go on all day, but right now I want to end by saying that we can make things better, or at least try to prevent them from getting worse. We fix acid rain. People are surviving HIV/AIDS. There are bald eagles everywhere! We have cancer vaccines! And the way things get better is… things get better through long-term thinking, investments in research, broad and welcoming collaboration, honest education, mentoring and care, without catastrophic failure, justice, hope, and solidarity.
This year’s election was the second time in 180 years that Scientific American has endorsed a presidential candidate. In your September endorsement, the outlet’s editors provided a comprehensive comparison of Harris’ (and Biden-Harris’) and Trump’s policies.
“At the top of the list, Harris deserves our votes. The editors wrote: “She offers us a path forward illuminated by rationality and respect for all.” “One of two futures will be realized based on our choices in this election. Only one is to vote for reality and integrity. We urge you to vote for Kamala Harris.”
Hellmuth’s resignation was met with support for his work at the magazine. “Laura Hellmuth’s impact on Scientific American and science journalism is immeasurable,” wrote science writer and journalist Sabrina Imbler in Blue Sky. “She has shown how a flagship publication can be ethical: Providing hard-hitting reporting on the climate crisis and revealing how science can be political, such as explaining why transgender children deserve gender-affirming care.”
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