Bill Nye Uses Constitution to Claim 'Denying Science' Is 'Unpatriotic.' Too Bad He Didn't Quote It Very Carefully.

Bill Nye the Science Guy made a bold claim in a Vox interview leading up to Memorial Day, saying the U.S. Constitution supports his notion that those who question science are "unpatriotic."

Bill Nye: Denying science is "unpatriotic" https://t.co/xB2qiPtpDk pic.twitter.com/sACNtaPuta

— Vox (@voxdotcom) May 24, 2015

To wit:

When you have people denying this basic process, and how we all got here, it’s offensive to me intellectually. And I happen to think it’s unpatriotic. Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution says the government shall “promote the progress of science and useful arts.” So if you’re a politician looking to derail the progress of science, I think you’re not doing your job.

But Twitchy noted that the words Nye pulled from Article I, Section 8 are taken way, way out of context.

Here's what comes after the quote Nye spouted off: "To promote the progress of science and useful arts, by securing for limited times to authors and inventors the exclusive right to their respective writings and discoveries;"

Yup. Nye's interview text actually linked to the Constitution. Then a simple reading of the quote in context indicates it's all about what has become American copyright and patent law — and has nothing to do with the Nye's claim that those who question science are "unpatriotic."

Some folks responded to the Vox tweet about the Nye interview and weren't terribly lenient about the Science Guy's faux pas:

Image source: Twitter

Image source: Twitter

(H/T: Weasel Zippers)

This story has been updated.

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Follow Dave Urbanski (@DaveVUrbanski) on Twitter