The growing gap in income of the richest and the poorest of us...the US is approaching Brazil in this dismal statistic. As such, it includes and subsumes joblessness, crime, disease, drugs, poverty, race, population.

From a broader perspective this also applies globally to the have and have-not nations and this "growing gap" now covers environment, population again, political stability, terrorism, war.

Finally, out of Bosnia, Ireland, Middle East, Africa, Afghanistan, and so many other places I could construct the issue of religion --- or ethnicity honed to religious fervor or political fanaticism (e.g. Communism, Fascism) also honed, e.g. dogmatism, fundamentalism. In the tortured history of the planet these have created much sorrow and misery.

The role of science?

Science is the wealth creator. Science and associated technologies can provide the wherewithal for a much more equitable society. Science can provide the inoculations and medicines, science can manage job creation, the contraceptives and the communication technology. Science cannot provide the political will. The major role of science is through its symbiotic partner, education. Obviously it is education that is at the root and it is education that is the major component in any solution. Science, through its impact on educational technology, communications, cognitive science can help to nurture political will, moderate greed, deal with the environmental threats, teach the dangers of a population.

Major issues confronting science?

How to maintain the esprit of the scientific community in these days of a fundamental lack of appreciation for the culture and economics of scientific discovery. The winds of anti-science clearly do not help.

What should AAAS do?

1. The AAAS, already deep in formal education, could make science literacy a major priority for it and its affiliate societies. . . i.e. the 16-100 part of K-100.
2. AAAS could initiate a partnership with NAS (gasp!), NSTA, with Business Round Table and through new connections to Universities and Military teachers to form an unstoppable consortium for education reform -- to provide a central strategy for local implementation. This is needed for the "war on ignorance" but is restricted by the Constitution and the public hysteria for devolutions.
3. The AAAS Board should come to the support of the National Endowment for the Arts -- see Science magazine editorial of 21 November.
4. The AAAS should try harder to find highly qualified, non-Asian minority scientists for its Board and President, even if these are male (!).

AAAS at the Millenium Board Position Paper

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