Society, politics, and the realm of physics
DOI: 10.1063/PT.3.3448
I was amazed to read the editorial about Brexit in the August 2016 issue of Physics Today (page 8 ). I always feel uncomfortable when Physics Today strays into the realm of politics. I understand that it is sometimes necessary, but UK immigration policy? I really don’t care about the editor’s opinion in this area. But I do object strongly to his assertion that Brexit was fueled by “ugly anti-immigration sentiment.” I do not believe that is true. My reading is that the vote was motivated by the British people’s dislike of the unelected, anti-democratic bureaucracy that runs the European Union.
I see nothing ugly about that. Moreover, I see nothing ugly about people wanting to control the immigration policy of the country of which they are citizens. So, Mr. Editor, stick to physics. We probably agree on that.
More about the authors
Robert S. Orr, (orr@physics.utoronto.ca) Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
