A top sociology group fired back at Supreme Court Justice John Roberts for referring to sociology as “gobbledygook” during a Supreme Court argument last week.
Eduardo Bonilla-Silva, the president of the American Sociological Association, wrote a letter to Roberts on behalf of the group sharing his concerns about Roberts’s comments.
“In an era when facts are often dismissed as ‘fake news,’ we are particularly concerned about a person of your stature suggesting to the public that scientific measurement is not valid or reliable and that expertise should not be trusted,” the letter read. “What you call ‘gobbledygook’ is rigorous and empirical.”
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Roberts made the comments during the case Gill v. Whitford, which centered on partisan gerrymandering.
He said during the arguments that he was hesitant to remove gerrymandering “away from democracy” and have courts make decisions on the topic based on “sociological gobbledygook,” according to NPR.
Bonilla-Silva shared examples of sociological research used to improve American society, like providing evidence that separate is not equal and proof of gender discrimination in the workplace.
“We are certain that the social scientists and legal scholars at your alma mater would be disappointed to learn that you attributed your lack of understanding of social science to your Harvard education,” the letter read.
Bonilla-Silva also offered to set up a team of sociologists to meet up with Roberts to learn more about sociology, adding that “such time would be well spent.”