Huffington Post supports too much woo

I like Huffington Post for their political coverage. That’s what drew me to them in the beginning. Even as they changed their view point to be harder on the Obama Administration, I still read it every day. However editorial changes over the last few months have pushed me to stop recommending the site and to avoid linking to them in the future.

What changed my mind was when they added a religion section. At first I thought, since it was a liberal blog, it might give a fair shake to religion, instead the first articles I saw were from people bashing so-called “new atheists” and articles supporting creationism. Like the article by David Klinghoffer, from the creation shills the Discovery Institute, blaming Darwin for eugenics and the Nazis.

Then there is the Living section that is full of pseudoscientific crap one sees regularly on Oprah and “The View”. As Joshua Holland wrote:

I’ve long been a critic of HuffPo’s “Living” section, where fake doctors peddle snake oil cures and vaccine conspiracy theorists spread their poisonous misinformation. Those who read the Huffington Post solely for its (usually good) political content often don’t even realize that a couple verticals away is a den of quackery and pseudo science…

But publishing the new agey holistic naturopath crystal-healing Beverly Hills quack-to-the-stars bullshit of Adriana’s good friend’s nutritionist is one (stupid, potentially dangerous) thing. Giving a platform to the anti-science creationist dingbats at The Discovery Institute is a step in a darker direction.

Huffington Post Publishes Creationist Nonsense; Touchy About Criticism

Then today what should I see but in a prominent “above the fold” place a link to a live chat with the “positive thinking” huckster to the stars Tony Robbins. Here is a screen cap:

When it comes to science and medicine I have to insist on the truth and articles based on actual evidence that has been peer reviewed. Sometimes science doesn’t feel good – that isn’t its job. Science is suppose to inform us on the world in which we live.

And as blogger vjack noted:

I admit that I have been slow to act. I was torn because I continue to find excellent political content on HuffPo that I do not always see elsewhere. I have tried to avoid the woo and focus my attention on the good stuff. But now I have reached the point where the quackery simply couldn’t be avoided any longer. It is too pervasive, and it makes me question the credibility of everything else the blog does. PZ is right; it is time to walk away from HuffPo.

Huffington Post is no friend to reality

I agree the quackery taints what is good about HuffPo and so I can’t quote or link to it any longer.