[GodGunsGuts]

That's NOT what they mean by the Copernican principle. As already mentioned, according to Hawkings and Ellis, a crucial component of their Big Bang cosmology is based on an “ideology” that assumes the universe is “so democratic” that our position in space isn't “specially distinguished in any way.” This is what they mean by the (badly misnamed) Copernican principle. If they themselves admit their Big Bang cosmology is based on an "admixture" of ideology, why do you insist that said ideology is warranted by empirical observation?

[allmendream]

Because it is an empirical observation that we are part of a galaxy.

It is an empirical observation that we are on the spiral arm of this galaxy not in its center.

It is an empirical observation that the actual center of our galaxy is a quasar.

It is an empirical observation that our sun doesn't have the requisite mass to be the center of our galaxy.