It's rapidly getting worse; we're reaching a point where some scientists with an interesting hypothesis are drawing the same level of derision and hatred as a teacher that molests a dozen school girls.
It's not JUST that some people associate ALL of science with AGW, and not just creationists, either - is it just the equivalent of picking on the smart kid in school because he understands stuff that you don't?
We need eggheads. Because they are eggheads. Some people do not understand.