NOTE: This article was originally posted in October, 2007.
John Coleman, founder of The Weather Channel said the following:
John Coleman, founder of The Weather Channel said the following:
"It is the greatest scam in history. I am amazed, appalled and highly offended by it. Global Warming; It is a SCAM. Some dastardly scientists with environmental and political motives manipulated long term scientific data to create an illusion of rapid global warming. Other scientists of the same environmental whacko type jumped into the circle to support and broaden the “research” to further enhance the totally slanted, bogus global warming claims. Their friends in government steered huge research grants their way to keep the movement going. Soon they claimed to be a consensus." See full text here ...
I say ...
Those are harsh words; yet, given the source, credible. To be sure, as you will learn, there is much more criticism and direct rebuttal of Al Gore's proselytizing of Global Warming than is likely to reach the general population through traditional media outlets.
Global Warming has been made into a highly-charged political issue mainly by the efforts of a single politician. As a result, millions of people with virtually no scientific expertise on the matter and with the blind fervor of religious zealots, have sworn allegiance to the call. While they march forward to save the earth and all living things from the catastrophic calamity promised by their unapproachable and unaccountable leader, Al Gore, they belittle their “uncaring", "ignorant” detractors who in fact seem to have investigated the subject more than they—if they have investigated it at all.
Further, as is often the case with such things, millions of “Warmers” have become so intellectually rigid and so emotionally attached to their belief in Global Warming that any chance of reasoned discourse with them is about as likely as an actual teleportation to the moon by Mr. Gore. But then our world is becoming less actual every day.
So here is where I stand at the moment: After reading much conflicting material from scientific experts I believe there is nothing that even begins to approach a consensus. Because of this, it is clear to me that Al Gore has grossly misled all of us by repeatedly insisting that “There is a consensus.” and that "The debate is over.” When his detractors criticize or (Good God!) actually insist on public debate, he simply repeats the mantras—“There is a consensus.” "The debate is over.” and tries to belittle and embarrass his opponents with specious declarations delivered with the practiced condescension of an arrogant demagogue. His horde of Orwellian automatons—the zealots known as "Warmers"— further attempt to make all opposition look ignorant, uncaring, and foolish—and at all costs—try to stifle criticism and cutoff or avoid debate. The tactics are ageless. Fascists have been using them to maintain their totalitarian states for centuries. But we must expose and hold accountable these self-serving political bullies if we are to avoid straddling our children with unimaginable mountains of debt and leaving them with a nation more akin to a banana republic than the America the world has admired for so long.
Is there a consensus when large portions of the scientific community disagree with Gore’s assertions? Is the debate over when highly respected climatologists call Al Gore a fraud and seek public debate in order to get their views aired? Is this the “Information Age” or the “Misinformation Age”? At the very least, charlatanism is alive and well.
Is there a consensus when large portions of the scientific community disagree with Gore’s assertions? Is the debate over when highly respected climatologists call Al Gore a fraud and seek public debate in order to get their views aired? Is this the “Information Age” or the “Misinformation Age”? At the very least, charlatanism is alive and well.
Does this mean that everything Al Gore told us in his book is wrong? No, that would have been too obvious. But given his gross misrepresentations and outright lies it should tell all honest thinkers who are politically unbiased and independent to be particularly suspicious of anything Mr. Gore has to say on the subject. One does not establish his bona fides by grossly misleading his audience about anything—large or small.
Is our planet warming? I don’t know. Some say yes. Some say no. Some say yes and we are causing it. Some say yes but we have nothing to do with it. Many say we simply do not know because we are not yet capable of knowing. And so it goes. But this is certain: It is not static. This we do know because we know that it is always in a state of change. It was that way before we got here and will be that way after we are gone.
Is our planet warming? I don’t know. Some say yes. Some say no. Some say yes and we are causing it. Some say yes but we have nothing to do with it. Many say we simply do not know because we are not yet capable of knowing. And so it goes. But this is certain: It is not static. This we do know because we know that it is always in a state of change. It was that way before we got here and will be that way after we are gone.
I suspect Al Gore knows these things and doesn’t care. Also, it is clear that Al Gore and large numbers of scientists and businesses have and continue to profit handsomely as a result of spreading the fear of global warming to all the people of planet earth—the very people and the very planet he and they profess to care so much about. I suspect that the full sense of his message is false and that in knowing it is false he has committed an insidiously unconscionable act of mass deception on us all—and, ultimately, one of inestimable cost and suffering to all people on this planet if we do not consider this matter well and are not circumspect and very smart about it in the years to come.
Are there scientists who are legitimate proponents of the man-made global warming model? I think there must be many and I can only hope they are and will continue to have serious, sound scientific dialog with their peers—and that they steer clear of disingenuous politicians.
If we continue to act on Mr. Gore’s proclamations without insisting on responsible, unbiased, objective science to guide us, the results could be as costly, if not as catastrophic, as Mr. Gore's debatable and highly suspect predictions. Gore has successfully made political (and profitable) that which is by definition, scientific. This must be changed.
Some final comments: Many, seem to confuse the Gore-style politically-charged issue of Global Warming with common sense considerations regarding the overall health of our planet. So to be clear, it should be self-evident that a clean environment is healthier than a dirty one and that we humans should engage in all appropriate environmental pursuits that will contribute to a clean and healthy mother earth.
