Among the unfortunate aspects of the global warming issue is the blatant dishonesty prevalent among many of the theory’s proponents.
Let’s start with Al Gore’s movie “An Inconvenient Truth,” which was, ironically, loaded with half-truths and untruths: no, the state of Florida is not sinking into the ocean; no, hurricanes are not getting more numerous or stronger; and no, the snows of Kilimanjaro have not melted away as predicted (in fact, some glaciers there are over 100 feet thick today.) Nonetheless, the movie succeeded: Gore got wealthy; and a whole generation of school children, many of whom are now young adults, think their parents ruined the planet.
Unfortunately, even this newspaper inadvertently contributes to the propaganda, by frequently reprinting articles that originate at sources like the Washington Post. These articles regularly and breathlessly imply that almost any natural phenomenon is “probably” a result of global warming.
If you joke to a liberal during a cold snap, “No global warming today,” you will probably get a lecture on the difference between climate and weather. Of course, they are correct about that. But let there be a major weather event – a dry spell, a flood, or a major storm like Hurricane Katrina or super-storm Sandy – and you’ll immediately be told that global warming is the cause. That’s totally dishonest; you can’t have it both ways.
The mainstream press, along with New Hampshire’s congressional delegation and most of the people responsible for your child’s education, tend to treat each of the following as facts:
Global warming is mostly caused by human activity;
We can reverse global warming significantly by adopting drastic measures such as the Green New Deal;
A catastrophe awaits us if we don’t make these drastic changes.
But these statements are not facts; they are theories. They may or may not prove to be true; yet they are often treated as facts in schools, in the press, and on college campuses. That’s dishonest. As a matter of fact, we don’t know what share of observed warming is caused by humans; and we have no idea to what extent we can actually change the climate by our actions.
The worst lie of all: “The science is settled.” Regardless of the percent of scientists who buy into these theories, the science is certainly not settled. Instead of saying that 97% of scientists agree with these theories, it would be more honest to say that 97% of climate scientists who are looking for government grants to study climate change agree with them.
Further, it is outrageous that anyone who challenges any of these theories is called a “denier,” and accused of working for the oil companies. Sorry, that’s not how science works. Challenging theories is part of being a scientist. Scientists make predictions based on their theories, in order to test their accuracy. To date, many such predictions related to global warming have proved wildly inaccurate (i.e., that the snows of Kilimanjaro would be gone by now). Yet we are supposed to keep drinking the Kool-Aid.
I heard two different Democratic presidential candidates state authoritatively that the world will end in twelve years (well, I guess it’s eleven now) if we don’t adopt the Green New Deal. No rational scientist believes that to be a scientific fact; yet it is stated as fact, and never questioned by the fawning and dishonest liberal media.
Worst of all, some on the Left are actually pushing to call any challenge to these theories “hate speech.” Really? Is that science?
Some time back, when observed warming leveled off unexpectedly, you may have noticed that they changed “global warming” to “climate change.” Maybe that was so they could be right no matter what happens.
The climate is always changing, of course, and it always has. Where we live now was once under ice more than a mile thick. (I wonder which humans caused that ice to melt?) So “fight climate change” actually makes no sense, though you hear it all the time. (If the planet suddenly starts cooling, should we burn more fossil fuel?)
It’s not publicized much, but the alarmists in the 1970s were predicting a different disaster, a mini-ice age, when temperatures appeared to have been cooling between the 40s and the 70s.
The Left pushes these theories for only one reason: their “solution” always involves big government, higher taxes, and more regulations; it’s their bread and butter. But by calling theories facts, it’s clear that to them, global warming is as much religion as science.
Rational people who really believe these theories would be promoting the most obvious solution to human-caused global warming: nuclear energy. This form of energy is clean, and uses no fossil fuel. But apparently the Left isn’t looking for an easy solution; only a “solution” that brings the economy to its knees will do. Fortunately, many people see through the contradictions and the dishonesty.
Peter R. Devine resides in Bridgewater. He teaches mathematics at Plymouth State University.
LAST WEEK, revelations of former President Joe Biden’s stage-four prostate cancer diagnosis rocked the political world. The day the news broke, sympathy for the Biden family poured out from across the political spectrum — and rightly so. But as the dust has settled, many of us are asking the…
EVERY MAY is full of very familiar and welcome signs of spring following a cold, hard New Hampshire winter. As the month progresses, the weather warms and feels more like summer. The long weekend at the end of the month is often a highlight of the year, not only for the weather, but also for…
MAY is Mental Health Awareness Month — a time to highlight how important it is to prioritize mental well-being, remind people that help is available, and celebrate the work we’ve done so far to help those in need. But as May comes to an end, our commitment to mental health must be stronger t…
HUNDREDS of thousands of photos were taken of Franklin Delano Roosevelt. And yet, there are only four known photos of him in a wheelchair. This was deliberate. FDR hid his disability from polio, even from his mother. He ordered the Secret Service to destroy images of him in a wheelchair. His…
NOT THAT Texas and South Carolina have passed school choice bills, parents will be able to choose the best school for their kids in 17 states. Why not all states? After all, competition improves services.
