Given the shameful pedophilia labels that were recently applied to climate skeptics by the Merchants of Hate Robyn Williams and Stephan Lewandowsky on Australia’s ABC radio, I thought this essay from the Chillicothe Gazette (Ohio) said something that needed to be said, so I’m repeating an excerpt here.
Jim Thompson writes:
As a global warming skeptic who never will be in a car pool van or AFV unless forced to do so by the government, it hit me that I now know what it was like to be a black citizen in the South during the height of Jim Crow laws.
You know, when because of your skin color, you were thought to be stupid, ignorant, lazy and dirty. You sat in the back of the bus, were not allowed to use any “whites only” facilities and were sent to segregated schools.
Today, if you do not bow to the global warming/climate change/carbon footprint gods, you are deemed stupid, ignorant, lazy and unenlightened. You don’t deserve to park next to the door, you should feel lucky we even let you in the parking garage. Additionally, there are certain lanes on the expressways in which you are not allowed to travel.
…
All is not lost, however. For by experiencing the discrimination of not swallowing the nonsense, I have been able, in some small way, to experience what it must have been like to have been an African-American in the United States in the first half of the 20th century. The ridicule, catcalls, unfair labeling and so forth that one experiences when they are on the wrong side of a mob’s beliefs are interesting. The only difference is the African-Americans were stuck with their skin color. All I would have to do is abandon all the science I was ever taught to be, once again, accepted.
Full essay here
h/t to Tom Nelson
[snip – this is only expressing one side of the issue, without dealing with the present context. The way it is presented is unfortunate, and probably not intentional. I suggest you reword and resubmit – Anthony]
Yes that’s how witchhunt works, It won’t ever stop..
At least his protective bubble has finally been pierced, I suppose. What an atrocious article. Maybe he’ll get a hangnail next and come to a sudden understanding of what it’s like to be disabled in America.
Anthony, I have been quietly following WUWT for years. It has demonstrated itself to be better than this in the past.
REPLY: Climate skeptics are smeared with pedophile labels and you are worried about this article? Odd – Anthony
I think the last thing skeptics should be doing is comparing their treatment to that of African Americans in the deep south more than 50 yrs ago. First of all, this is about ideas not skin color and you can always keep your thoughts to yourself. By overstating some imagined harm, it weakens ay legitimate arguments you may want to make. Secondly, most of us seem to segregate by politics anyway these days so most of our associates are likely to think the same way we do. Third, there are several ways to discuss AGW with people that have a climate consensus mindset without even arguing the science and find common ground since so many of the “solutions” are worse for the environment and will hurt those with limited incomes. These areas where common ground can be found at least provide a platform for discussion between people with differing views and when it comes right down to, that’s what is sorely lacking.
Not only that, I have seen comments in Huffington Post greenie articles essentially calling for the execution of all ‘climate deniers’.
At a recent legal conference, after a lawyer I know laboriously explained to the crowd the importance of AGW and the IPCC, as he passed by me after his presentation he asked if I was still a denier, a term he repeatedly used in this presentation. My only response was that I was still skeptical after reading the science. His voice was thick with derision, but I refrained from engaging with him, irrespective of the fact that 3 years ago I had highlighted the futility of the Ontario Green Energy Act, which has to date failed to deliver the number of jobs touted. At that meeting 4 years ago I was treated as an ignorant neanderthal and unqualified to comment on climate science, as I am only a lawyer with an engineering degree (worked for 13 years in manufacturing).
My favorite comment 4 years ago was that all of the new jobs in green would swamp other manufacturing because car manufacturing was never coming back. While not as big as it was when the Canadian dollar was 65 cents, the car manufacturers are doing quite well, while wind and solar forms have shut down once the government largess disappeared. Too bad other manufacturers now have to labour under doubled electricity costs.
Yes! Being a Professional Counselor and working with people almost twenty years between counseling and being a church pastor, the science of hate has been exposed! The science of hate is what Hitler used and it not only borders insanity, but as the 12-step AA/NA works say is a definition of doing the same things over and over again expecting a different result = Insanity. The fact is that our whole country is divided and that is how our “science” is being divided, but not by those who want real facts that are based on real science, but those with an agenda, a hatred for humanity, i.e. the hate of C0 2 producers. Hate is a poor substitute for wanting to improve our planet = lets kill the people and save the planet! Sounds diabolical to me.
Incredibly tone-deaf. You’re sullying your website’s brand tremendously.
REPLY: I know talking about such things are a risk, and that some people may be turned off by the essay from the newspaper in Ohio, but at the same time skeptics are being labeled with horrible labels as we’ve seen in the recent ABC episode. Saying nothing and acquiescing to such labels is equally sullying, IMHO. I think the concern, while understandable, is misplaced. – Anthony
For those denigrating Anthony for running this, I am a member of a minority, and have experienced intense discrimination first hand. The tactics used to belittle, marginalize, and dehumanize me for being a member of that minority are identical to those being used to belittle, marginalize and dehumanize skeptics.
Learn from the lessons of history, or be condemned to repeat them. But don’t you dare condemn me to repeat them with you.
I am not sure this is a good way to go in our thinking. There are many sub-cultures who feel persecuted and few of them which deserves it. Name calling is a normal response to those whose arguments are weak and whose world view is threatened.
Let me explain it in another context. I believe that God created the world. I am quite sure that if I have “nothing” and then it explodes, I don’t get something (big bang). I am quite sure that the apparent design in nature is because it is designed. I am also quite sure that there is no source of information (with coding, semantics etc. ) in the universe other than from intelligence (and it is seen in every biological cell), but the point is that even climate sceptics will use names against creationists or supporters of intelligent design (I haven’t seen it on this blog though).
The view of the science held by creationists/ID is deemed useless, fraudulent, ignorant etc., with all the same attitudes shown by AGWers to climate sceptics, with the same media control and court battles. The fact that many working scientists, doctors, astronomers , biologists hold creationist views is just unbelievable to those who never heard of it – it cannot be true, it is a madness, these people should be ….
I suggest that it is best to avoid a persecution complex because it doesn’t help and it is somewhat hypocritical. As climate sceptics you know the science is on your side, just as the black people knew that they were fully human and not lesser animals, and no better or worse than white people. There is no need to respond to the provocative name calling.
Note: I am using this only as an illustration, not to introduce creationism/ID into this blog.
Yes, they call us names and denigrate our intelligence but I just don’t see the parallel to racism. I’m kind of sorry tis article is on here.
Good article. I have been treated this way for years because I smoke. Shunned and looked down on as dumb, lazy etc. Now I guess I am a third or fourth rate citizen because I smoke and deny human caused climate change. Fabulous world we live in. Anything that is against the main stream relegates one to second rate citizenship.
I agree with David. The beginnings of atrocities fueled by simmered hate towards those who have beliefs that are different, those who have lives that are different, and those who have opinions, even reasonable ones, that are different, start small. It is this small start that we must be vigilant to firmly stand against.
Intolerance of CAGW skepticism has has a long way to travel before it joins the panoply of politically incorrect views such as race discrimination. So making the comparison of race segregation and hatred directed at CAGW skeptics dubious and likely to draw disapprobation. As for the troll John Guerk, I would like nothing better than to be segregated from his ilk.
The whole namecalling and denigration, etc of people by folk on ANY side of ANY argument/debate is of course unecessary and completely fails to resolve anything.
The only way to proceed (for the skeptical side) is to remain as honest, aloof and as full of integrity as is humanly possible. It is still vital to ‘believe’ that the truth will out in the end – or else, we might as well just give up know – but there is no need for any skeptics to stoop to the religous zealotry of the crazy warmista (who are desparately trying to save their own butts!)
First they ignore you, then they mock you, then they fight you, then you win – Mahatma Ghandi
Sorry, I think this is just a gift to alarmists. However nuanced such a comparison might be, however it’s pitched, someone is going to misrepresent the comparison to make us look bad.
I don’t see how it helps.
And Joe Guerk is doing his best to make it look worse. I really, really hope he’s an alarmist troll.
Bravo! This is well and truly called for.
Though the witch trials may be a better parallel.
Anthony does no discredit to WUWT by pointing out that there are very bad things going on–and that there may be worse to come.
However, I’m afraid Mr. Thompson’s mistake–and I do think it is one–is the somewhat self-indulgent presumption that his experience of being compelled for no good reason to park a long way from a building entrance gives him an understanding of the experience of systematic racial discrimination.
Which is too bad, for a couple of reasons: 1) It’s evident Mr. Thompson’s remarks are made in a spirit of good will; and 2) the error of equating the experiences detracts from the real point, which is that if the treatment of AGW skeptics concerns you, you ain’t seen nothing yet.
The climate-crisis movement is, after all, a creation of the political Left, and if history remains a reliable guide, that means the maltreatment of AGW skeptics will be limited only (repeat, only,) by what the Left believes it can get away with. I’m guessing that at the present moment, the Left believes it can get away with a lot. Things will escalate.
I’ve seen comments on this web site mentioning the Soviet-era confinement of political dissidents to mental hospitals (and worse, of course, but for the moment the false suggestion of mental illness has the advantage of instant deployability.) As the AGW scam is increasingly discredited by the plain reality in front of our faces, the Left will react as it always does when cornered, with increased viciousness. The fact that the exposure of the Left’s all-time best and biggest scam coincides with its nearly unconstrained power over federal regulatory agencies, popular culture, the academy and establishment science, should make for a fascinating–and extraordinarily unpleasant–few years.
On a personal note, I detest having to use an alias on this site but have a duty to my employers and others to avoid risk of making them targets for retaliation. Any who doubt that such things will grow increasingly common as AGW becomes decreasingly credible will likely see their doubts resolved in the near term.
“REPLY: Climate skeptics are smeared with pedophile labels and you are worried about this article? Odd – Anthony”
What is odd about that? That your adversaries act as immature children has nothing to do with the integrity of your blog.
REPLY: So discussing a touchy subject in an adult manner affects the integrity? I don’t think so. I just think it makes you and some others uncomfortable – Anthony
Why should we be surprised by the haters? The same all knowing superiority complex drove eugenics and has been used to keep ghettos alive and well in all our large cities. If you doubt the wisdom of those who are, here to help you, why you must be mentally defective.
Only in a sheltered academic environment does this facile thinking thrive, ie govt office, in the real work force, where we build things, you quickly learn people are people, the shades and beliefs are non problems and expert is best defined as a drip under pressure. Thats why the self styled experts hate life experienced and skilled people, the emperor wears no clothes, again.
There is a reason these types abuse the naivety of the young and feeble minded.
No I do not find Jims parrallels offensive, read black like me years ago, worked with a bunch of Black Power advocates in construction, haters use and create fractures between people to try to control their world. Best summary of their inadequacies , “Hows Your Work”?
princessartemis says:
November 25, 2012 at 9:29 am
At least his protective bubble has finally been pierced, I suppose. What an atrocious article. Maybe he’ll get a hangnail next and come to a sudden understanding of what it’s like to be disabled in America…
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I do not consider ‘spikes and bombs’ to be just hangnails. Ecoterrorism is very very real and increasing as that paper from George Washington University shows. History shows labeling people and calling them nasty names is the first step in what can become lethal aggression. Until you are labeled there is no target for aggression. Once you are labeled “Deniers” for example, then you can become the focus for escalating the hate. It is a typical tactic used by politicians, and gangs.
Here is an example:
Is climate science disinformation a crime against humanity? Deeply irresponsible corporate-sponsored programmes of disinformation have potentially harsh effects upon tens of millions of people ( Donald Brown is associate professor in environmental ethics, science and law at Penn State University.)
Google returns 84,000 results for the phrase ‘is climate science disinformation a crime against humanity’ they so helpfully provide. (Yet there is absolutely no evidence of major corporate-sponsored programmes of disinformation unless you are talking of CAGW.)
Once a group is isolated, labeled and smeared with nasty ‘crimes’ history shows that atrocities often follow. We certainly have a recent example of just such a labeling and scapegoating for political gain.
To ignore this escalation by the powerful who stand to profit from the ‘green project’ $$$$$ is dangerous. They hope we will go away but are not above terrorizing ‘Deniers’ into compliance as the Animal Liberation Front has done.
See FBI report: http://www.oocities.org/anarcores/fbionalf.html
(Anyone who does not realize all these groups have the backing of the very powerful are ignoring the money flow.)
This is NOT an acceptable comparison.
A much better one is the slow rise of the National Socialist Party in the 20”s and 30’s in Germany. As in Germany, everyone’s freedom is slowly being whittled away and ultimately at stake here – not just “skeptics” – the skeptics are only those that have their eyes open the most and the great many who believe in catastrophic global warming are simply victims of state and U.N. sponsored propaganda. Control of the media. Youth movements through NGO’s (heavily government funded if they say the “right” things). Propaganda in institutional education (including but not limited to re-writing of textbooks and re-writing of history). Control of academia and intellectuals (thought leaders) through smears and control of peer review process and through heavy government funding if they say the “right” things.
All of these elements were steps along the road to eventual domination by the National Socialist Party.
John Thorpe says:
November 25, 2012 at 10:27 am
First they ignore you, then they mock you, then they fight you, then you win – Mahatma Ghandi
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
I often see this statement made, and it is an exception to the rule. It did not work for:
6 million Jews murdered in Nazi concentration camps
2 million Roma and others murdered in the same camps
8 million Ukrainians starved to death for rising up against the USSR
20 million Russians and eastern Europeans sent to their death in the Gulags for being against Communism.
2 million Cambodians for being from urban centres liquidated by the Khmer Rouge
1 million Kurds and Marsh Arabs murdered by Sadam Hussein for being Kurds and Marsh Arabs
1 million Tsutsis hacked to death with machetes for not being Hutus
You think these are matters relegated to history? How long ago was the war in Kosovo? How many people lost their lives to “ethnic cleansing” in a country that only a few years earlier was host to the winter Olympics?
Civilization is a thin veneer, and Ghandi was a fluke.
jdgalt says:
November 25, 2012 at 10:35 am
….the witch trials may be a better parallel.
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Yes racism may have been a poor choice but it is a choice that ‘speaks’ to a lot more people than the ‘witch hunts’ of earlier centuries. I rather doubt many people outside of Salem MA are even more than vaguely aware of the witch hunts. (If you are ever in the Boston area a tour of the Salem Witch Museum is worth the time)