Dr. James Hansen arrested in coal protest at the White House, see the photo below.
From the Wonk Room » Around The World, Activists Arrested For Protesting Coal’s Destruction
More than 100 people were arrested today during Appalachia Rising, the largest national protest to end mountaintop removal (MTR) coal mining. Arrests included Appalachian residents; retired coal miners; renowned climate scientist, James Hansen; and faith leaders. After a march from Freedom Plaza and a rally at Lafayette Park, more than 100 staged a sit-in in front of the White House to demand President Obama follow his own science and end mountaintop mining.
“The science is clear, mountaintop removal destroys historic mountain ranges, poisons water supplies and pollutes the air with coal and rock dust,” said renowned climate scientist James Hansen, who was arrested in today’s protest at the White House. “Mountaintop removal, providing only a small fraction of our energy, can and should be abolished. The time for half measures and caving in to polluting industries must end.”
Here’s our buddy Jimbo, looking dapper in a fedora, tie, dockers, and cuffs:
Jimbo’s starting a rap sheet:
June 23, 2009 Dr. James Hansen of NASA GISS arrested
James Hansen and unidentified woman under arrest by WV state trooper. Photo credit: Antrim Caskey, Rainforest Action Network Field Photography
I wonder if he still thinks the west side highway will be underwater due to sea level rise in 20 years?
And as an added bonus, from the Climate is not Weather except when we say it is Department, the Wonk Room has a link to this story:
Meanwhile, Los Angeles hit an all-time record 113°…
h/t to Tom Nelson and WUWT reader Ron de Haan
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@savethesharks says:
The Appalachians were originally very high like the Himalayans and very likely were similar in appearance. Now, you will note, they are eroded into rounded nubs of a few thousand. Mountaintop removal might knock off the top 200 feet. Vegetation can quickly recover especially when aided by reclamation making the whole business almost invisible in say 10-20 years. This is just not a moral issue.
Hey, if the greenies manage to turn the clock back to 1875 how would they handle whale hunting? We’d need the whale oil for light because there wouldn’t be any oil.
Why is a public servant protesting or participating in any political activity an issue? In Australia, there is no problem with that. Public servants have the same right as any other citizen to take political actions. Is it different in the United States?
Further, has anyone considered that it is perhaps the data that has driven Dr Hansen to become an activist? In other words, that he sincerely believes the way he does *because *of the evidence that he has seen through his work?
He should be deported.
I think his organisation has some technology to expel him far enough, maybe to Mars to observe some climate change, or better, to Andromeda.
REPLY: FYI, this poster is no relation to me – Anthony
The guy needs some lessons on sense of style.
David Gould says:
September 28, 2010 at 10:12 pm
Further, has anyone considered that it is perhaps the data that has driven Dr Hansen to become an activist?
That’s his claim.
But it all depends on how you wish to perceive things. And is it real data he is looking at? I’ve spent a lot of my spare time over the last 3 years looking at data. I have found that everything happening in the climate over the last 100 years falls within the range of normal variability. But if you wanted to you could portray normal variability as disastrous occurrences.
Also, global warming predictions made from global warming hypothesis’ are not panning out. When a hypothesis doesn’t have supporting evidence in the real world the hypothesis must be discarded since it has no value.
———————————————-
Here’s some GISS data:
…renowned climate scientist, James Hansen; and faith leaders….
It seems they put “and faith leaders” in to create sympathy for coal protesters. The media is funny. They don’t want to support faith leaders who want Nativity Scenes left up at Christmas, or the 10 Commandments left up in court houses. But when it comes to left wing environmentalism they play the faith leaders card.
Amino Acids in Meteorites,
Simplest explanations are usually the best. There seems to be a clear cause and effect link between seeing data that indicates that the world is warming and becoming an activist to try and prevent that.
“A scientific man ought to have no wishes, no affections, — a mere heart of stone.”
Charles Darwin
Anyone know how Hansen got to DC? Did he offset his trip with cheap carbon credits on the CCX? Did he walk? Did he ride his bicycle? Hypocrites like him and Algore should be exposed. Several years ago, a budding filmmaker did to Michael Moore what he did to Roger Smith to expose his hypocrisy. I would love to donate to some young filmmaker to do the same about Algore and James Hansen. Follow (stalk) them for six months to document their hypocrisy. It should be like taking candy from a baby.
And as an added bonus, from the Climate is not Weather except when we say it is Department, the Wonk Room has a link to this story:
Meanwhile, Los Angeles hit an all-time record 113°…
All of Springtime in California it was rainy and cold—i.e.—that was weather.
113° on one day—i.e.—that is climate—i.e.—Global Warming is happening.
😉
If “Jedi Knight” can become a religion, why not “Catastrophic Anthropogenic Global Warming”?
Let’s set it up on the skeptic side. We’ll take the tax-exempt status, accept tax-deductible contributions to fund research. If he’s amenable, Anthony Watts can be hired for consultant work and serve as a source of equipment.
What’s wrong with a religion that researches its tenets and accepts it could disprove itself? Accept? Heck, we’ll be hoping for it!
☺
[REPLY – I find your lack of faith . . . disturbing.~ Evan]
David Gould says:
September 28, 2010 at 11:35 pm
Amino Acids in Meteorites,
Simplest explanations are usually the best. There seems to be a clear cause and effect link between seeing data that indicates that the world is warming and becoming an activist to try and prevent that.
I see that the world had warmed too. I didn’t miss that.
But the world doesn’t need to be saved from that since it is normal variation. It has happened before in the earth. That’s why I said “if you wanted to you could portray normal variability as disastrous occurrences”. It was warmer on earth 1000 years ago during the Medieval Warm Period. The Vikings didn’t run around like the world needed to be saved. They also didn’t have such awful taste in clothes.
Maybe James Hansen could take some tips from Steve McIntyre. 😉
David Gould says:
September 28, 2010 at 11:35 pm
….the world is warming and becoming an activist to try and prevent that.
I see you also believe it is possible to control the climate. Good luck with that.
Some make it sound like large portions of the Appalachian Range are being defaced. Of course, that isn’t what is happening. Also, is it better to get coal from caves where coal dust kills miners before their time?
I wonder if these same people have taken to time to think about how much the land where New York City is has been changed since the early 1600’s? I wonder if they think cities should also not be allowed to built and grow? I’m am pretty sure if you add up all the area that cities cover it’s far larger than all the mountaintop removal that’s been done. It all depends on how you want to portray things.
Coal is very low priced energy. People need it. I wish it could be freely mined. Instead it is demonized.
L.A. Times:
Southern California’s summer to end with a chill: It was the coldest in decades Farewell summer, we hardly knew ye!
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2010/09/las-summer-ends-with-a-chill-it-was-the-coldest-in-decades.html
For those doubting LA hit 113, if it didn’t it was awful close. I live a little east of LA in South El Monte and it was over 110 here without airports or other extra temp enhancers except lots of homes and light manufacturing.
Of course, the real story is that this is the FIRST TIME THIS SUMMER WE WERE OVER 100F!!!!! Normally we have a number of 100+ days and didn’t. LA was close to setting records for below normal days and how far below normal as was much of SoCal. At one point they were discussing LAX being 10F below normal!!
We only ran our air conditioner a couple of days before this hot flash where weeks would be the norm.
Is the lady his usual class of companions??
No mountaintop removal ? How about no coal-fired electricity generation. Period.
Amino Acids in Meteorites,
I understand that you do not believe in AGW. But if Dr Hansen has been convinced by the data that:
1.) AGW is happening;
2.) this is going to cause very bad things; and
3.) it can be prevented
it is surely it is reasonable for him to become an activist on this issue.
He may be wrong with 1, 2 or 3. But if that is where the data led him, then his actions are not unreasonable – indeed, they surely indicate a highly ethical individual who is trying to prevent suffering.
Thus, it is logical to assume that it is the data that he has seen – and, as you say, his interpretation of that data – that has led to him becoming an activist. It is the most sensible explanation.
James Hansen was charged with misdemeanor offenses for impeding traffic, obstructing law enforcement officers, and crossing police lines. In other words, Hansen is not just exercising his freedom of speech. Hansen went far beyond the right of free speech to deny other people their legal rights of free speech, association, personal security, freedom from intimidation, and more. He violated the law in order to impose his will and speech upon other people. Hansen is obligated to respect the same rights of other people and laws as everyone else, and his right to free speech is no excuse for his violations of the law and the rights of people with whom he disagrees.
James Hansen may become liable for termination of his Federal employment for misdemeanor convictions, and he is certainly liable for immediate removal in the event of his conviction for a felony crime.
See:
Other examples of loss of or disqualification for federal office or employment as a result of conviction or commission of a crime include:
$ removal from federal or District of Columbia office and ineligibility for employment by the United States or the District of Columbia for five years upon conviction under federal or state law of a felony for inciting, organizing, encouraging, or participating in, a riot or civil disorder or any offense committed in furtherance of, or while participating in, a riot or civil disorder (5 U.S.C. ‘ 7313);
FEDERAL STATUTES IMPOSING COLLATERAL CONSEQUENCES UPON CONVICTION
http://www.justice.gov/pardon/collateral_consequences.pdf
Political Activity and the Federal Employee
http://www.osc.gov/documents/hatchact/ha_fed.pdf
James hansen’s actions are highly unethical, coercive, and intimidating. His remarks calling for coal company managers to be treated as criminals could not be more tyrannical, unethical, and extremist. The ends do not justify the means.
D. Patterson,
If he honestly believes that the burning of fossil fuels is killing people and will kill more people, how is calling for the burning of fossil fuels to be made illegal unethical? In Western democracies, it is usual to criminalise the release of toxins by individuals and corporations.
D. Patterson,
So all Dr Hansen can be criticised for is choosing to risk his employment, a clean record, fines and (potentially) imprisonment for his principles. Hard to see anything unethical in that – unless you think civil disobedience is inherently unethical, which I do not.
Just shows how embittered, resentful and vindictive a highly qualified physicist becomes when his mathematical analysis of temperature statistics is proven to be faulty by an unemployed coal miner!