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
I do not want the mods recommending to Anthony to shut this thread down, so I request some of the more intensively pronounced antagonists to chill slightly. OK?
I do not want it shut down because I think the ideas discussed on this thread are contributing to an important understanding of the roots of intolerance; even of intolerance of discussing the very sensitive topics introduced by Jim Thompson’s article.
John
I’ve had my say also, without any help from the moderator, thank you.
In all forms of faith-based politics, repenting will get you back into the good graces of those powers which are, with a suspicious eye of the inquisition remaining on your for the rest of your mortal existence, of course.
as someone neither white – nor black – i sympathize with the article – more than other analogues – such as religious persecution or demogoguery – the treatment of skeptics – such as myself – ring with similarities as expressed in this article
yes – it’ll outrage the “other side” – and even outrage blacks who consider their experience singular – but being bold & shocking worked for the blacks in their movement for equality – it’s time has come for AGW Skeptical Science
Legatus says:
November 26, 2012 at 10:35 am
And how did that treatment start, did it suddenly spring into existence full bloomed, or did it gradually gain steam?
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If you’re talking about the Jim Crow times, I’d say it was segment of the timeline from full-on slavery, through the civil war and emancipation then on into the twentieth century and from there extending into the present day.
The worst segment, by far, was the full-on slavery time . . . the best segment (in racial equality terms) was the election of Barack Obama to the presidency. Other milestones would be the integration of the armed forces, the integration of baseball, the freedom marches, any number of spots.
Even a cursory glance will tell you that the situation has been on the improve for the entire time. So, to answer your question, I’d say it’s been losing steam.
But, for all that, being black in the south of the 1940s, the time indicated by the illustration accompanying the article, was a far worse situation for those living it than being sceptical of AGW is for those of us in that situation today.
The comparison is so far-fetched as to be ludicrous. Sceptics houses aren’t being burned down, their children aren’t being sent to separate, poorly funded schools, nobody’s been lynched.
This strikes me as a fairly even battle, with the warmists taking more and more hits every month, every week, every day. They aren’t in full retreat yet but they’re definitely knocked about and nowhere near as triumphant as they were pre-Copenhagen.
If you want to finish them off, stick to the science. That’s where this war will be won. To go sidetracking into name-calling contests is demeaning to the sceptics’ side.
One worthwhile thing this thread has done, though . . . it’s flushed out a few ranters and bee-in-the-bonnetters. In that, it’s a reminder that not all the people who can’t keep things in perspective are on the other side.
Graphite says:
November 26, 2012 at 3:01 pm
This strikes me as a fairly even battle…
Unbelievable. Talk about this thread flushing out a few flaming fools.
Power Grab says:
November 25, 2012 at 9:24 pm
…It seems to me that the PTB are actually promoting a “Let’s you and him fight” situation.
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That is certainly the case. If the ‘Left’ and the ‘Right’ are at eachother’s throat they do not notice the PTB walking away with the clothes off their bags.
Just look at the UK, there are 27,000 extra deaths in the UK each winter and 70% of households have trouble with heating bills. Yet the government and population keep marching towards the cliff. It must be the fungus in the wheat.
Alexander Feht says:
November 26, 2012 at 7:23 pm
Unbelievable. Talk about this thread flushing out a few flaming fools.
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I’ll stick by my analysis. Considering how the fight was going until five or six years ago, the tide of battle has been turning the sceptics’ way ever since Copenhagen. The warmists are on the retreat on every front and getting more and more desperate all the time.
Exactly what is foolish about that? Or is name calling the best form of argument you can mount?
As the original post on this thread is about the Jim Crow era of America’s south, another piece of history of that era may be pertinent.
When Branch Rickey broke baseball’s colour bar, he knew he had to have the right man to pull it off. He didn’t go looking for the best black ball player . . . he went looking for a good black ball player who could take the heat. Jackie Robinson was that man . . . chosen because he was best able to handle the hatred and vituperation that would erupt with his entry into the major leagues. Rickey knew that for desegregation to succeed, the standard bearer had to turn the other cheek and keep his emotions in check. Any retaliation and the whole project would be in jeopardy and not only would Robinson suffer but also all the black players in line to follow him.
Robinson succeeded brilliantly. He kept his head down, let his skills do the talking and within a few years baseball was integrated.
That’s the way to success.
Not this ridiculous Jim Thompson way . . . getting called nasty names a few times by cranky warmists and responding with name-calling of his own, trumped by the most inflated piece of victimhood it’s hard to imagine.
How about a sense of proportion and how about a sense of simply, as Jackie Robinson showed, doing the right thing.
Graphite says:
If you want to finish them off, stick to the science. This is a street fight, and skeptics are both outnumbered and out-gunned. That means fighting dirty, and with whatever weapons are at hand. Yes, we do have actual science and truth on our side, but with the MSM continually trumpeting pseudoscience, and the constant refrain that our weather keeps getting worse, people tend to believe it instead of checking things for themselves. They also have government machinery and money-hungry “science” organizations on their side. Make no mistake, this fight is both political and scientific, and needs to be fought on both fronts.
Graphite says:
November 27, 2012 at 1:02 am
Exactly what is foolish about that?
Everything.
Compare the amount of financing, subsidies, and profits. Look at the balance of power. Compare the representation in societies, media, schools, colleges, academic institutions. Facts don’t matter, “skeptics” are practically invisible, a laughing stock, scapegoats, fringe. Green Fascism is an ideology, it’s politics, it’s the new religion, it’s all over education, it’s all over social institutions, it’s in every workplace and in your face in every public place, CEOs of big corporations gave up all resistance and kiss its behind. Say something against it, and you are fired, your neighbors stop talking to you, they vandalize your lawn and your car, your former friends stop calling you, your children report on your heresy to their teachers. Attempt to tell the truth, and you are a pariah, an outcast, a sociopath, a mental case, ein Untermensch. Welcome to the real world!
You’ve said something about a “fairly even battle”?
And you pompously call that raspberry an “analysis”?
Alexander Feht says:
November 27, 2012 at 5:15 am
. . . Say something against it, and you are fired, your neighbors stop talking to you, they vandalize your lawn and your car, your former friends stop calling you, your children report on your heresy to their teachers. Attempt to tell the truth, and you are a pariah, an outcast, a sociopath, a mental case, ein Untermensch. Welcome to the real world!
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The real world? Really? And I’m a flaming fool?
If your former friends stop calling you, pal, my guess is that there’s a reason other than your opposition to AGW.
Bruce Cobb says:
November 27, 2012 at 4:36 am
This is a street fight, and skeptics are both outnumbered and out-gunned. That means fighting dirty . . .
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Whoa! Stop right there. It means nothing of the sort.
Graphite,
If you spend most of your time and energy trying to conform to your social surroundings (as follows from your toothless, blindfolded, and inane view of the AGW situation), naturally, you wouldn’t have a clue about dangers faced by the non-conformists. Fortunately, a lot of factual information about the real-world persecution of skeptics has been published on this very site. It’s extremely ugly, and there’s nothing “fair” about it.
Let me guess. You are a taxpayer-funded “educator,” aren’t you?
P.S. As to my friends, Graphite, none of them is a green activist. It is true, however, that I refuse to conform to some other morally unacceptable views, not necessarily AGW-related, and that may have prevented me from being friends with some people. So what? Life is short, the number of scoundrels is legion.
r williams has a sinecure govt broadcast job, he controls it seems most of the input re anything he can label science??? absed and so has enormous control at aunty abc.
for ome 30 years this mans been growing power, and he chooses very carefully the guests and will shut down anyone expressing any view he doesnt like,
ie anyone expressing ANY doubt re CC, I have been listening when interviews got cut off within seconds of opposing his views got by him.
as for lewandowsky.well its such a shame the WUWT exposure of his crappy survey and shambolic Questionnaire cant be outed.
however theres no way to even get posts like that ONto the comment section, they get removed..
williams is an out of control true believer and is following and promoting the present imbecilic governments views as they want..
hes a science reporter, thats it..but the general audience doent question the mans background or agenda and its aimed at the so called better educated crowd.
the smug we know best mindset is enforced and encouraged by him.
reckon hes lost a LOT of long term listeners.
until he got so twisted it used to be a halfway decent show,.
davidmhoffer says:
November 26, 2012 at 7:46 am
Just to put the record straight if anyone is still reading this.
My Godfather was a Dutch Jew a dentist from den Haag. My father had stayed with his family, wife and three sons in the late 1930’s. I still have photographs of the three boys on my fathers motorcycle and on their bikes tall blond and happy. My Godfather’s wife and sons were all captured by the Germans and he never saw them again. My Godfather was in hiding and even after the war would not reveal where he successfully hid as he was concerned that he may have to hide again. I therefore, would not try to minimize the horror of what occurred I am personally aware of it: as much as someone born just after the war can be.
The point I was trying to make (albeit clumsily) was that an African is totally unable to attempt hide his race by carrying false papers.
Interesting how quickly I was ‘othered’ – shows how easily such things can be achieved.
That was really extreme. Ditto Jim Crow. A closer parallel, in terms of the social dynamics, would be the McCarthyite period in the 1950s.
Alexander Feht says:
November 27, 2012 at 4:01 pm
Graphite,
Let me guess. You are a taxpayer-funded “educator,” aren’t you?
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And with that comment, you are a “labeller” . . . the sort who wants everyone classified by occupation, or race, or income level, or religion, or political leanings — or maybe all five and a few more.
It’s the sort of mindset that eventually leads to someone sitting in front of a committee and being asked a question that starts, “Are you now or have you ever been a member of . . .”
What does it matter to you or anyone else what my occupation is? If you have to know, I’ve made my living over the past two to three decades in horse racing and publishing, both fields of endeavour that are, in competitive terms, red in tooth and claw.
My next door neighbour is a school teacher, though. He’s in the state sector. And he’s a good bloke, too. I’ve had many a friendly conversation with him. Perhaps I’ve been tainted.
Ian W
The point I was trying to make (albeit clumsily) was that an African is totally unable to attempt hide his race by carrying false papers.
Interesting how quickly I was ‘othered’ – shows how easily such things can be achieved.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
The reaction you got was to what you wrote, not what you meant. I cannot read your mind.
Graphite says:
November 28, 2012 at 2:39 pm
It’s the sort of mindset that eventually leads to someone sitting in front of a committee and being asked a question that starts, “Are you now or have you ever been a member of . . .”
I stood before such committees back in the Soviet Union. You haven’t. And I smell a reek of this very mindset coming from you. I imagine, what kind of trash you publish.
Alexander Feht says:
November 28, 2012 at 7:08 pm
I stood before such committees back in the Soviet Union. You haven’t. And I smell a reek of this very mindset coming from you. I imagine, what kind of trash you publish.
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And now you think, because the warmists use these sorts of dirty tactics, that the sceptics should also use them? Should fight fire with fire?
I would have thought that anyone who had come up against low, underhand, cheating behaviour would have been dead-set against its use . . . and especially against its use by their own side.
And try not to jump to conclusions about how I make my living. It has nothing to do with the opinions I hold, it has nothing to do with this debate and it has nothing to do with you.