In a recent interview, former Vice President Al Gore suggested his mission to save the world from Global Warming is comparable to Jackie Robinson‘s achievements, Jackie’s effort to break down US racial segregation, by becoming the first African American to play Major League Baseball in modern times.
I don’t want to compare you to Jackie Robinson, but I’m going to draw a parallel. When you’re first at something or, in your case, out front, it’s often difficult. You had naysayers. Even though you were at the top of the New York Times bestseller list, there were people who made fun of it.
Oh, yeah. A few still do.
How do you deal with that? How are you able to keep putting yourself out there? How do you emotionally tell yourself, “It’s worth it?”
There is a time-honored tradition of people who strongly disagree with a message and take it out on the messenger, and opponents of integration had a personal animus for Jackie Robinson. Opponents of all the great social movements would take out after the advocates that were most effective in asking people to change.
As a result, I don’t take it personally when the criticism comes at me. I believe so passionately in this mission, if you will. The word “mission” might sound a little grandiose, but that’s kind of what it feels like to me. Honestly, it is a joy and a privilege to have work that justifies pouring every ounce of energy you can pour into it. That is a blessing that is to be cherished.
Words fail me.
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Oh how it warms the cockles of my heart to know that Man/Bear/Pig compares himself to Jackie Robinson. I do see one difference, however. Robinson had talent.
I do have to agree with Al in one regard. He likened the AGW movement to a “social movement.” AGW as practice by Al and his acolytes sure isn’t scientific.
He also described it as a mission. Sounds similar to a religious missionaries job of spreading the good word and increasing the faithful numbers.
This truly time for the AGW faithfulls to start practicing what they preach. Time for the old Gore Hippocrite (Hypocrite) to prove his beliefs and abandon his palatial mansion for a more ecologically economical living space.
Hypocrite
[hip-uh-krit]
noun
1. A person who pretends to have virtues, moral or religious beliefs, principles, etc., that he or she does not actually possess, especially a person whose actions belie stated beliefs.
2. A person who feigns some desirable or publicly approved attitude, especially one whose private life, opinions, or statements belie his or her public statements.
“Hippo-crit” suits him well.
Jackie Robinson and Willie Mays were my sports heroes as a kid. Al Gore is simply a jackass
in ManBearPig Clothing…
He doesn’t deserve to be Robinson’s bat boy…
Jackie Robinson, Willie Mays and Muchael Jackson all achieved their goals while wearing one glove.
Or carry Robinson’s jockstrap
Recall that Al Gore was and is getting advice and encouragement from the likes of Jim Hansen, Stephen Schneider, Gavin Schmidt, Michael Mann, Kevin Trenberth, Gerald Meehl, Phil Jones, and a coterie of other well-trained people all of whom portray themselves as objective scientists and all of whom have put their advocacy for “the cause” ahead of science.
Al Gore has been systematically misinformed. As far as Al Gore knows, he really does have science on his side.
On the other hand, it is true that right from the start as Senator Gore, he bullied the scientists who disagreed with his view. Richard Lindzen has written a thorough record on that. So, Gore is an advocate as well, choosing to believe one side and not the other, while lacking the education (and acuity, most likely) to make an independent judgment.
I believe that Gore thinks he really is correct. His stable of scientifically well-credentialed (but incompetent for reasons of training or integrity) advocates tell him so. No authoritative body contradicts them.
That last leads to this: if anyone is to blame for this mess, it is the scientific societies, especially the American Physical Society and the American Institute of Physics, which have betrayed their trust and stupidly neglected the due diligence they owe their profession and their country. If they had treated the AGW claim with the same critical skepticism with which they treated the cold fusion claim, we’d not have seen science polluted by this corrosive stench of politics.
Pat Frank, I agree. Later in his life my father, a lawyer, told me he was ashamed of the legal profession. He said there were many reasons, but the key event that in his opinion brought corruption upon the legal profession was when the various bar associations allowed lawyers to advertise (other than listing their office in a phone book) and solicit business. Examples now abound. I can’t watch television for an hour without seeing an advertisement from some law firm (think Screwem, Scruem, and Screwumsomemore) soliciting cases against some past alleged medical malpractice. As a physicist by education, but not by profession, I am ashamed of all major “physical societies” who, as I see it, bought into AGW scare for either political or financial reasons. Shame on them.
Pat,
I understand that you are giving Al Gore the benefit of the doubt, however he does not deserve it. If he really believed in AGW, he would be living a very different life style. Instead, like all the other hypocrites, he continues to live a life of ease made possible by abundant fossil fuel based energy. All the while demanding that the rest of us suffer in energy poverty. You first Al, you first.
The scientific societies were easily duped by the advocates since CAGW slots right into the emotionalism of the left and their belief that mankind is destroying the planet. Besides, most of academia have become so specialized that they can no longer spot feces outside their area of expertise. They’ve lost their BS detectors, which make them susceptible to any number of scams.
Reed
‘Private Eye’ – a ‘satirical, yet strangely prescient (SOMETIMES) fortnightly here in the UK – has a term of derision for Lawyers’ partnerships – Sue, Grabbit and Runne.
Unless they are being very roooode indeed about one of our foremost Libel hunter-gatherer packs, which is not named F@rter-Ruck, nor Carter_PHuck – and is – of course – staffed entirely by wonderful human-beings and demi-gods, seeking always to protect the weak.
[Weak-willed? Surely not]
Joe Crawford July 6, 2016 at 10:46 am
“The scientific societies were easily duped by the advocates since CAGW slots right into the emotionalism of the left and their belief that mankind is destroying the planet. Besides, most of academia have become so specialized that they can no longer spot feces outside their area of expertise. They’ve lost their BS detectors, which make them susceptible to any number of scams.”
Wow! A stunning précis of modern society.
Almost everyone has
” lost their BS detectors, which make them susceptible to any number of scams.”
Many here strive to keep those detectors in good health – but it is hard work!
Joe is right – but we need – all of us – to try to keep our BS Detectors in fine fettle.
And those of our contacts – family & friends, etc.
Auto
The BS detectors are not missing, just calibrated to what they want, rather than to what is. For example, most warmists consider anything coming from a skeptic to be BS, independent of technical merit. The decision threshold seems to be that if it contradicts the narrative, it must be BS and not worth consideration, which is the same BS detector used to support the wrong side of partisan politics when only one side can be right. While the left is clearly on the wrong side of climate science, when the right is on the wrong side of an issue, it does the same thing.
co2isnotevil, I must disagree. What you described is just confirmation bias at work. A true BS detector must be totally independent of one’s personal beliefs and prejudices. There should be no home for BS, of any kind, on any side of an issue (yours or another’s).
A good BS detector must be capable of telling whether the source is a snake oil salesman, a parrot of another, or an honest presenter. Then it must determine whether the data is logically or emotionally derived. Only then can you make the decision to consider or ignore.
Is this a set-up question to inject race into this interview article?
Neither had anything to do with science both had a cult following !
Well Alphonse, I knew Jackie Robinson; and YOU are no Jackie Robinson !
Well in retrospect, on second thoughts, It was Satchel Paige, not Jackie Robinson; and also, I misremembered and I only saw him play (and pitch) for the Saint Louis Cardinals, in Busch Stadium.
Hey, I really did. He sort of renewed his unretirement for that special game. That was between June 1964, and July 1967; too long ago to remember when.
He was either 157 years old, or 197; I can’t recall which.
IANABBFBAM. But I consider it to have been a privilege to have seen one of the great characters of the game, in real life.
And Al you ain’t even a Satchel Paige either nor a Yogi Berra; not even a yogi bear !
G
Here’s a few facts for poor silly Al. The latest US govt EIA May 2016 report tells us that Co2 emissions will increase by 34% by 2040 and the vast majority of that increase will come from developing countries. See page 3 at the link.
And Gore’s chief adviser Dr Jim Hansen told us Paris COP 21 was a fra-d and BS. He also said that a belief in solar and wind energy was akin to believing in fairy stories, like the easter bunny and the tooth fairy. Will this joker ever wake up?
https://www.eia.gov/pressroom/presentations/sieminski_05112016.pdf
Al wants to jail the skeptics and eradicate those green pants who call for more CO2.
Al Gore+Baseball = Casey at Bat
…“Fraud!” cried the maddened thousands, and echo answered
“Fraud!”
But one scornful look from Casey and the audience was awed.
They saw his face grow stern and cold, they saw his muscles
strain,
And they knew that Casey wouldn’t let that ball go by again.
The sneer is gone from Casey’s lip, his teeth are clenched in hate,
He pounds with cruel violence his bat upon the plate;
And now the pitcher holds the ball, and now he lets it go,
And now the air is shattered by the force of Casey’s blow.
Oh, somewhere in this favoured land the sun is shining bright,
The band is playing somewhere, and somewhere hearts are light;
And somewhere men are laughing, and somewhere children
shout,
But there is no joy in Mudville—mighty Casey has struck out.
john — Perfect!!!!!! — Eugene WR Gallun
It’s tough, brutal work, but it has its compen$ations.
The UN needs to create a position of “Planetary Messiah” to be filled by Albore so that he is getting proper recognition for his stupendous efforts.
Then we can say he is not the messiah, he’s a very naughty boy!
And don’t forget about his
Climate
Reality
Awareness
Project
They should just go ahead and make him head of the next phase of IPCC projects…he already has the sexual harassment part of the qualifications to be there.
Delusions of grandeur seem to go with the saving the planet theme.
A.G. – a legend in his own mind. GK
G
AG – a legend in his own liquid lunchtime.
Or may even that be bestowing too much light on, essentially a creature of darkness?
Auto
I don’t think Al Gore would bother to save the planet if there was no money or power attached to the project:)
Cheers
Roger
http://www.rogerfromnewzealand.wordpress.com
“Words fail me.”
They may well. But money hasn’t failed him.
There are the Jackie Robinson`s of this world, and there are the Florence Foster Jenkins`s,
probably in equal measure and each desperately believing in their own belief and with a means to promulgate their views.
Only the slow march of time will show the validity of their position.
Thank you–you made me refresh my memory concerning Florence Foster Jenkins, whose painful but hilarious recordings (all too few, sadly) amused many people. I also remembered Anna Russell, a far better musician than Jenkins and well-known comedy figure in the mid-20th century whose “Ring cycle” parody very much deserves hearing; Russell apparently originated the saying, “I’m not making this up, you know!”
As far as Algore is concerned, he may not be making it up, and he does (sadly) still have a lot of company; but his relationship to the truth is hazy at best, and his scientific background is nil. The comparison to Jackie Robinson is ludicrous, and he doesn’t even see it.
Wow, an FFJ reference in WUWT! Whoda thunk it?
Burch: I believe this is the second time Florence Foster Jenkins has been mentioned on WUWT.
And an Anna Russell one, too! I should find that old album.
/Mr Lynn
He too could sing if he had Al Gore rhythm.
groan! ….. but LOL!
All Gore’s got on the ball is a fadeaway.
===============
Ahh, a low blow. That fits.
If you believe that science should be driven by the scientific method and not by conformance to a political narrative then its your mission to save the world from people like Al Gore who think otherwise.
you can’t make this stuff up.
This is the sort of thing that makes me act like a cartoon: double takes, wide eyes, rub them, look again. Wide eyes, slack jaw again. Sputter incoherently as eyes roll back in head…
Who comes UP with these things??? Really, who would EVER think to mention Robinson and Algore in the same day, let alone the same sentence? I know that most interview questions are plants and/or approved, but how does that much hubris exist? Just reading the excerpt above makes my head spin and start to ache.
For anyone who ever faces this question/comparison, there is only one correct response: “I really do not know why you are referencing Mr. Robinson, complimentary as it may be. He was a great man who had qualities worthy of emulation, but I am certainly not going to compare our situations or lives. Next question.”
Oh wait, no one will ever face this question unless they plant it!
Al Gore is to be judged not on the color of his skin, but on the content of his documentary.
==============
It had content?
The raw materials for fertilizer, if you get my drift.
Felf
I suggest an equivalence with the southern excreta of a bovid headed, essentially, north.
“The raw materials for fertilizer” for sure!
Auto
good one.
How many years after Jackie Robinson enlightened baseball with his entrance was it that Al Gore, Senior, Senator, voted against the Civil Rights Act of 1964? You could look it up.
==================
Great pitch, that was a strike for certain.
Strike three and the ball game is over!
I must have missed a few innings.
Thank you Kim, that’s the first thing that came my mind as well.
19
Probably the biggest difference is that Jackie was not a demagogic blow hard.
Ummm ….. did the guy asking the questions make the comparison?
Yes, but algor didn’t object to it.
Do you think Algore might have primed the pump?
Sure, the interviewer made the comparison. Gore not only ran with it, but compared himself to all of the “advocates” of the “great social movements” who were “most effective in asking people to change.
the comparison to jackie robinson can be made when the oppressed deniers finally win and cleanse the world of fear mongering disguised as environmental concern.
Vainglory
I am now intentionally rude: there are pills or injections for curing delusions like that, you know.
The primary difference between Al Gore and Jackie Robinson is Jackie Robinson was black on the outside, whereas Al Gore is black …
Coal, oil and tobacco?
as with so many other current events South Park nailed Gore ages ago. Man Bear Pig is the greatest threat facing our nation. I’m super serious.
Peter I think you meant to say ” I’m super serial ”
I just about busted a gut because I was laughing so hard the first time I saw that episode. I am still smiling thinking about him in the episode standing there in a cape and every time he would move he put his arms in front of him like Superman and made wind noises.
How come no journo on the Tenessean asked the hard questions? I think they were frightened.
I feel it is appropriate now to congratulate all those who hit the Gore endorsed AGs for Clean Power out of the park.
You mean there’s a “Robinson Effect” too?
Back to the Junior league, Al Gormless,
Field position.. left right out !!!
Baseball and climate change fraud are totally two different unrelated topics. Doesn’t make any sense to compare himself to a baseball player.
Here’s what I can’t decide: Is Al Gore a bigger liar than Hillary? Or not? Not sure that’s possible but if it is, Big Al would be the one who could pull it off. Go team!
Who’s on First?
I Don’t Know.
… is on third.