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Washington State Judge Michael E Rickert has caused green heads to explode, by ruling that climate change is a matter of debate.
Judge in environmental activist’s trial says climate change is matter of debate
Controversial statements angered environmentalists who insist courts have an obligation to recognize the science about manmade climate change
A Washington state judge has sparked outrage for remarks questioning the existence of climate change and the role of humans in global warming.
During the high-profile trial of Ken Ward, a climate activist facing 30 years in prison for shutting down an oil pipeline, Judge Michael E Rickert said: “I don’t know what everybody’s beliefs are on [climate change], but I know that there’s tremendous controversy over the fact whether it even exists. And even if people believe that it does or it doesn’t, the extent of what we’re doing to ourselves and our climate and our planet, there’s great controversy over that.”
The Skagit County judge made the comments on 24 January while addressing Ward’s request to present a “necessity defense” in court, meaning he would argue that the grave threat of climate change justified civil disobedience.
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Ken Ward allegedly admits he committed the acts for which he is being charged – according to a statement published on the climate disobedience website;
Statement of Ken Ward at his Arraignment
POSTED BY MARLA MARCUM 496.80SC ON OCTOBER 20, 2016
Statement of Ken Ward at his Arraignment on Charges of Burglary, Criminal Trespass, Sabotage and Assemblages of Saboteurs
October 20, 2016 in Mt. Vernon, WA
I have been charged by the Prosecuting Attorney for Skagit County, Washington with four crimes – burglary, criminal trespass, sabotage and assemblages of saboteurs – for my action last Tuesday, closing a safety valve on the TransMountain pipeline and blocking the flow of Canadian tar sands oil from Alberta to the Anacortes refineries.
There is no question about what I did – I livestreamed it, and you can see the video at shutitdown.today and on my FaceBook page, facebook.com/kenward.brightlines. The only question is whether what I did was an appropriate and practical response to what President Obama recently described as “terrifying” climate change conditions.
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Read more: http://www.climatedisobedience.org/ken_ward_arraignment
I’m not a legal expert, but my understanding is a “necessity” defence is normally accepted only when an otherwise illegal action is the only way to prevent imminent severe injury or loss of life.
Even if climate change is as serious a threat as Ken Ward believes, his actions likely endangered lives, rather than preventing imminent loss of life. A close family relative used to work in an oil refinery, my understanding is abruptly closing the emergency shutdown valve on an oil pipeline can cause the pipe to rupture, which can lead to life threatening fires and other serious consequences.
The following is an activist video of Ken Ward’s actions;
Their best defense strategy would be to plead climate insanity. Climate insanity: an inordinate, irrational fear based on a quasi-religious belief system, mostly afflicting those already prone to hysterical emotionalism and the desire to be with others of the same beliefs.
Would that type of insanity be temporary, and passing on its own, or permanent, requiring involuntary commitment to an institution for the criminally insane?
It would depend on the particulars, however Ward’s previous actions would lead one to believe the latter in his case. However, without a thorough psychiatric examination, a proper diagnosis can’t be proferred. Climate insanity is a fairly new field, and further research will be required.
I suspect it would be cyclical, fading as the seasons cooled into Fall and Winter, then expressing itself with increasing ardor as Spring again warmed into Summer……
Yes
How else could have the Judge ruled?
That due to climate change any person or any group is free to commit sabotage, destroy property, ignore peoples rights, basically commit any mayhem they feel appropriate due to the climate necessity. Sure that’ll work, rule to provide legal justification for breaking the law and individuals rights.
Any judge who would have ruled differently would have to be disbarred and committed to an insane asylum. That the greens are upset at this decision proves how intensely narrow minded and foolish they are.
‘That due to climate change any person or any group is free to commit sabotage, destroy property, ignore peoples rights, basically commit any mayhem they feel appropriate due to the climate necessity. Sure that’ll work, rule to provide legal justification for breaking the law and individuals rights.’
Don’t kid yourself – that’s exactly how he COULD have ruled. I live in the Northwest, and I’m frankly astonished he didn’t. And my guess is this judge might actually find himself in hot water. People aren’t rational out here anymore.
Joel,
East of the Cascades is a world apart from the teeming masses west thereof, driven mad by their proximity to mass insanity.
Still, you have to wonder how a change of venue to California might have turned out. There is that lingering doubt based on venue insanity.
The car they were driving in… was powered by what? Fossil fuels by chance?
I’ll bet the good judge is as good as his word. When his kids can’t sleep when his air conditioner stops working in August, he probably gives them a couple of more blankets.
Very stupid action
It is not possible however to close down a pipeline with a gear operated valve fast enough to cause any significant pressure surge or damage to the pipeline
From the interview on Ken Ward’s FB page:
“- One of the charts that they looked at was the Skagit area and how under water it would be in such a very short time. So they had things to look at.
“- They had a graph In the jury room as big as a wall, that they could look at and see their street, their house, and whether or not they would be under water this century. So.
“- Not just this century; in the next 30 years.
“- In the next 30, 40 years, right.”
Okay, I’m not sure how that make-believe map made its way to the jury room. The greatest flood danger to Skagit County by far is the periodic 30 feet of river rise. Or several inches of simple precipitation which regularly submerges the valley as far as the eye can see. Then Glacier Peak, one of the most dangerous volcanoes in America, is poised to bury all the Skagit inhabitants under a gigantic lahar. Then there’s the Cascadia tsunami, don’t get me started. So how scary could 6, 8 centimeters of sea level rise be?
So what’s the solution? Preparedness. Which you don’t get under a regimen of energy starvation.
True Believers think they know better and have a right, given by God or the Marxist version, to run others’ lives.
Recall the fem who was hiding in BC after helping burn down a ski lodge in Colorado because developments in the wilderness there would drive the Canadian Lynx to extinction. Never mind that Colorado is at the southern limit of its vast area of viability.
Did authorities ever catch the person(s) who destroyed a radio station tower just off Highway 9 east of Everett WA? (I forget the name of the town there.) That was done in the name of a shadowy eco-group, might have been a ruse (there’s no organization to confirm or deny involvement).
Tthat was the towers between Monroe and Snohomish. 10 mile from my place. They rebuilt the towers in a few month. Worthless act. We have had new construction burned by eco terror groups in this area 9 times in the last 10 years. mink and turkeys released to be ran over in the road later in the day. Just last month a guy was setting leg traps in area set aside for duck hunting to injury dogs and hunter. One dog had his leg broken and required $4000. in vet bills. When the guy was caught by the dog owner and ODFW he not only admitted to it but told ODFW that it was because they would not stop the hunting that he had complained about. I have talked to other hunters that have found 2×4 with nails on boat ramps just below the water line that are weighted in place. It goes on and on with anti hunters here in the PNW.