What's Really Important What Motivates Dick Little?
One has to wonder what Dick Little’s real motive is for constantly debunking mankind’s possible contribution to global warming, and attacking environmentalists. He himself states in the opening line of his Post column of September 11, “I know this is getting old.” Yes Dick, in fact, it is getting VERY old.
I’d love to know exactly why Mr. Little feels there is a media bias concerning global warming, and why he thinks it’s a political issue? What do we gain from ignoring any and all possibilities? If the ecological balance of Planet Earth goes awry it will be too late to do anything. Isn’t it logical, rational and prudent to assume mankind “might” have some influence on the climate, and play it safe rather than be sorry? What’s the worse that could happen, we might clean up the environment a bit?
Yes, global warming is natural, and it occurs in a cyclical fashion. We live on a tiny planet hurling through frigid and relatively empty space at an enormous speed. Without natural warming cycles produced by volcanoes, forest fires, and other natural phenomenon there would be no life as we know it on our world.
What is NOT natural is technology. Since the advent of the industrial revolution mankind has been increasingly changing the natural balance of the ecosystem on this planet. We presently spew billions of metric tons of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere every day as industrial waste. This is in addition to vast quantities of an even heavier greenhouse gas, methane, which are released into the atmosphere each day from herds of cattle and other food stock created by us. The idea these don't contribute to the global warming dynamics at all, is ludicrous.
According to the New York Times “On Feb. 2, 2007, the United Nations scientific panel studying climate change declared that the evidence of a warming trend is "unequivocal," and that human activity has "very likely" been the driving force in that change over the last 50 years.” Global Warming .
So my questions to Dick Little are these. Who cares which is presently contributing the most to global warming, natural sources or mankind? (The fact of the matter is, the world IS presently heating up, the poles ARE melting, and there will be grave consequences if this continues.) Why shouldn’t we do ANYTHING that might help decrease the introduction of greenhouse gases into our atmosphere in an attempt to slow down the process? Are you more concerned about the costs to big business to cut down pollution than the consequences of not doing anything, “just in case” mankind is contributing significantly to the problem? Is being politically "right" (pun intended) more important to you than the planet and the life it supports?
Comments
Hi There. It's your furry friend Al.
This topic plays nicely into what I have been thinking about lately, which is that instead of good work ethic, honesty, and personal concern for the well being of humanity being the justification for earning money, money has become the justification for any behavior, without regard for work ethic, honesty, or the well being of humanity. Money is the ONLY justification for just about any behavior, no matter how noxious, degrading, or immoral, let alone illegal.
I don't know the answer to this other than these right wing, Christian wielding, nay sayers are hypocritical to their own biblical admonitions of having "no other gods before me."
I think I am going to curl up and take a nap now. Yawn!
Posted by: Al the Cat | September 11, 2007 11:49 AM
Indeed Al, it appears to all come down to money, and you have to wonder - what good is all that money going to be if 1) The planet becomes uninhabitable and money worthless, and 2) You can't take it with you, the price of admission to Heaven not being related to how much stuff you have?
It is indeed telling how many don't connect the dots between "Thou shalt have no other God before me" and the obsession with money over faith.
Meow - have nice nap!
Posted by: Stephen | September 11, 2007 12:05 PM
I can't even begin to guess what motivates Dick Little and people like him, other than a deep-seated distrust and even hatred for any person or policy that might have some essence of progressive movement related to it. I don't care what is causing global warming. What I care about is the future, and making that future as palatable for my children as I can. Continuing to blather on and on and on about how global warming isn't caused by humans does nothing to help our society, the planet, or the future. It's just partisan stubbornness.
Posted by: Renee | September 11, 2007 03:14 PM
Your questions to Dick Little are an echo of those that ricochet around my mind every time I read one of his columns on this subject. Surely erring on the side of caution makes sense when the question is one of preserving the world we live in.
I have an additional question. If there is already a natural cycle of warming every 1500 years, how much worse might it be this time around with the addition of greenhouse gases from our industrialized world which did not exist during the last warming period? If something normally heats up to 125° and you add something to the mix that causes it to heat to 150° why would you continue to add it to the mix?
For most individuals, cutting greenhouse gases involves primarily a little inconvenience and perhaps some self-denial when it comes to “wants.” For corporations, it involves costs and therein lies the rub. Why spend money to make changes that would lower environmental damage, when they can pocket that money in profits, bonuses, and perks? What psychopath would ever agree to such a thing!
Posted by: Trish | September 11, 2007 03:48 PM
polar bears will become extinct soon because of global warming as will many other species... people will rise up when summer temperatures become in the US what they have been in Iraq and when the power grids fail and there is no AC. until then cheney will continue to snarl and Fox News talking heads will continue to sneer and citizens will continue to struggle to make a living.
Posted by: heartfood | September 12, 2007 10:14 PM
Oh, Dick Little... the name says it all. We can only guess what's motivating him. Alright, couldn't resist.
I also cannot comprehend what folks who insist that global warming is some kind of politically motivated idea (socialism?) are thinking about. Perhaps it is tied to the vast manifest destiny woven so much in the American identity; how we pulled outselves up by our bootstraps and conquered the west, built the Canals and tamed vast rivers to our liking. Killed some bears somewhere in there too.
Now that self image is served by 10 cylinder trucks, eating lots of fat, torturing dogs or at least watching professional sports. You tell someone they must share, must respect nature, must consider others in their personal decisions, then you've threatened a core RIGHT to take up and use up lots of space without regard to others. (Especially if those others are foreign, that's the worst kind of other..)
Americans get touchy about that. Gives folks the right to lie, persecute and belittle anyone who loves planet earth more than that image. After all, it's a threat to our so called 'way of life'
Posted by: beanie | September 15, 2007 04:01 PM