It used to be that a person holding fanatical views,
especially one resorting to or advocating extreme action, was an
outlier in society and earned public scorn due to the damage they could
cause other people. America, like every nation, has always had
extremists groups, but it is certain that besides the Civil War, there
was never a large segment of the population, a giant industry, and one
of the major political parties so entrenched in extremism. One can
really appreciate the level of extremism that is plaguing America when
they consider that what drives its fanaticism is a sometimes violent
opposition to the one thing that elevated them from remaining hunter
gatherers; science.
That any American is opposed to science is, in and
of itself, stunning; particularly when they are likely only alive today
due to myriad technological advances driven by science. The anti-science
crowd loves science that gave them automobiles, medicine, electricity,
sanitation, and ability to communicate easily with any location on
Earth, and they depend on medical science to eliminate threats to their
lives. It is curious, then, that when the preponderance of scientists
from around the world warn them of an existential threat to their
health, well-being, and their nation’s survival, the extremists claim it
is “an attack on their way of life.” That was
one
of the responses to the reported three-hundred-thousand plus Americans
marching in New York to bring attention to the clear and present danger
of anthropogenic climate change on Sunday.
Since the election of an African American man as
President, there have been some truly bizarre, and often
incomprehensible, statements from the extremists in the conservative
movement; it is what makes them extremists. But claiming that other
Americans’ acknowledgement and call to action to address climate change
is an attack on their way of life is simply unfathomable. Interestingly,
it is not the first time ignorant (repugican) agitators for the fossil
fuel industry, the primary drivers of global climate change, have
complained that the government’s attempt protect their environment and
well-being is an attack on their existence. Last year an extremist group
in Colorado sought secession
from the state, and the nation, due to what they regarded was an
all-out attack on their precious oil industry; even as their state
suffered severe wildfires and flooding resulting from conditions due to
climate change.
In what is becoming a regular monthly occurrence, NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
reported
that August, like the previous 24 months, was the hottest on record
globally since records began being kept in 1880. The record-setting
temperatures were for land and the sea that scientists claim is the “new
normal” and will continue unabated; the reports should alarm every
America to demand immediate action to reduce carbon emissions that are
driving climate change.
Thus far, experts predict that all global
temperature records will be broken again and again. But despite the
threat to Americans, the nation’s security, and the economy, any actions
to reduce the cause of the damage is portrayed as a liberal attack the
oil industry and now repugicans’ supporters’ way of life and it begs
the question; what way of life? Do they mean severe weather events,
wildfires, extreme droughts, rising sea levels, melting glaciers, food
shortages, increasing frequency and intensity of earthquakes,
skyrocketing food costs, and health hazards? Because that is their way
of life before any actions to reduce climate changing carbon emissions
are even enacted. It is worth noting every aspect of the fossil fuel
industry contributes to global climate change and that includes tar
sands, fracking, drilling, refining, mining and processing the absurdity
known as “clean coal.”
It is certain that extremists fighting to preserve
the devastating climate they claim is their preferred way of life are repugicans, evangelical 'christians', libertarians, and teabaggers and a
little-reported survey last month revealed why. The survey asked what
issues repugican voters were most concerned about going into the
midterm elections and to no-one’s surprise, repugicans could not care
less about education, obstructionist repugicans, or the effects of
severe weather due to global climate change. The survey results
explained why repugicans enjoy unwavering support from uneducated
Americans to oppose the President’s recent attempt to reduce carbon
emissions they claim is an attack on the fossil fuel industry, and not
an attempt to prevent more damage to America.
It is worth noting that within one of the
President’s announcement that as a world leader in carbon emissions, he
directed the EPA to seek a major reduction in emissions from power
plants, the world’s other leading driver of carbon emissions, China,
announced that they would follow America’s lead. True to their word, China announced last week they would reduce carbon emissions by
40% by 2020
because they have experienced the same devastating effects of severe
weather events as Americans. Their leaders are also intelligent enough
to comprehend their nation’s economy and people’s well-being depends on
immediate action. It is highly likely that China will succeed where
America will certainly fail because unlike America, China’s government
is not owned and operated by the Koch-fossil fuel industry.
Perhaps labeling climate deniers, repugicans,
teabaggers, and their ignorant supporters as extremists for regarding a
climate march an attack on their way of life is errant. It is more
likely they are just mean, hateful people who love seeing their fellow
citizens suffer from droughts, earthquakes, wildfires, severe storms,
flooding, and fouled air and water that define their preferred “way of
life.” What is telling though, is that although they experience the
effects of climate change themselves, their lack of intellect allows
them to believe the oil industry and lying repugicans claim there is no
climate change and that scientists are lying.
Recently a repugican congressman, Larry Bucshon (IN)
argued
that his climate denial is founded solely on public comments, and that
scientific literature and empirical data is invalid because “
climate scientists can’t be trusted because they’re in it for the money.”
Bucshon’s remark was during a House Science and Technology Committee
hearing on President Obama’s Climate Plan during an exchange with White
House Science Advisor John Holdren.
As incredibly stunning as it was to learn the climate march in New York was, according to climate deniers, “an attack on their way of life,”
it was encouraging to see hundreds-of-thousands of Americans demanding
action. It is certain that across America there are tens-of-millions of
Americans experiencing the effects of climate change and it makes repugicans, teabaggers, and evangelical malcontents all the more evil
for perpetuating the lie that climate change is a hoax. Because they
know as the people suffer droughts, wildfires, rising food costs,
floods, and severe storms, they are so ridiculously ignorant they
believe that addressing the cause of climate change is an attack on
their way of life too. It is just one reason repugicans oppose
education so adamantly; making an ignoramus into an extremist is simple.
