Climate Change Conference 2007 ---
Just this week new evidence has been presented. I remember years ago listening to the scientists who specialize in the study of ice and snow express concern that some time towards the end of the 21st century we might even face the possibility of losing the entire north polar ice cap. I remember only three years ago when they revised their estimates to say it could happen halfway through the 21st century, by 2050.
I remember at the beginning of this year when I was shocked to hear them say along with others that it could happen in as little as 34 years and now, this week, they tell us it could completely disappear in as little as five to seven years.
One of the victims of the horrors of the Third Reich in Europe during World War II wrote a famous passage about the beginnings of the killings, and he said, "First I came for the Jews, and I was not a Jew, so I said nothing. Then, they came for the Gypsies, and I was not a Gypsy, so I said nothing," and he listed several other groups, and with each one he said nothing. Then, he said, they came for me.
For those who believed that this climate crisis was going to affect their grandchildren, and still said nothing, and were shaken a bit to hear that it would affect their children, and still said and did nothing, it is affecting us in the present generation, and it is up to us in this generation to solve this crisis.
I am not an official of the United States and I am not bound by the diplomatic niceties. So I am going to speak an inconvenient truth.
There are two paths you can choose. They lead to two different futures. Not too long from now, when our children assess what you did here, what we and our generation did here in this world, as they look backward at 2007, they will ask one of two questions. I don't know which one they will ask. I know which one I prefer that they ask, but trust me, they will ask one of these two questions.
They'll look back, and either they will ask "What were you thinking? Didn't you hear the IPCC four times unanimously warning the world to act? Didn't you see the glaciers melting? Didn't you see the North Polar ice cap disappearing? Didn't you see the deserts growing, and the droughts deepening, and the crops drying up? Didn't you see the sea level rising? Didn't you see the floods? Didn't you pay attention to what was going on? Didn't you care? What were you thinking?"
Or they will ask a second question, one that I'd much prefer them to ask. I want them to look back on this time, and ask: "How did you find the moral courage to successfully address a crisis that so many said was impossible to address? How were you able to start the process that unleashed the moral imagination of humankind to see ourselves as a single, global civilization?" And when they ask that question, I want you to tell them that you saw it as a privilege to be alive at a moment when a relatively small group of people could control the destiny of all generations to come.
Hollywood's Leonardo DiCaprio decided to toss objective scientific truth out the window in his new scarefest "The 11th Hour." DiCaprio refused to interview any scientists who disagreed with his dire vision of the future of the Earth.
In fact, his film reportedly features physicist Stephen Hawking making the unchallenged assertion that "the worst-case scenario is that Earth would become like its sister planet, Venus, with a temperature of 250 [degrees] centigrade."
I guess these "worst-case scenario's" pass for science in Hollywood these days. It also fits perfectly with DiCaprio's stated purpose of the film.
DiCaprio said on May 20th of this year: "I want the public to be very scared by what they see. I want them to see a very bleak future."
Laurie David, Gore's co-producer of "An Inconvenient Truth" recently co-authored a children's global warming book with Cambria Gordon for Scholastic Books titled, The Down-To-Earth Guide to Global Warming.
David has made it clear that her goal is to influence young minds with her new book when she recently wrote an open letter to her children stating: "We want you to grow up to be activists."
A Canadian high school student named McKenzie was shown Gore's climate horror film in four different classes.
"I really don't understand why they keep showing it," McKenzie said.
Nine year old Alyssa was quoted in the Washington Post on April 16, 2007 as saying:
"I worry about [global warming] because I don't want to die."
The same article explained: "Psychologists say they're seeing an increasing number of young patients preoccupied by a climactic Armageddon."
October
Al Gore wins Nobel peace prize.
An Inconvenient Truth is criticized by a high court judge who highlights what he says are "nine scientific errors" in the film.
2011
I would hope this school would present both sides of the global warming debate. In Britain, the Court of London ruled that showing his documentary "Inconvenient Truth" to schoolchildren violated the Education Act because it was nothing more than political indoctrination. The court also found nine factual errors in his film. I don't know if Gore is continuing to repeat those errors in his talks today, but there is a large number of scientists willing to give the other side of the story.
2019
A walkout by school students to protest government inaction on climate change took place March 15 on a global scale, spearheaded by Swedish teen activist Greta Thunberg.
On the same day, Thunberg, 16, was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize for her efforts and earned praise from former U.S. Vice President Al Gore, founder and chairman of The Climate Reality Project, during its activist training conference March 14 in Atlanta.
“Just as in the civil rights movement, young people have played an absolutely essential role at key moments, and that’s true with climate change,” Gore said.
In his ninth year leading the effort, Gore, 71, told the crowd he sees action on climate change picking up momentum.
“This is our generation’s life or death battle,” he said in an impassioned speech. “Here’s the good news: We have had an absolutely spectacular emergence of new technologies that don’t pollute and can replace most of the heavily polluting technologies that have gotten us into this.”
2022
“The climate deniers are really in some ways similar to all of those almost 400 law enforcement officers in Uvalde, Texas, who were waiting outside an unlocked door while the children were being massacred,” Gore told NBC’s “Meet the Press.” “They heard the screams, they heard the gunshots, and nobody stepped forward.”
The environmentalist and former vice president appeared on stage Wednesday evening in Washington, D.C., speaking to young activists from Georgetown University about the youth-led climate movement and excoriating the lack of political will worldwide to address the growing crisis.
"We cannot continue to use the sky as an open sewer in a way that is absolutely destroying the future," Gore said before an audience at the Kennedy Center.
"I think the anger and the frustration is that we do sometimes feel like the burden is shifted on us," she said. "But not only that, we want to act, and we're frustrated that we can't act now, given the urgency of the situation."
"Political will is itself a renewable resource," Gore said. "Our job is to renew the political will to get this done."
Four Essential Points Debunking Climate Fears
1) Recent climate changes on Earth lie well within the bounds of natural climate variability
2) Almost all the current public fear of global warming is being driven by unproven and un-testable computer model fears of the future
3) Debunking the "More CO2 = A Warmer World" simplicity. Scientists are reporting in the peer-reviewed literature that increasing CO2 in the atmosphere will not have the catastrophic impact doomsters have been predicting.
4) A climate change "consensus" does not exist. Instead, the illusion that it does has been carefully manufactured for political, financial and ideological purposes.
(http://famousgameshow.blogspot.com/) An Inconvenient Truth?
By (me) Stephen Meiner:
'An Inconvenient Truth'---Part I of III
God created us with emotions, and those feelings are invaluable to us. Yet, if we let those emotions get out-of-hand, they can get in the way, and it can make life very unpleasant for ourselves and others. We could accomplish much more in this life if all the conflicting emotions could just be set aside.
What do hurtful emotions look like, or sound like??
"Why should I have to suffer and do without things because of some crybaby? Sure, I cry at times too, but my emotions are real ...and it's because someone has hurt my feelings or disappointed me. I don't just cry for nothing. But when I constantly have to put up with other people's stubbornness, it just creates a stagnation. We are a nation of doers ...and what we want to accomplish should not be hampered by the pampered. And hey, what about my personal feelings!! I don't want to be held back because of you either ... as I have things to do, and I'm not going to let you ruin my life!"
'An Inconvenient Truth'---Pt. II of III
If you hit 'Like' on Part I ...then you are probably a friend who trusts me, not only as a friend, but you esteem me to the extent of trusting my judgment also. That is endearing, flattering ...however you'd phrase it, but though it feels good to know that you 'like' me, I will not assume beyond that. Otherwise, if we looked beyond that, you'd realize I was all over the map with the first part of this post ...and agreeing with me would mean you are all over the map with your feelings too. Yet, I know that is not a case ...you're a friend, and probably prefer when I'm up to something, hopefully creative.
There are two sides to every coin ...but the two sides aren't often that different, as they are the same coin.
What point, and for what reason, am I saying all this?? That is a good question? (Stay tuned for Part III). But, first let us finish this part.
Just like we agree with friends within our unique social groups we usually interact in, and often agree without thinking more deeply about it ...we also reject that which is not popular in our social circles. Often there is much said that is important which we aren't that interested in ...so we dismiss it. That's 'an inconvenient truth'.
If we fall too much into that, we may not get along with a lot of people, unless they are just like us ...sort of a symbiotic relationship.
Wait ...!!! Before you hit that 'unlike' button, just consider it ...is this 'an inconvenient truth'? But my point is to prevent cliquishness and to stop being so defensive. Please pay closer attention! Trusting my friendship, or 'liking' me does not mean I am the best judge on: things to wear; or things to eat ...you know I like chocolate, candy bars, and ice cream. And what about politics? That's become a big divide!
'An Inconvenient Truth'---Pt. III of III
I mentioned the big divide with politics. I see many posts about politics, so I know it's often on your mind. How about other things that divide us? How many of us rally for the cause, putting a significantly high emphasis on saving the earth? Do we focus more on global warming than on that which is presently heating up our globe ...in the form of political hatred, with much religious emphasis also?
God says we are going to have a 'new' earth ...so why so much concern for the orb, and much less concern for those living on this present earth? The earth doesn't need saving, the people do!
What does this all mean? What is our belief? Do we believe in a generic Supreme Being, or is God, not only in Name, but inclusive of His character also? That seems to have become less of a divide, in areas where there should often be more of a divide. I don't mean we should divide each other, I'm speaking of rightly dividing the truth of His character. Why was Jesus born, what did His death mean, and how clear is it what the Holy Spirit accomplished afterwards?
The 21st Chapter of the Book of Revelation talks of a new earth. Is God trying to preserve this one, or is He setting apart a people to fill the new one? Is our primary focus on God's acceptance of us ...and we hold fast to who we are, instead of who He is ...and our acceptance of Him, and who He wants us to be?
It is certainly inconvenient at times, going to the neighbors to tell them about Jesus ...especially since I know they know anyway. They see my manger scene in my yard at Christmas time, and I give Him as much billing as Santa Claus. After all, everyone knows about the celebration of Christmas. But what's this promoted tolerance thing, that often seems rather intolerant? Do we really accept Jesus, or does He kind of just get in the way of political agendas? Are we really aware that we've been committed to eliminating the truth from our schools? Has Jesus become 'an inconvenient truth'?
