Climate change denial is a dangerous, undocumented alien among us
Unfounded propaganda is creating a man-made “bozozone” that is denying us any chance of doing what is right.
Three things you might not know:
- More than six in 10 Americans are represented by elected officials who think that climate change is a big ‘ol liberal hoax — including leaders at the highest level, like Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.[1]
- Only 24 of 13,950 peer-reviewed articles rejected climate change.[2]
- “The Earth will end only when God declares it’s time to be over. Man will not destroy this Earth. This Earth will not be destroyed by a Flood. I do believe that God’s word is infallible, unchanging, perfect.” A US politician actually said this (see below).
(4 minute read)
Are we still in the Dark Ages?
We started our journey out of the “Dark Ages” almost a 1000 years ago and about 300 years ago we began to realize the value of science and the application of the scientific method – and a wonderful method it has proven to be. It has fostered unimaginable advances over the past three centuries and furthered the well being of humankind and our industrialized world. Unfortunately, in much of the industrial sector and religious beliefdoms the scientific method is only accepted if it supports the “god-given” objective of profits or man-made interpretation of scripture. Otherwise, it is characterized as “questionable,” “flawed,” “not yet enough evidence” or “blasphemous.” It would seem that science is really only helpful when we aren’t in denial and yet, we continue to flock to denial whenever it fits our needs and beliefs – or feeds our political fundraising coffers. There’s no letting human well being get in the way of business, politics or religion.
Debunking the denial is easy!
Nowhere is this ignoring of science more prevalent than on the issue of climate change. Recently, Phil Plait wrote in Slate that geochemist and National Science Board member James Lawrence Powell wrote a post that is basically a slam-dunk of debunking. His premise was simple: If global warming isn’t real and there’s an actual scientific debate about it, that should be reflected in the scientific journals. He looked up how many peer-reviewed scientific papers were published in professional journals about global warming, and compared the ones supporting the idea that we’re heating up compared to those that don’t. What did he find? Only 24 of 13,950 peer-reviewed articles rejected climate change. Only those who benefit from climate change or are morons would ignore such a stack of evidence.
The chart above is an example of what is called a “wedge issue” – a thin, thin, empty issue that is blown up and blown about like a bunch of hot air (bullshit) by fossil-fuel funded think tanks and irresponsible media like Fox News and their lightweight, vacuous talking-heads. The article states: “Science thrives on dissenting ideas, it grows and learns from them. If there is actual evidence to support an idea, it gets published. There is no scientific controversy over this. Climate change denial is purely, 100 percent made-up political and corporate-sponsored crap. When the loudest voices are fossil-fuel funded think tanks, when they don’t publish in journals but instead write error-laden op-eds in partisan venues, when they have to manipulate the data to support their point, then what they’re doing isn’t science. It’s nonsense. And worse, it’s dangerous nonsense. Because they’re fiddling with the data while the world burn.
And there is a parade of political dunces. Rick Perry, the Governor of Texas says the science is fuzzy. And since it’s not on his list of top two things to remember, he forgets about it. And GOP representative, John Shimkus (Illinois) says we don’t need to worry about climate change because god (his god) will decide when the world shall end. No kidding. Here is what he said – actually read from the Bible and went on to say, “… therefore don’t worry about climate change.”
“The Earth will end only when God declares it’s time to be over. Man will not destroy this Earth. This Earth will not be destroyed by a Flood. I do believe that God’s word is infallible, unchanging, perfect.”
And there are more hiding in plain site in the US Congress, spewing intelligence-defying bunk: Todd Akin (R-MO); Mo Brooks (R-AL); Ralph Hall (R-TX); and Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA).Too many politicians and corporate leaders are playing the denial game in order to get re-elected or boost the stock price, both of which are good for their short-term but bad for everyone long-term.
The Center for American Progress Action Fund found that there are 182 climate deniers in the current Congress: 144 in the House and 38 in the Senate. That means more than six in 10 Americans are represented by people who think that climate change is a big ‘ol liberal hoax — including some leaders at the highest levels of government, like Senate Majority Leader Mitch “I Am Not a Scientist” McConnell and senator and presidential candidate Marco “I Am Not a Scientist” Rubio. (And those are just the members of Congress who are out-and-out deniers, so it doesn’t include the many more who kinda sorta admit that something might be going on with the climate but still don’t want to do anything about it.)
Not surprisingly, many of these same climate deniers have been handsomely rewarded by the fossil fuel industry. In total, these climate-denying congresspeople have received more than $73 million in contributions from oil, gas, and coal companies over the course of their careers. To get the specifics, check out this handy interactive map, which breaks down exactly who in each state is a climate change denier — and exactly how much cash they’ve gotten from dirty energy.[1]
I don’t know if the world is coming to an end but I do know that reasoned leadership on climate change, coming from the halls of government and most corner offices is at a dead end. And no chorus of scripture readings, denials or Amens is likely to change that any time soon.
Footnotes:
- This is an excellent article by Katie Herzog (Mar 8, 2016): http://grist.org/climate-energy/surprise-a-third-of-congress-members-are-climate-change-deniers/
- http://www.slate.com/blogs/bad_astronomy/2012/12/11/climate_change_denial_why_don_t_they_publish_scientific_papers.html?wpisrc=most_viral
“People are the worst”
Coming 2026
My personal history is the stuff they write books about. And that's what I am doing. The working title, "Chains of My Father: Marry White."
"The ghostly image of the tragic mulatto trapped between two worlds." - Barack Obama
This perspicacious line from the Prologue of Barack Obama's "Dream from My Father" wrenched my aspiration into action. I started writing, furiously. Unlike Obama's perspective, my pain had been for the opposite reason: I was not seen by whites as a "tragic mulatto," rather I lived every day of my childhood hoping whites were not "searching my eyes for some telltale sign" that I WAS mulatto. This is my story.
It's historical fiction because I cannot find enough records to substantiate all facets of the story. I've combed the genealogy, traveled to my father and grandmothers' birthplace, walked the graveyards, searched the churches and ... well, all the facts aren't there. I have written three books based on the genealogy of other families but my ancestors emerged from a journey that left too few records – slavery.
My paternal, great grandmother was a "freed slave." My grandmother, Amelia, was born to a mixed race slave named Mary (we do not know her last name) and a white, French plantation owner, the Count de Poullain, in Grenada, West Indies. Amelia was raised in the "Big House" and in adulthood, in an attempt to escape her black heritage disowned her mother, telling her, "Get out and never come back." Amelia, as a mother of twelve children, enshrined into the family commandments, "Marry white." Many did, including my father. My mother was a lovely, white, Anglo-Saxon protestant born in England. They met in Canada where my dad studied and became a doctor.
It has taken five generations for the descendants of Mary to free themselves from the stigma of their black heritage but today my children embrace it. Unfortunately, the past 250 years have been a wasteland of bigotry, racism and bullying. But, on closer look, we see not only the brutality, fear, violence, and murder but also the self-respect, dignity, love, kindness, perseverance and indomitable spirit.
As of the spring of 2025, the depth of historic perspective and the sweeping inspiration of oppressed people has created a two-volume duology of which I have only arrived at the middle of the 19th century. 1840 is the year my great grandfather was born, the beginning of Volume II, and he's pushing me to make sure our story is published by the summer of 2026.
get social