Tough Times for "Sceptics"

[bleeding heart]

The conscious and often dishonest attempts at debate-hijacking and too-convenient discussion delineation might be backfiring.

(scroll down for article in link)

Its been a tough few weeks for the forces of climate-change denial.

First came the giant billboard with Unabomber Ted Kacynzkis face plastered across it: I Still Believe in Global Warming. Do You? Sponsored by the Heartland Institute, the nerve-center of climate-change denial, it was supposed to draw attention to the fact that the most prominent advocates of global warming arent scientists. They are murderers, tyrants, and madmen. Instead it drew attention to the fact that these guys had over-reached, and with predictable consequences.

A hard-hitting campaign from a new group called Forecast the Facts persuaded many of the corporations backing Heartland to withdraw $825,000 in funding; an entire wing of the Institute, devoted to helping the insurance industry, calved off to form its own nonprofit. Normally friendly politicians like Wisconsin Republican Congressman Jim Sensenbrenner announced that they would boycott the groups annual conference unless the billboard campaign was ended.

Which it was, before the billboards with Charles Manson and Osama bin Laden could be unveiled, but not before the damage was done: Sensenbrenner spoke at last months conclave, but attendance was way down at the annual gathering, and Heartland leaders announced that there were no plans for another of the yearly fests. Heartlands head, Joe Bast, complained that his side had been subjected to the most uncivil name-calling and disparagement you can possibly imagine from climate alarmists, which was both a little rich -- after all, he was the guy with the mass-murderer billboards -- but also a little pathetic. A whimper had replaced the characteristically confident snarl of the American right.

That pugnaciousness may return: Mr. Bast said last week that he was finding new corporate sponsors, that he was building a new small-donor base that was Greenpeace-proof, and that in any event the billboard had been a fine idea anyway because it had generated more than $5 million in earned media so far. (Thats a bit like saying that for a successful White House bid John Edwards should have had more mistresses and babies because look at all the publicity!) Whatever the final outcome, its worth noting that, in a larger sense, Bast is correct: this tiny collection of deniers has actually been incredibly effective over the past years.

The best of them -- and that would be Marc Morano, proprietor of the website Climate Depot, and Anthony Watts, of the website Watts Up With That -- have fought with remarkable tenacity to stall and delay the inevitable recognition that were in serious trouble. Theyve never had much to work with. Only one even remotely serious scientist remains in the denialist camp. Thats MITs Richard Lindzen, who has been arguing for years that while global warming is real it wont be as severe as almost all his colleagues believe. But as a long article in the New York Times detailed last month, the credibility of that sole dissenter is basically shot. Even the peer reviewers he approved for his last paper told the National Academy of Sciences that it didnt merit publication. (It ended up in a little-known Korean journal.)

http://www.tomdispatch.com/post/175549/tomgram%3A_bill_mckibben%2C_climate-change_deniers_have_done_their_job_well/

Edited June 4, 2012 by bleeding heart

[waldo]

The conscious and often dishonest attempts at debate-hijacking and too-convenient discussion delineation might be backfiring.

no 'might be' about it... it's a given. The fake skeptics favoured Heartland Institute has imploded, deservedly so! We earlier discussed the valiant efforts of whistleblower Peter Gleick to highlight the disinformation campaign of the Heartland Institute. From that point forward the Heartland Institute has seen a steady-stream of lost sponsors/funding... to the point it had to accept acknowledged funding from the 'Illinois Coal Association' to simply allow it's May denierpalooza conference to continue/occur. Additionally, many of its described "Heartland experts" have deserted, formally asking their names no longer be associated with Heartland... on top of this Heartland dishonesty has been exposed as their expert association list included many scientists without their knowledge/permission. And to top it all off, its own rats are abandoning the sinking ship, as the entire staff from its Finance, Insurance, and Real Estate divisions has quit... all the staff, outright quit!

nothing could be sweeter than seeing the Heartland Institute implode!

[bleeding heart]

nothing could be sweeter than seeing the Heartland Institute implode!

Couldn't happen to a better bunch of guys.

[jacee]

Somewhat like the "ethical oil" campaign that fell on its snarly face.

Disparaging Saudi culture (ie, racism) didn't go over too well with the general public. It was eventually concluded that the 'attack' campaign only impressed those who were already oil sands supporters/participants.

Lessons of life ... If you try to threaten the public or attack others to get your message across, it only reflects badly on you and your 'cause'.

Are you listening Harper?

Calling environmentalists "extremists" "terrorists" "enemies" etc only reflects badly on you!

The public is just not that stupid.

Eta ...

Omigod, these examples are priceless!

Lord Christopher Monckton, for instance, an English peer (who has been officially warned by the House of Lords to stop saying he’s a member) ... explain[ed] that a group of young climate- change activists who tried to take over a stage where he was speaking were“Hitler Youth.”

Ooooo ... Those vicious terrorist enemies!

Edited June 6, 2012 by jacee