Every era has its skeptics. Bartolome de las Casas concluded that enslaving Native Americans and importing Africans might be an immoral idea; in response, his camp and men were viciously attacked. Copernicus kept his theory of heliocentrism a secret for 30 years just to escape certain persecution from the Catholic Church. Fifteen years before Darwin’s theory, Robert Chambers published “The Vestiges of the Natural History of Creation” anonymously, prepared for an onslaught of blasphemy charges.
In the climate change debate – the hottest scientific issue out there – it’s clear who is playing the modernized role of Copernicus and Chambers. But who are the skeptics? And what (if anything) are they thinking?
Skepticism itself has never been a downfall of humanity, but ignorant skepticism based on no sort of reason or sound science whatsoever is, and it could be the downfall of this generation if climate change deniers win. It really is that simple. The kind of disdainful ignorance spewing from the likes of Sen. James “Global-climate-change-is-a-massive-hoax” Inhofe and the Utah state legislature, which recently passed a resolution condemning “climate alarmists,” are downright dangerous. This kind of skepticism leads to chastisement, which ultimately can lead to the repression of sound ideas and severely deter civilization from true progress. Silencing hard science with skepticism is something we cannot afford any longer.
Assistant Professor of Biology and Environmental Studies John Schade, like millions of Americans and people around the globe, is frustrated with the blatant disdain climate deniers perpetuate for hard science. Whether motivated by ideology or the almighty dollar, as many of these deniers cite “research” (opinions) done by “researchers” (lobbyists for corporations like Exxon), Schade sees through it.
“We know that the bulk of the carbon dioxide increase comes from humans,” Schade said. As for the research purportedly debunking global climate change, Schade doesn’t mince words. “It’s disingenuous. They [climate deniers’ claims] are not based on reason. They’re not based on science.”
Why hasn’t the United States stepped out as a clear leader on an environmental policy for the new century? Although the blame certainly doesn’t rest squarely on the shoulders of our political elite, we could surely use their help and common sense. In the wake of the recent East Coast snowstorm, Sen. Jim DeMint claimed global warming was fervently disproved by the abnormally wintry weather, which is basically like saying because someone spit on you, that means it’s raining. Political figures like DeMint and Inhofe are moving from the disingenuous to the ridiculous. “It’s comically absurd,” Schade said.
The government has no authorized right to impede on a number of the intricacies of private life, but then again, national defense policy should not just include missile guidance systems. True national defense means protecting the American way of life.
The choice is clear. The United States can step up as a leader for the 21st century or remain stuck in a beleaguered past. A steady push to reenergize our energy and environmental infrastructure lies at the core of the duties of our American government. With a great number of Americans becoming increasingly fed up with a government that is astoundingly polarized, inefficient and ineffective, our leaders need to prove themselves worthy and follow through on their mandate of leadership.
This Interim, I had the humbling pleasure of visiting Hiroshima, Japan. As we walked around the heart of Ground Zero where the atomic bomb was detonated, we were told that mere days after the city had been absolutely flattened, citizens were already rebuilding their city and their way of life. They were looking to a brighter future rather than remaining stuck in a horrible past. If climate deniers win, and if we as a country decide to reject a reenergized environmental and energy policy on a wave of polarizing skepticism, then we reject a bright future.
Thomas Fristad ‘11 (fristad@stolaf.edu) is from Sartell, Minn. He majors in political science.
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