We cannot
control the sun!

[Re: “Deniers are bullies,” Letters, Jan. 7] There is great controversy about climate change amongst scientists; it just doesn’t appear on TV, so we’re led to believe that a consensus exists. This is far from true, particularly since 31,486 American scientists have signed a petition stating that: “The proposed limits on GHGs would harm the environment, hinder the advance of science and technology and damage the health and welfare of mankind.”

Indeed, policies put forth by alarmists like Saleemul Huq are anti-environment, anti-science and anti-human. I’m not saying we should keep polluting as we have been for the last 100 years or so, but that we should stop polluting for the right reasons. The mistake alarmists have made is that they do not include humans as part of the environment. They are telling us to reduce our environmental footprint in order to steady the warming trend the Earth is presently undergoing. This trend is as undeniable as it is unstoppable by us. So-called “climate deniers” are in reality denying the claims alarmists make implying that climate change is a man-made process, which is quite logical considering that the Earth has been warming and cooling on its own for billions of years (and also the fact that the famous hockey-stick graph has been long discredited and abandoned by the alarmists).

I do believe we should reduce pollution and GHGs—not because we want to save the Earth, but because we want to save mankind. It’s undeniable that respiratory diseases, cancers and related deaths have increased with pollution and locally fluctuate at the same rhythm as the quality of air in a given area. If we were to justify a reduction of pollutants by evoking the fact that we’re dying because of them, we could look at the quality of our environment as a human rights issue, and pursue an agenda based on mutual respect.

A love for mankind invariably implies a love for the Earth. I don’t throw my garbage on the ground because I respect others, and also, I don’t want to walk in their garbage. The alarmists and enviro-extremists have separated us from our planet, and made us feel like we’re responsible for the fate of the world. No one expects me to change the world, so I don’t expect this from myself, or from anyone else. What I do expect is to treat others as I wish to be treated, and this includes all living beings, including alarmists.

There will always be opportunists on either side of this debate, like Al Gore on the one and Exxon/Mobil on the other, who will try to capitalize on this issue. It’s up to us to realize that climate change is undeniable, and that we cannot control the sun. We can however, pursue a pro-environment, pro-science, pro-human agenda by considering our health as a human rights issue. We can save the Earth, yes, but we must save ourselves first.

>>SAM THE WHAT

Christians the
new Zionists?

[Re: “Shitting in our own den,” Letters, Dec. 24] John Dirlik turns his guns on a different target and manages to hit a new low (no mean feat).

This time, instead of trashing Israel, he offers what begins to be a perfectly reasonable criticism of the Harper government. One can agree with him or not. However, before long he has Harper “shamelessly pandering to the vast (and staunchly Zionist) CanWest Global empire.”

Those who wish to check this out can use as an example the readily available Montreal Gazette and count how many pro-Zionist opinions appear in it every day. They can also observe whether or not the Gazette ever criticizes the Harper government.

Dirlik then winds up all but accusing Harper of fascism and being under the control of some Christian/Zionist clique. (It’s a nice change to have the Christians share the smear with us Zionists).

That is the kind of analysis that, when pointed in a different direction, would make the late “great” United States senator Joseph McCarthy proud. It would probably earn Dirlik honourable mention in the Joseph Goebbels school of propaganda. There is not a shred of evidence for any of this! Judge Harper on what he says and does, not on innuendo and name-calling. Many of his government’s acts, for better or worse, have been contrary to his principles.

Though most Zionists, myself included, appreciate the government’s support of Israel, most, myself included, do not vote for him. I cannot speak for the Christians, but wonder if that is to become a “nasty” word like Zionist.

>> KEN FRANKEL

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