| The data on oil is from a couple of years ago, but Bush's environmental policy has changed...how much since then? Currently, there is plenty of debate about whether or not humans impact global warming. Scientists know that the amont of CO² emitted into the air has increased since the Industrial Revolution, and is now higher than it ever was in recorded history. Right now, one hundred and forty one countries are working on bringing the Kyoto Protocol into effect. The Kyoto Protocol is a treaty that is designed to try to curb the amount of gases from cars and industry that might be contributing to global warming. President George W. Bush wants to put off the Kyoto Protocol, saying that more research is needed.
If you don't already see the huge hole in that idea, please bear with me. President Bush went into Iraq without knowing for sure that weapons of mass destruction were present, without UN support, with few allies, and without knowing for sure if there was a connection between the Iraqi government and Al Qaeda. Now he's dealing with global warming, which a meeting at the pentagon decided was as big, if not a bigger threat to national security than terrorism, the UN supports the cause, and there is plenty of scientific research to back it up.
"Dealing with (global warming) will not be easy. Ignoring it will be worse," the United Nations said.
My opinion is that, regardless of how much you love George Bush, many people in government formerly worked for major oil companies. There is money in oil, and I find it interesting that the nation we're supposed to be rebuilding, Iraq, is losing oil to us, which is one of its main assets to create a successful economy. The problem is, it doesn't seem like there's a lot of room for gray area between Global Warming and Terrorism. The problem is, we've had it pounded into our heads that this war is what God wants. However, I've read a quote by Hitler about how all you have to do to make people want war is to tell them that you're liberating a people, protecting your country, and serving God. What does that sound like?
Here are some commonly asked questions about Global Warming, and my answers.
Erroneous Statement: Yeah, global warming must be really important, considering how hot it is outside. (It had just snowed when this was said.)
Answer: Global warming doesn't mean that it's going to be hot outside, everywhere. If the average temperature is rising, it could have only risen about a degree, meaning that it will still be cold outside, but climate patterns are still changing. Although the movie, Day After Tomorrow is not entirely based on scientific fact, global warming created climate change, not yearround summer.
Erroneous Statement: If global warming is so important, why are they getting high school kids to sign petitions for it, instead of actually doing something about it?
Answer: Because the human race, first of all, thinks that it's invincible. If you've ever read the novel, Ishmael, there's a common myth in our society that "the world was made for man, and man was made to rule it." This means that it's our God-given destiny to create factories and offices and cars, and to grow without limit. With terrorism, you're battling an enemy with a name and a face. But with global warming, you're battling your own society and lifestyle. Humans don't like to admit that they're wrong, and also, with terrorism we're finding someone to blame and fighting them. But with global warming, we're to blame, and we can't stop it without accepting responsibility.
Erroneous Statement: We have more important things to worry about, like terrorism, abortion, gun control, gays, the economy, etc.
Answer: We've already discussed terrorism. Abortion kills fetuses. I'm not going to tell you what to think about that, but people have died because of polluted air and the climate changes. If our species died out, we wouldn't have women to have babies, much less abortion. As for gun control, same situation. We can't ignore people dying to stop people from dying. As the play, Antigone, says, "It is not reason never to yield to reason." As for homosexuality, I personally care more about whether or not people are living than how they choose to live. The economy. The economy is fragile, but as shown in Day After Tomorrow, nature is stronger than any man-made government. Surely the people who stay behind during hurricanes and end up getting killed believe that their material possessions are important, but their lives were moreso. I'm sorry if that sounded cruel, but it's true. We laugh at the people who stand next to deadly tornadoes on Storm Stories with video cameras, while the seven-year-old child is the only one smart enough to take cover, but then we cough as cars drive by, stay inside on ozone alert days, watch every patch of land get fifty houses built on it, and what are we doing? The economy is fragile, but I don't believe that any society can last forever. But if we expect the Earth to last forever, we need to do something now.
Erroneous Statement: Well...that's not something I have any control over.
Answer: I'm sorry, but this one really gets me. As mentioned in the novel, Ishmael, which I thought would be appropriate to mention at this point, comedians can get on TV and reach more people than St. Paul did in his entire lifetime. In the first day of Harry Potter Number Four's release, if J.K. Rowling had been given a dollar for every book sold, she would have had a million dollars the first day. If I sent you a chain letter and told you to send it to ten people, and everyone who got it passed it on, it would reach 10,000,000,000 people by the tenth generation. Moreover, who's buying lightbulbs and cars? Who gets to decide whether or not you buy flourescent lightbulbs? Who's choice is it whether or not you buy a hybrid car or choose to carpool? Who could manage to put together a chain letter that could tell those 10,000,000,000 people something more worthwhile than "omg send dis 2 ten peepul or ur crush will never ask u out!" Who knows how to sign your name on a petition? Who's in charge of recycling your can of soda? Not the government. Even if George Bush were the most environmentally concerned president in the history of the planet, he still wouldn't be able to do anything about your personal choices. That's what you have control over.
Erroneous Statement: B...but just me doing all that stuff isn't going to help.
Answer: You have to understand that every action is political. You recycle and tell someone, and eventually you have a movement of people who are doing it. Rosa Parks could have felt that way, but just her deciding not to give up her seat created a movement of people who agreed. Just Ghandi not obeying unfair laws freed India from British rule. Just collar necklaces became a more important issue at a schoolboard meeting than teaching kids to read. Explain that.
Erroneous Statement: Humans have nothing to do with global warming.
Answer: My head is going to explode. I already discussed this one.
Erroneous Statement: George Bush isn't perfect. He wants to become independent, he didn't say we already are.
Answer: And the first step would be for him to support the Kyoto Protocol and try to stop using Middle Eastern oil. |
