Politicizing Science and Lying in the Process (II)

I’m beginning to wonder if environmentalists like human beings. No, seriously. I imagine that many hardcore greenies are very sincere and nice people, but others of those leading the charge about matters environment seem a little edgy and, at times, hostile towards those of us in the human race. It almost sounds as if they like animals and inanimate objects more than they like us. In addition, some of the statements by those in positions of power in the Green Movement are most definitely anti-capitalism and pro-socialism. In other words, it’s not just about the environment. There’s a political agenda attached to the movement as well. “Well, that’s simply preposterous!” you might say. Maybe. Maybe not.

Judi Bari of “Earth First!” (1992), wrote, “…if we don’t overthrow capitalism, we don’t have a chance of saving the world ecologically. I think it is possible to have an ecologically sound society under socialism. I don’t think it’s possible under capitalism.” Hitler didn’t think so either, that’s why he was an avid advocate of organic gardening, vegetarianism, and mystical nature worship.

Dr. Reed Noss of “The Wildlands Project” said this in the same year that Ms. Bari penned her disdain for capitalism: “The collective needs of non-human species must take precedence over the needs and desires of humans.” (Emphasis added.) Of course, we know that the good doctor is putting that into practice routinely in his life. He’s given his Ph.D. to a giraffe, who then sold it on eBay, he sleeps on the dog bed while his pet pooch sleeps in his bed, he’s given up human food, which he gives to his dog, and he’s just fine with Beggin’ Strips three times a day, and the doctor uses the toilet facilities outside. One can only wonder who cleans it up.

Or how about David Brower, who is the founder of “Friends of the Earth,” (is there an Enemies of the Earth club?) and former executive director of the Sierra Club, who quipped in 1993, “While the death of young men in war is unfortunate, it is no more serious than the touching of mountains and wilderness areas by humankind.” Really? Brower’s is one of the most incoherent and confused statements I’ve read in a while. I’d tell him that I’m a Christian, but he would probably go apoplectic at the mention of God and would stop cleaning up after Dr. Noss. Christians actually believe that God calls us to be good stewards of his creation, thinking his thoughts after him. We are to care for the mountains and wilderness, but we are also told that only man is created in the image of the Almighty, making Brower’s statement stand on its head. His is the pronouncement of a member of the Revolution (Enlightenment), even if he’s a postmodern, but not the view of one who is more concerned with Reformation. The Dutchman, Groen van Prinsterer, wrote an interesting book with the translated title Unbelief and Revolution. Brower is a devotee of the Revolution.

Stanford professor, Paul Ehrlich[1] predicted the following in 1970: “In ten years, all important animal life in the sea will be extinct. Large areas of coastline will have to be evacuated because of the stench of dead fish.” Doting parents paid mega-bucks to have Dr. Ehrlich pontificate at prestigious Stanford University. Their grateful children came home for vacations and vilified and lambasted their parents for being so uncaring about the environment, all the while having 2-3 helpings of the “oppressors” standing rib roast. In his erudition and professorial pomposity and arrogance, Dr. Ehrlich refused and still refuses to acknowledge how horribly far off he was and is. Talk about parents getting some bang for their buck!

Dave Foreman knows Judi Bari. While Judi is merely a “flunky,” Dave is the founder of Earth First! He stated, “We must make this an insecure and inhospitable place for capitalists and their projects…. We must reclaim the roads and plowed land, halt dam construction, tear down existing dams, free shackled rivers to return to wilderness ten of millions of acres of presently settled land.” Foreman’s disdain for both human beings and capitalism is clearly evident from these words. Here in California, we’re actually dealing with greenies stopping the building of a dam that would save many, many farms and provide adequate water for all Californians. The dam has been 95% complete for quite some time, but has been stopped because of litigation. Why? Because the environmentalists are concerned about the smelt fish and even though they’ve been assured that the smelt (which, after all, is a person too) will not be harmed by the dam. Still, the greenies refuse to give human beings the water they need.

Therefore, bewaterwise.com in California is in the pocket of the environmentalists telling us that if we don’t cooperate, the government will have to impose mandatory conservation. Certainly, surely, Foreman is a worshiper of “Earth” and one who wants to turn us back to a kinder, gentler time. What Foreman and his ilk refuses to let you know is that it is only the wealthier, more technological countries can provide their citizens and other in developing countries with longer lives, better health, less infant mortality, better sanitation, medical care, and a host of other economic benefits. Foreman sounds compassionate because he wants to turn back the clock and save the environment. In point of fact, Foreman really doesn’t care about the under-fed and unfed children and people. He only cares about his hatred of capitalism—except when it comes to his paycheck—and helping human beings.

He is a kindred spirit to Stewart Brand of the “Whole Earth Catalog.” Mr. Brand fancies himself an “ecofreak.” I tend to agree. Here’s what he said way back in 1968. “We have wished, we ecofreaks, for a disaster or for a social change to come and bomb us into the Stone Age, where we might live like Indians in our valley, with our localism, our appropriate technology, our gardens, our homemade religion—guilt-free at last!” If Mr. Brand had made this statement after August 18, 1969, we might conclude that he was still suffering from a bad trip at Woodstock. Apparently, Mr. Brand could make outlandish and contradictory statements like this without the help of any hallucinogenic drugs.

---

[1] Ehrlich is Bing Professor of Populations Studies in the Department of Biological Sciences.