| There are a lot of ways to win an argument and | | | | leads me to believe they are true. Al Gore |
| a lot of ways to deceive others into thinking | | | | smears people who don't believe global warming |
| you've won an argument. There is one set of | | | | to be "settled science" and with that, hopes to |
| rules to follow when you have facts on your side | | | | stifle debate on the issue. |
| and a different set of rules when the facts are | | | | Stifling debate, by the way, is not the same thing |
| not with you. The first rule is to never use any of | | | | as winning the debate. Unfortunately, the |
| these rules in arguing with your wife. If you do, it | | | | Democratic Party has become a party that can't |
| should be under controlled circumstances and only | | | | debate on facts and therefore, they debate by |
| when there is professional supervision. | | | | character assassination. Whether it is global |
| There are situations of absolute fact. For | | | | warming or the Tea Party movement, the left is |
| example, OJ Simpson either killed two people or | | | | constantly trying to impugn the integrity and |
| he didn't. People may disagree as to what | | | | motives of whoever has a different point of view. |
| evidence shows but there is a Yes/No answer to | | | | Personally, I would never want to stifle the |
| the question of whether OJ did it or not. No | | | | opinions or speech of people on the left. Every |
| matter what anyone believes, the event did | | | | time they speak, they tell you who they are and |
| happen in a particular way and was caused by | | | | what they want to do. The fact that they don't |
| specific actions. | | | | extend the same courtesy to people on the right |
| Other situations are more theoretical. Global | | | | is a great indicator of who is telling the truth and |
| warming is a theory based on models and | | | | who is lying. |
| evidence. Whether it exists, is caused by human | | | | Uh-Oh, I think someone just fainted while reading |
| activity, the extent of damage (if any), what | | | | this article. If anyone knows the address of the |
| might or might not happen in the future, all has to | | | | person that just fainted would you please get him |
| be based on honest scientific inquiry. In the first | | | | or her some water? Maybe have him or her lie |
| situation with OJ, you are dealing with a known | | | | down and prop some pillows up so he or she can |
| fact (two people were murdered) while in the | | | | breathe. Please give him or her plenty of room.... |
| second, you are dealing with a future event | | | | The final straw in this Global Warming/Climate |
| (some say an event that has started already), | | | | Change/Greenhouse Effect thing is when Mr. Gore |
| but in any case, one that is not as specific as a | | | | labels people who want more evidence into global |
| Yes/No answer can provide. | | | | warming as equal to Holocaust deniers. Global |
| The last situation is one of morality and spirituality. | | | | warming is a theory. The Holocaust is a historical |
| Issues such as abortion or the death penalty fall | | | | fact backed up by evidence including hundreds of |
| into this third category. There is much passion in | | | | thousands of witnesses, physical evidence, film |
| these debates. A belief in God is a matter of faith. | | | | archive and even admissions by some who |
| The ongoing evolution vs. creationism debate also | | | | committed the horrific acts. To compare this to a |
| falls under this last category. | | | | subjective theory such as global warming is an |
| While there may be some issues that cross the | | | | insult to the memories of the people who died in |
| line between these three categories, in most | | | | the Holocaust, as well as to the survivors and |
| situations they will fall in one of these groups and | | | | their children. |
| not more. When propaganda is used, it is usually | | | | Barack Obama's way of dealing with a challenge |
| done by blurring the distinction between these | | | | (not that he faces many from the main stream |
| categories. | | | | media) is different than Al Gore's. Obama's |
| A good example of this is to look at how Al Gore | | | | preferred method is to ramble meaningless |
| argues the inevitability of global warming. First, | | | | phrases as if by the magic of his oratory skills, |
| backing up a step, if you are going to debate an | | | | people will forget what the question was. Asked |
| issue, one of the best ways to do it is "Search | | | | what his favorite White Sox player was on |
| and Destroy". You find your opponent's | | | | opening day of the baseball season, he couldn't |
| arguments, you list them one by one, and then | | | | just say he didn't know or remember any. He |
| you point out why they are specious or why their | | | | talked about being an Oakland A's fan while living |
| reasoning is faulty. When people have truth on | | | | in Hawaii, blathered some other meaningless things |
| their side, they are eager to display why the | | | | about liking the Cubs but never answered the |
| arguments of their opponents are wrong. | | | | simple question! You'd expect that from a kid in |
| Getting back to Al Gore, when he is faced with a | | | | third grade, not the President. |
| question challenging his belief in global warming, he | | | | What is amazing about this is that Obama made a |
| never answers it. He simply labels people who | | | | specific point of showing the world that he was a |
| don't agree with him as "deniers" or "flat earthers". | | | | White Sox fan. He pulled out a White Sox cap to |
| Some people may not disagree, per se. They just | | | | display in front of 40,000+ Washington Nationals |
| may not be sure, not being as scientifically trained | | | | fans and millions watching on TV. You'd think he'd |
| as Al Gore, they just want more of a debate | | | | be prepared to answer, just as a matter of |
| before committing so much money, resources, | | | | common sense, some questions about the team |
| and lifestyle changes to a theory that they don't | | | | since he made such an unnecessary spectacle of |
| know enough about. | | | | bringing it up. It makes you wonder, if he is that |
| If Mr. Gore had the facts on his side, he would | | | | unprepared for a question that is the logical result |
| bring out all these challenges to then tear them | | | | of an action he has taken, then how is he to be |
| down ("Search and Destroy"). Some arguments | | | | trusted negotiating with Russia or China? Who |
| against global warming (there are many more): | | | | knows, maybe he put on the White Sox cap to |
| - The ice in Antarctica has been growing since | | | | give fans an excuse to boo. That way, he could |
| 1979. | | | | say they were booing the cap, not him or his |
| - Temperature measurements during the 90s (the | | | | actions, but he couldn't be that narcissistic, could |
| supposed warmest decade) did not use weather | | | | he? |
| stations in some of the coldest climates which | | | | If he can't answer a simple question about his |
| artificially increased the average. | | | | favorite player, how is he to answer questions |
| - There is evidence of warming on other planets | | | | about health care or taxes? The answer to that |
| indicating that sun spot activity may be a cause | | | | is a 17 minute incoherent response to a question |
| of temporary warming. | | | | about whether or not the US is already too highly |
| - Ice core samples show the middle ages to be | | | | taxed to shoulder the additional burdens to pay |
| warmer than the present. | | | | for health care. If Obama had truth on his side, he |
| - The earth has been cooling in the last 15 years. | | | | wouldn't need to spend 17 minutes on a disjointed |
| - Many of the same people who are now warning | | | | dissertation while still not answering the question! |
| about global warming were warning about the | | | | Obama mixes in all tactics. He confuses fact with |
| coming ice age as recently as 1975! | | | | theory, and throws in a hefty dose of moralizing |
| - There is evidence, also from ice core samples, | | | | and somewhere in between all the meaningless |
| that the cause and effect of global warming is | | | | words you are almost tempted to say "Stop |
| backwards. In other words, increased levels of | | | | already! I give up -- just stop talking! |
| CO2 in the atmosphere didn't cause global | | | | The old joke says "How can you tell if a politician |
| warming in the past but, in fact, periods of | | | | is lying?" Answer: "If his mouth is moving". Some, |
| warming caused increased levels of CO2. | | | | however, lie more than others. Propaganda |
| These are just some of many arguments against | | | | involves turning facts into subjective concepts |
| the theory of global warming. Not being a | | | | while turning subjective concepts into facts. It |
| scientist, I would welcome hearing the other side | | | | involves taking bad policy and packaging it as an |
| to these points but all I hear is crickets. That no | | | | absolute moral good so that no one dare oppose |
| one does a "Search and Destroy" on these points | | | | it. |