Columnist Arthur Black (The NEWS Jan 21) is a gifted humorist but a lazy historian.
A simple Google search will reveal numerous occasions where consensus science ran afoul, chief among them: the world is flat, man-made flight is impossible and ulcers are a result of stress. Those who bucked the consensus were lampooned, dismissed or discredited. Luckily they found the courage to confront the arrogance of those proclaiming that science in such matters was settled.
If we view climate change as our enemy, we will always be defeated, for climate will always change. Natural climate change is frequent, often extreme and sometimes rapid.
Should we be surprised then if Mother Nature feels no obligation to co-operate with man-made climate models?
Black’s 95 per cent continues to dwindle as we are faced with some harsh realities: average global temperatures have flattened, polar ice caps are returning, and sea levels are not rising (Kiribati’s troubles arise more from naturally occurring king tides and coastal erosion).
By all means let us be good stewards of the earth, but do we really think we can save the planet with our current crop of earth evangelists? Recently Neil Young gave a concert in Calgary while five large transport trucks (for his gear) ran idling the whole time, not to be outdone by the private jet that awaited his departure. And hey, doesn’t he own a ranch?
Victor Hugo once said: “Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent.”
With that in mind, I think I’ll buy Arthur Black a banjo. That way he has something to play as he jumps on the bandwagon.
John Chambers
Parksville