Global Warming Dialog

A friend has been involved in an exchange of letters to the editor about global warming. The exchange makes clear the two separate views that prevail right now. Amazingly, it comes down to a simple question. Do you believe people who were absolutely certain that there was going to be a "new ice age" twenty years ago but now are absolutely certain that global warming is happening? Or do you think that anyone who wants us to make such draconian changes to our world should be right at least twice in a row before we listen to them?

I don't have a copy of the original letter, which was from someone who went to Al Gore's movie and believed everything that he had to say. The News and Observer published it under the title "An Inconvenient Truth".

This is the response from my friend who took issue with the Al Gore partisan.

Raleigh N&O Letter to the Editor

Published: Aug 13, 2006 12:30 AM
Modified: Aug 14, 2006 08:26 AM

What's Really Scary:

The writer of the Aug. 6 letter regarding Al Gore's movie "An Inconvenient Truth" who states how frightening the movie is and how it sheds light on global warming obviously believes everything she reads or sees as fact. This is a mistake made by far too many Americans.

There are studies that contradict nearly everything Al Gore protests is fact in his movie -- detailed research and studies that Gore and his fellow greenies choose to ignore simply because it does not suit their purpose or agenda.

Wake up! This movie is nothing but a political ad for Al Gore. And, yes, it is very frightening, but not for the reason suggested by the letter writer. It scares me that people are actually willing to believe the contents of such a film without question.

Please, do some research! In this day and age, we cannot just assume that anyone, especially a politician who also has an agenda at hand, is telling us the truth.

Mary Paige Forrester
Greenville

Her letter got a response from another Al Gore partisan.

Raleigh N&O Letter:
Published: Aug 17, 2006 12:30 AM
Modified: Aug 17, 2006 09:51 AM

Warming Consensus:

As Mark Twain's character Jim Smiley once observed, "all a frog wanted was education, and he could do 'most anything'." I suppose I'm like that frog, because all I want is some education, and apparently someone out there can provide it.The writer of the Aug. 13 People's Forum letter captioned "What's Really Scary" took issue with a previous letter commenting on "An Inconvenient Truth," the documentary on global warming.

She wrote: "There are studies that contradict nearly everything Al Gore protests is fact in his movie -- detailed research and studies that Gore and his fellow greenies choose to ignore simply because it does not suit their purpose or agenda." I could not agree more that all of us need the complete picture on global warming (and fast). So share with us all peer-reviewed studies in the scientific press from scientists not funded by or affiliated with the oil or gas or coal or automotive industries which contradict the central point in the documentary -- our global climate is heating at a dangerous rate and that human activity is a major cause.

Like the writer, I do not want to rely on politicians for my education on any issue, particularly on a subject as vital as global warming. But a scientific consensus should never be ignored simply because a politician conveys it.

Clay Hodges
Raleigh

This last is the final letter in the series, and sums up my views pretty well.

The final word

A response to Warming Consensus:

The writer of this letter – in response to my earlier one (captioned "What's Really Scary") – states: “But a scientific consensus should never be ignored simply because a politician conveys it.”

Please allow me to make this clear: there is NOT a consensus among scientists about global warming. The main stream media simply fails to report adequately on those scientists and their studies / research that disagree with the environmentalists’ extreme global warming theory.

If you go to the web site for The Business & Media Institute (www.businessandmedia.org), there are articles in the archives citing studies that dispel the theory of global warming. They also explain how, in less than 100 years, we have had 4 different ”extreme impending climate” scenarios shoved at us by the media and politicians – two predicting another ice age and two predicting global warming – all predicting impending gloom and doom that never occurred.

Now, environmental scientists who are dependent on funding by the government are trying to incorporate the global warming theory and the new ice age theory into one – and renaming it “extreme climate change”. NOTE: If the theory proves false, they lose their government funding – and perhaps their jobs. That in itself gives cause to pause and rethink their findings.

Again, I ask that people do their own research and form their own opinions. You do not have to agree with me, but at least do not accept the “news” you read and hear as fact without questioning its validity.

Mary Paige Forrester
Greenville

Overall, a very interesting exchange. Thanks Paige!