I am a conservative, words hardly uttered on the blogosphere or social media in general. Conservatives have it hard these days, we find our beliefs and values under fire, even under attack in today’s left-leaning society. I’m ok with it, I know that I’m neither a bigot, a Nazi, a Xenophobe or a racist and I really don’t have time or the desire to defend or explain myself. My blog has likely suffered, however, because I stay away from current events for lack of desire to be attacked as all of the labels listed above. Having said that, I am going to say something that may surprise many of my fellow conservatives and say that I don’t entirely believe that climate change is a myth.
Climate science is not an exact science. In fact, the term “alternate facts” comes to mind. About 2 years ago a debate erupted after Kelly Conway defended Donald Trump and used the term “Alternate facts” and a brouhaha ensued along the lines of factuality. “Alternate facts” was touted as a means of promoting falsehoods and I found it entirely disingenuous. Alternate facts actually refers to the existence of different sets of arguments or evidence. And that is where climate science breaks down for me. For every scientist that presents evidence that the earth is warming/cooling/changing there is another with a set of conclusions that says it is not. Especially when you read a story about a Arctic expedition heading to the North Sea to study diminishing ice and have to turn back due to too much ice. As a layperson I don’t know what or who is correct.
But, unlike my fellow conservatives I don’t deny that there is a problem. There certainly is.
Is the earth cooling or warming due to manmade activity? It’s possible. Is the earth going through a natural cyclical adjustment that may or may not involve eventual rising sea levels and massive weather events that may extinguish a large portion of the population? Also possible. It happened before and it was called an Ice Age. Another one is also possible. Whatever you believe, it is difficult to deny that animal methane emissions, fossil fuel consumption and rampant pollution are having a severe impact on our beautiful planet.
We only have one.
Enter Greta Thunberg. Never heard of her? You’re the only one. Greta Thunberg is a 16 year old, angry Swedish teen with Asbergers syndrome who has become the face of climate change through her fiery speeches lashing out in particular at boomers for destroying the planet for her generation. She has become so famous that Time magazine named her “Person of the year” (much to the dismay of Donald) and just today the prominent British Magazine Nature blessed her with her own issue for the awareness she has raised for environmentalism.
I have a lot of problems with Greta. None of which are her own fault. She is a tool of the left, likely backed by notorious leftist George Soros. It wouldn’t be the first time youth and the disenfranchised were exploited by the left, it wasn’t that long ago that caravans of “broke” people crashed our border after traveling thousands of miles in mere weeks and somehow had transportation, iphones and all of their meals and other expenses miraculously paid for. I also feel that she is being exploited by her parents who are undoubtedly making a small fortune off of their angry daughter. She is also woefully uninformed in environmental science as AOC is regarding basic economics and the accolades thrown the way of this angry little waif as a “expert” are misguided and borderline comical as she and the Bloomberg’s of the world lecture us about our “footprint” and tell us to use public transportation as they crisscross the world on private jets and jump their privileged asses into limousines.
But again, it doesn’t mean she is entirely wrong and as much as I dislike her and her angry rants she is energizing her generation and spreading awareness. Maybe boomers will reevaluate their rampant consumerism and millennials will use less plastic Starbuck’s cups full of complicated coffee drinks and be a little nicer to this planet. The miles wide patches of plastic floating in our oceans and killing our sea life will thank them.
There is a problem folks, even this conservative (one who is confused how conservatism somehow became synonymous with climate non-believer) knows it. So if it takes a angry little puppet’s scowling face posted everywhere to make us love our Mother then I will gladly watch it happen.
I can’t stand her, but she may be doing some good. Youth gets our attention. Youth is good. Youth is powerful. Embrace it.
The Tao of Bill 
Brave and honest post. I love Greta personally and I’m a conservative. Maybe I’m confused lol. But anyways enjoyed your post ✌
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Thanks for reading! I’m sure you’re not confused. As I said in my post I just believe she’s a puppet that’s being exploited by forces beyond her comprehension
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I guess I have the same opinion as those who have commented before me and disagree with what you write here but I really appreciate different opinions being able to meet here with mutual respect and the willingness to listen to each other.
I hope you had nice Christmas days. Hugs from Switzerland 🙂
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Great to see you stopping by Monika. You know, I don’t really know what so many disagree with in my post. I wasn’t very controversial and I espoused some commonly stated opinions but I’m glad that people were civil and polite I guess
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I dig her and AOC. I think the future is in great hands with the likes of them leading the charge. 😊
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I actually can’t stand either of them. AOC is a dangerous idiot. Greta was the topic of this blog because I wanted to be balanced and admit that despite all of what I dislike about her and her puppet handlers at least something may come from it
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Yeah, I don’t agree with any of that stuff, just wanted to assert my appreciation for those two stalwarts of humanity, and to let you know that I read and appreciate ya even when I entirely disagree. 😁
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I think part of my post was to acknowledge that despite ones leanings we can learn from each other. Kind of an homage to you and other bloggers who remind me to be a better person. I recognize that my conservative label creates certain preconceived conceptions about me that aren’t true and one is that I would be a climate denier.
I’m trying to grow here, Tom and your blogs help me do that
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Likewise, Bill! And I always assume that someone with a label means they are as nuanced as anyone else. I’m a liberal who mostly supports the death penalty and believes an honest person should be allowed to own guns. Go figure. 🤷♂️😇
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I’d rather keep chipping away at the problem
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Good post. A lot to take in and I could make many-a-comment from it but I’ll just focus on one or three and they are made in sincerity and non-judgement.
Paragraph one: You should feel free to voice your opinions in your own blog regardless of how in the minority you may feel…and I’m at a loss as to how/why you feel you are since about a solid half or more of the country is conservative but maybe conservative bloggers are a minority – I don’t know. And…as far as labels, that’s a two-way street; i.e. “Lib-tards”, “snowflakes”, “bleeding hearts” and more that I don’t even know.
Which brings me to paragraph nine: “angry little puppet’s scowling face”. These kind of colorful and emotional words/names make for “good reading”, for lack of a better description, and definitely make a point and draw applause or ire – usually at someone else’s expense for the mere act of expressing their opinion, feelings, beliefs, values, etc (I’m referring to anyone…not just Greta). I am not condemning or complaining about this – I just don’t understand it despite how very common it is. I have never been a name caller and I’m not imaginative enough to make analogies or similes and I understand someone’s point of view just as easily when it’s said plainly and directly without the emotional baggage. And having said that, I think that’s one reason we cannot have real conversations with those who we don’t agree with – because the animosity is already so apparent that who wants to engage with that?
I am the odd-ball who doesn’t know Greta…wait…gotta scroll back for the last name…Thunberg…except that she was on the cover of a magazine and Donald got pissed.
Otherwise, Greta can be Greta and it’s not going to ruin my day.
Keep on writing Bill – You always make good points; it doesn’t matter who does or doesn’t agree.
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Thanks for your very thoughtful and interesting response.
Let me jump right into it… You make a good point about my alliteration but it doesn’t discourage conversation. I explained why I think she is a puppet and to whom she is one. And she is angry, it’s a known fact if you’ve followed her story. But your points are well taken KC. If you read up on her a bit you will see what I mean.
It’s so good to have you back on my page again. I hope you are doing better than well
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I’m for anything or one who gets the youth of the world motivated. Too many are apathetic. To me, cleaning up the planet is our responsibility whether or not the climate is changing. The conservatives I grew up with wouldn’t dream of going camping and leaving behind a bunch of trash so I don’t understand the new conservatism.
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I agree and I don’t understand the current batch either
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