Scientist silenced by politician for his position on global warming
posted at 1:13 pm on October 1, 2007 by Bryan
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The politician’s name is not George W. Bush. The scientist’s name is not James Hansen.
The University of Virginia’s climatology data center is seeking a lower profile after its former top official, the state climatologist, resigned this past summer amid questions over whether he should use the position to promote his doubts about theories on global warming…
The former state climatologist, Patrick J. Michaels, has been on sabbatical from the university for the past year, said Joseph C. Zieman, chairman of the school’s Department of Environmental Sciences, which houses the center. Zieman said Michaels resigned the post this summer and was replaced by U-Va. research scientist Jerry Stenger, who has been running the center without the formal state title. Stenger has worked at the center for more than 20 years…
Michaels has argued that the climate is becoming warmer but that the consequences will not be as dire as others have predicted. [Va's Democratic Gov. Tim] Kaine had warned Michaels not to use his official title in discussing his views.
“I resigned as Virginia state climatologist because I was told that I could not speak in public on my area of expertise, global warming, as state climatologist,” Michaels said in a statement this week provided by the libertarian Cato Institute, where he has been a fellow since 1992. “It was impossible to maintain academic freedom with this speech restriction.”
Fight the political orthodoxy and objective science is the casualty.
Whether the global warming hysteria is legitimate or not is becoming more and more beside the point: Public and private education are already on board with it, producing kids who goad their parents into going green.
In households across the country, kids are going after their parents for environmental offenses, from using plastic cups to serving non-grass-fed beef at the dinner table. Many of these kids are getting more explicit messages about becoming eco-warriors at school and from popular books and movies.
This year’s global-warming documentary “Arctic Tale,” for instance, closes with a child actor telling kids, “If your mom and dad buy a hybrid car, you’ll make it easier for polar bears to get around.”
I guess the documentary left out the part about hybrids having about the same or more impact on the environment as standard cars.
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NO DISSENT! NO DIFFERENCE OF OPINIONS!!!!
THAT IS THE LIBERAL WAY!
Defector01 on October 1, 2007 at 1:15 PM
man, I am not surprised Kaine did that. This is what happens when conservatives decide to “send a message” by not voting.
Wyrd on October 1, 2007 at 1:16 PM
Private school. My kid is going to private school.
Slublog on October 1, 2007 at 1:17 PM
What he said…….
doriangrey on October 1, 2007 at 1:18 PM
Private schools are by no means immune to lefty dogma.
Bryan on October 1, 2007 at 1:20 PM
Kaine fooled some folks by playing the “Christian card”. He’s nothing more than another taxing, money hungry democrat who will dp anything to further the cause of democrats … power and corruption at any expense.
He appears to be a muslim sympathizer as well, at least for money and political purposes.
darwin on October 1, 2007 at 1:21 PM
And I’m telling my kids, “If we buy a big enough SUV, we can fit a couple polar bears inside it and make it really easy for them to get around!”
saint kansas on October 1, 2007 at 1:21 PM
No, this is what happens when retards stay home to send a message.
doriangrey on October 1, 2007 at 1:23 PM
All too true, unfortunately. I think the local Christian school is in order…
Slublog on October 1, 2007 at 1:23 PM
Yeah, but if I ride in limos and private jets I can be just like RFK jr or the Goracle.
trubble on October 1, 2007 at 1:29 PM
Don’t worry, Hot Air parents. I’m single with no children. I’ll pick up the slack by driving a big rig, eating out of those massive styrofoam containers, flying in a private jet, not reusing anything, using an entire roll of toilet paper with every visit to the little girls room, burning leaves with gasoline (like my Daddy used to), and not recycling ANYTHING. Then your kids can be competely humorless environmentalists and I can continue to be a pain in the behind.
mjk on October 1, 2007 at 1:33 PM
eh, depending on the area, you’re ALWAYS gonna get little kids tellin their parents this and that about save the planet and recycling and all that jazz. i mean i was able to go to grade school in scarsdale NY, and those kids? forget it. all on their own they’d go on and on about pollution and saving the earth, and this was before the global warming nonsense…all the encouragment they needed was earth day and those damn reuse renew recycle commercials.
at the end of the day though, after you take into account economic impact…isnt less pollution good?
ernesto on October 1, 2007 at 1:33 PM
That is pretty sad when your absence makes a bigger impact than your presence.
James on October 1, 2007 at 1:33 PM
I wonder what will happen to the guy who found flaws in the theory of CFCs being responsible for the ozone hole.
Now we have crappy refrigerants that cost more so the elites can dictate our behavior.
Valiant on October 1, 2007 at 1:34 PM
One voice, one people, one opinion. That is the Democratic way. And they call the right Nazis? Send a note back to that school teacher that unless they want to see you after school, (that being a very angry parent) the teacher should teach reading, writing and aritmatic, leaving other issues up to the parent.
Zelsdorf Ragshaft on October 1, 2007 at 1:34 PM
What if I don’t LIKE polar bears?
Attila (Pillage Idiot) on October 1, 2007 at 1:39 PM
This has been going on for a very long time. About 20 years ago, I was driving through the desert with my (then) 7-year-old daughter who informed me that her teacher said we were running out of room on the planet. I asked her to look out the window and tell me what she saw. “Nothing” was her response. The real trick here is for parents to get actively involved and teach thier kids to think for themselves and not just parrot whatever they are told. My daughter is now a self-reliant conservative with two young sons of her own.
jdawg on October 1, 2007 at 1:40 PM
Why are they even serving beef at all? Don’t they know that meat is murder on the environment?
Mike Honcho on October 1, 2007 at 1:42 PM
Don’t worry, Hot Air parents. I’m single with no children.
This one is for you with much love and a request to ride around in the limo with you….:)
doriangrey on October 1, 2007 at 1:43 PM
“If your mom and dad buy a Teddy Kennedy car, you can take a polar bear swimming”
Wade on October 1, 2007 at 1:43 PM
Knut hater!!!
lan astaslem on October 1, 2007 at 1:45 PM
And if Michaels stayed and was fired for voicing his opinion, that would have been bad?
He wimped out.
right2bright on October 1, 2007 at 1:49 PM
While driving with my 10 year old niece from northern Virgina near (Washington, DC), she informed me that the republicans were poisoning the water. She learned that in school. I asked her why they would poison the water when they have to drink the water also. She had not thought of that and I am sure neither did her socialist teacher.
Wade on October 1, 2007 at 1:52 PM
Yeah, it’s rough out there for all those hitchiking polar bears on Ice Road Truckers.
infidel4life on October 1, 2007 at 1:53 PM
Wade on October 1, 2007 at 1:54 PM
You can shut down a lot of the nagging by assigning “homework assignments” on whatever subject they raise. For example, they want you to buy a Prius, you say, “write me a five page paper explaining at what gas price a Prius makes sense”. They hate plastic bags? “Write me a five page paper comparing the environmental footprint of plastic vs paper”. If they don’t shut up, at least they will be well informed nagging environmentalists…
And if all else fails, play the trump card: “My house, my rules. I’m paying, so I decide what car we buy. Now go to your room!”
“Oh, so sorry, your XBox, TV, and cell phone are bad for the environmnet, I must take them away from you or the polar bears will die…”
Lehuster on October 1, 2007 at 1:54 PM
Haha. And if they complain about the meat…make the next week of meals all tofu, all the time.
Slublog on October 1, 2007 at 1:59 PM
Funny thing is, a few years ago I watched “Equilibrium” where – SPOILER! – kids are going after their parents for offenses such as expressing emotions.
Science fiction is not what it used to be.
Niko on October 1, 2007 at 2:01 PM
All ideological movements seek to convert the young. The global warming movement isn’t science. It uses just enough science to promote an ideology. I think it’s dangerous. “Eco-warriors”…?
CP on October 1, 2007 at 2:02 PM
It’s funny (strange) that schools are strong-arming parents by using their kids as environmental bullies, yet schools/teachers are not teaching the basic educational needs.
For those of you who’s property tax dollars are being used to pay these gorebots salary’s, a question for you: How much more are you willing to pay for your kids lack of education? With such passion for the environment, where is the passion for math, reading and writing?
What if your kid wants to help balancing your checkbook or help with comparative food pricing at the grocery store. Preparing for life on their own seems to take a back seat to hysteria and hyper-hype environmentalism fascism.
Liberalism will help them survive on their own when they leave the nest.
Think about it.
Kini on October 1, 2007 at 2:07 PM
I completely agree. I still have to put my kids through “re-education camp” when they come home from school in the afternoons – especially when it comes to science and revisionist history. But hey! It’s better than public schools…at least my little ones aren’t learning sex ed in second grade…
pullingmyhairout on October 1, 2007 at 2:08 PM
You mean the same Kaine who tried to put a Muslim on some sort of state board with out first finding out if the guy might have some rather non peaceful meanings for the word jihad.
Heckuva guv you guys got, but heck with Webb in the Senate, VA is getting exactly what they voted for.
LakeRuins on October 1, 2007 at 2:10 PM
Wait! I didn’t vote for the guy. The rest were fooled by his constant reference to his “faith”. It was revealed after the election that he belongs to the religion of “panderism”.
darwin on October 1, 2007 at 2:19 PM
I don’t see the problem. There is no ‘Freedom of Speech” infringement here.
He was expressing his personal views using his title as a State Climatoligist. By doing so he was implying that his personal views were supported by the State of Virginia.
He was not told to stop speaking publicly, but to stop using his State Title when speaking publicly about his personal views.
This is standard policy in all levels of government in the U.S. By the way, it is also standard policy in private businesses. They will not let you use your Company Title when publicly expressing your personal views.
I do not see where he was told to stop expressing his personal views or to stop speaking publicly.
He was not fired for speaking his personal views publicly. He quit because he could not use his State Title when expressing his personal views to gived them unauthorized legitamacy.
Helloyawl on October 1, 2007 at 2:27 PM
Kids! You can’t beat ‘em!
ronsfi on October 1, 2007 at 2:32 PM
Put the crack pipe down and back slowly away from it.
This wasn’t a matter of his personal opinion, it was a matter of his EXPERT opinion. His EXPERT opinion didn’t fit the political agenda of Gov. Kaine so Gov. Kaine silenced him.
doriangrey on October 1, 2007 at 2:32 PM
Don’t forget the falling tiles, and more accidents, at NASA…but hey! Who needs satellites anyway?
Miss_Anthrope on October 1, 2007 at 2:32 PM
Question: Would he have been fired if his stated views were the opposite?
Don’t answer theoretically…we’re talking realistically what would’ve happened.
Miss_Anthrope on October 1, 2007 at 2:34 PM
Wade on October 1, 2007 at 1:52 PM
I would be having a very serious heart-to-heart with teacher AND principal. That is just outrageous.
jdawg on October 1, 2007 at 2:41 PM
The amazing thing about man created “Global Warming” is that it has been sold so well as reality. Most of its most ardent supporters don’t have the background to discuss it.
It is obvious that we are in a warming cycle. It is also obvious that solar activity is higher than normal. It would seem that the correlation between the two should be considered. Also, the current “conventional wisdom” seems to believe that this is a “greenhouse gas” caused problem. Since CO2 makes up a minuscule portion of total greenhouse gases that also seems a bit suspect.
duff65 on October 1, 2007 at 2:45 PM
Nuke the polar bears!
God, Tim Kaine is an embarrassment to the Commonwealth.
hillbillyjim on October 1, 2007 at 2:45 PM
HEH HEH. I would add, “so is YOUR computer, YOUR access to the Internet, anything YOU own that is plastic, or has ANY moving parts whatsoever, or ANYTHING that YOU own that uses ANY form of electricity. And if you want hot water, go out, pump some in a bucket, carry it back, and warm it over a fire…”
We could go on, but the point’s made.
jdawg on October 1, 2007 at 2:49 PM
I’m sorry to say that even the Christian schools are producing blinkered leftist reactionaries.
It’s really a serious problem.
There was an intercession at Sunday Mass this weekend for “politicians to use their powers and wisdom to protect the environment” right after a call for “politicians” to bring “peace” to the world rather than “war”.
Leftys leftys everywhere.
Kensington on October 1, 2007 at 3:07 PM
The problem might be better solved by shipping the polar bears some penguins. Waak waak waak!
Kini on October 1, 2007 at 3:19 PM
First, how dare you accuse me of smoking crack. Who do you think you are accusing someone you don’t know of doing this.
Second, the State Title has nothing to do with his expertise. Many people in government have impressive titles and no expertise whatsoever. His expertise comes from his education and experience, not his State Title.
Again, I point out that he was not told to stop expressing his personal views. He was told to stop using his State Title when expressing his personal views. By using his Official State Title he is saying that his personal views are supported by the State of Va., and this was not the case.
He used his State Title while expressing his personal view in an attempt to avoid criticism. Criticism of his personal views could have damaged his reputation, but using his State Title insulated him. Any criticism would be placed on the State in that he was only expressing State policy.
Helloyawl on October 1, 2007 at 3:37 PM
Polar bear walks into a bar and sits down. Bartender says “what can I get you?” Bear says “I’ll have a beer…………………and some of those peanuts.”
Bartender says “hey, why the big pause?”
Did you guys really want to talk about polar bears, or were you just making chit-chat?
Jaibones on October 1, 2007 at 3:37 PM
Helloyawl, if you’re offended by doriangrey’s response to your post, then answer mine from 2:34PM. It’s basically the same reply, but without the sarcasm (e.g., meant to be humorous).
Miss_Anthrope on October 1, 2007 at 4:16 PM
Hey, did you hear they’re protesting the Gore-acle’s house? They’re going to insist he decrease his carbon footprint & buy a Prius! LOL!
Miss_Anthrope on October 1, 2007 at 4:18 PM
To quote Forest Gump……..Stupid is as stupid does. Do a little homework then STFD and STFU. He was the head of the climatology department a PROFESSIONAL climatologist. He was expressing his professional opinion as a professional climatologist. The State is not a climatologist and should have no opinion that is not that of professional climatologists.
doriangrey on October 1, 2007 at 4:22 PM
He was the STATE CLIMATOLOGIST!!!!
He was not stating personal opinion, he was talking about his area of expertise in conjunction with his OFFICE.
You know… climatology? You do know that Global Warming is a CLIMATE issue?
So his political Masters did not agree with his SCIENTIFIC conslusion, in his area of expertise, and he was then told NOT to speak out as his office? When his OFFICE is supposed to be about the SCIENCE of CLIMATOLOGY?
Romeo13 on October 1, 2007 at 4:30 PM
I’m all about saving the whales. What does this climate change have to do with that? Hmmm?
Recycling. That’s the ticket. Do carbon footprints mean that I don’t have to recycle anymore? I’m all about recycling.
I’m against supertankers and oil spills. Does that mean with global warming that Supertankers won’t have to worry about icebergs and fouling up the water? I’m all about saving the environment.
Wait. If saving the environment means that we need to do things differently, I can’t be for saving whales or recycling or anti-oil. I have to be all about — what exactly?
It’s the new religion. The more empirical evidence we get about it, the more light is being shed that even at the most alarming, the earth will be cooler than it has been at the times when Greenland was settled by the Vikings. They called it Greenland because it wasn’t like Iceland. It was GREEN.
And carbon dioxide is food for PLANTS, which give oxygen, which clean up the environment. None of the “models” of global warming take into account the natural element of water, the largest of the “greenhouse” gasses. If the ocean is warmer, more water vapor which makes more clouds, which causes rain to fall which cools the temperature.
Phooey. Let’s just wait five or ten years when it will be all about saving the penguins’ Antarctic habibat because there’s no way for them to get to the water. There’s too much ice.
Global warming=Northern latitudes warming. Something screwy somewhere in the commonsense approach to science. But I don’t need proof. Let’s just vote on it and agree.
Tennman on October 1, 2007 at 4:50 PM
Being a product of a Catholic K-8 school, I can assure you private schooling is not less indoctrinating than public school. Every single environmental hysteria was taught to us. We had to read and write reports on Silent Spring, were taught that Global Warming was fact, not theory, and that Bovine Growth Hormone was going to turn all kids into mutants.
The thing I never forget is my absolute moonbat 6th grade teacher. I was showing off a quartz crystal my mother had given me years before, that I had always carried with me. She took it away, calling it “witchcraft”, citing that we were in a Catholic school. This was the Indian-obsessed teacher who had us make dreamcatchers and discuss the Great Spirit.
Only thing private school taught me was that hypocrisy, double standards, and lies are the nucleus of academia. And I’d learned it before I was in high school.
MadisonConservative on October 1, 2007 at 4:58 PM
I guess they also forgot to note that since 50 years ago when the Polar Bear alarmists spoke up, the polar bear population has increased 5 fold.. all the while they’ve told us that we’re killing them off. Luckily for the global warming crowd, most Americans are morons and believe the lies.
And for everyone not aware, this isn’t a new phenomenon.
Did you hear about Oregon’s state climatologist:
http://www.kgw.com/news-local/stories/kgw_020607_news_taylor_title.59f5d04a.html
Oregon’s governor, NOT A SCIENTIST, wants to remove the title from a scientist, because the scientist isn’t on board with the liberal global warming propaganda.
Oh, and could that article be any less objective? It begins:
Ugh, I’m too annoyed to unload on that….
Still think these are isolated incidents? How about Delaware:
http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?Date=20070201&Category=NEWS&ArtNo=702010363&Template=printart
RightWinged on October 1, 2007 at 5:44 PM
Polar bears are carnivores…and nasty ones at that!! I say we drown as many as possible in order to make the newly-available arctic lands safe for family farms!!!
If you liberals like them, keep them in your own yards and out of mine!!
landlines on October 1, 2007 at 6:33 PM
LOL!
inviolet on October 1, 2007 at 6:38 PM
Exactly……..There can only be one alpha predator in any ecosystem, I prefer that to be ME, not some hungry polar bear.
doriangrey on October 1, 2007 at 6:44 PM
Why wouldn’t polar bears simply move farther north?
drjohn on October 1, 2007 at 6:50 PM
You’ll eat them anyway, young man! There are kids in China who would kill for a polar bear. You’ll sit right there until your plate is clean.
lizardbrain on October 1, 2007 at 8:51 PM
You know you are NEVER suppose to ask questions like that… shame on you ! Just stop all of your second guessing of the all knowing Goracle and get your check in the mail to him. And just be happy that he is willing to sell you some carbon offsets so you don’t have the suffering of all those poor polar bears on your conscience. Geezz …
But seriously…. of course they would just move north, that is if they were having any problems in the first place, which of course they are not.
Maxx on October 1, 2007 at 9:29 PM
All this hysteria about global warming is so that the elites can establish a one-world government, because that is the ONLY way that they can control the “greenhouse gases”. It can’t be done on a nation by nation basis, but must be global in scope thus the name “global warming”. As someone above stated, only the Northern Hemisphere is warming and Antartica is cooling. They will soon be saying and are already talking about giving power to the UN to regulate and tax carbon emissions.
I’m sorry, but I’m a Christian who believes that God is still in control of the earth’s environment and that HE is intelligent enough to have put some mechanism in place to regulate the earth’s climate within a range that would be tolerable to human beings. I recycle because I want to do so and because my mother always told me “waste not, want not” and that is how I live my life. I have a 16 year old car that has more than 250K miles on it and it stills run pretty well, so I don’t see any reason to spent 30-40K to buy a new one. I make the equivalent to one or two monthly payments a year on maintenance and don’t spend the rest on frivolities. I save and reuse things because it makes economic sense to me and I don’t ask anyone else to do what I do. They can decide for themselves what they want to do and that is why I am conservative. It’s my lifestyle in all things.
TruthToBeTold on October 1, 2007 at 9:42 PM
Did you hear about Oregon’s state climatologist:
So the governor wants to take that title from Taylor and make it a position that he would appoint.
Oregon’s governor, NOT A SCIENTIST, wants to remove the title from a scientist, because the scientist isn’t on board with the liberal global warming propaganda.
RightWinged on October 1, 2007 at 5:44 PM
A local radio host, Lars Larson, calls the governor, Ted Kulongoski, Sleepy Ted, among other things.
MB4 on October 1, 2007 at 10:16 PM
I remember being in grade school and giving my Mom a “Fire Safety” ticket just like they told me in school.
That was settled right quick. She reminded me who was in charge and why — because the Mama is smarter and knows what she is doing.
Much like the people need to remind the “elites” *ptui*.
Claire on October 1, 2007 at 10:22 PM
FWIW, I am the science department chair at the high school where I teach and as a result receive lots of junk mail (much more than I receive at home!) trying to sell products to the science department. Last year I received information on how to obtain free copies of Al Gore’s piece of crap documentary on global warming as long as I guaranteed that they would be shown in the classroom. Needless to say I refused this “free” offer. Instead, when The Great Global Warming Swindle became available on DVD, I used my own money and purchased two copies for my department to use. I recently showed this documentary to my AP Bio class and it was great to see the students become aware that man-made global warming is a farce scientifically and is much more political driven than science driven.
dawgyear on October 1, 2007 at 11:07 PM
I work from home. It took me 8 months to drive 3000 miles between my last 2 oil changes and my 7 year old still complains about the pollution I just created when I drive her to school.
Wingo on October 2, 2007 at 11:22 AM
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