Photo Credit: CommonDreams
In a move many are hailing as a “turning point” in the climate fight, 20 state Attorneys General on Tuesday launched an unprecedented, multi-state effort to investigate and prosecute the “high-funded and morally vacant forces” that have stymied attempts to combat global warming—starting with holding ExxonMobil and other industry giants accountable for fraud and suppression of key climate science.
Source: Turning Point in Climate Fight as AGs Unite to Target Exxon Crimes
Some points come to mind here. One, that’s still a relatively small number of AG’s involved in this “law suit” against EM. Is this really more than a publicity stunt, a jump on a popular bandwagon?
Two, in such cases, this has to eventually go to the Supreme Court and its really a federal issue, so without Washington behind the effort, and W is not going to do so because it’s bought and paid for by Big Oil, then this effort is basically a joke. Such cases don’t get fast tracked – they get mired down in legalese that nets billions for the lawyers involved and by the time this issue gets settled, or thrown out of court it will have become irrelevant.
Plus, it’s still debatable whether “climate change” is anthropogenic or a natural event resulting from earth’s wobbly orbit in relation to the sun; consequences from those massive solar flares of a few years ago; or a coincidental combination.
I’m not saying that man should not clean up his act, but it should not need the threat of a catastrophe to arrive at that conclusion. Man “should” quite naturally desire a clean environment, period. Perhaps man’s conditioning to “truth or consequences” goes back the religious programming: Be good or you’ll go to hell. Crass, but it continues to be an effective “management tool” for those who want to bring change. Any change sought from threats of dire consequences gets short shrift in history: it’s simply not the way to go.
Finally, I have never trusted Al Gore, and his “knight in shining armour” act warning of climate change smells. He made a pretty good financial haul with his “campaign”. Such success always rings dissonant bells in my belfry.
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Sha’Tara, every step forward is a step closer to our goal to end our dependence on fossil fuels. If we don’t stop destroying human habitats and other species that sustain life on our planet, we risk creating our own hell on Earth. For millions, life on Earth is already a hell.
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Yes, of course I realize that! I am well aware of the need many feel for “the powers that be, wherever they be, whomever they be” to throw their weight in favour of people, and the planet’s needs. Change agents need power, and always favour expediency to reach their specific goals. But as history demonstrates so vividly, it’s a murky path to change. There is a better one.
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This is good news. Perhaps not complete good news as Sha’Tara notes, but it takes the dialogue of responsibility to a whole new level.
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I share your optimism, JoAnn. We have to keep moving forward, one Attorney General at a time.
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Reblogged this on Guyanese Online.
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Thanks for sharing, Cyril 🙂
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Good news, even if it doesn’t encourage any faith in the greediest of our fellow men.
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Agree with you, Dr. Stein.
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