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Well, imagine my pleasure at opening my Saturday morning Grist readings a few weeks ago to find the following proclamation: “Frankenstorm: God’s Latest Warning.”

Perhaps this weather scare that may well be much more than just a scare is God’s revenge for the refusal of the U.S. government to take action on the climate crisis. Or maybe this is His way of inserting the climate issue into a Presidential election campaign that, astoundingly, has refused to discuss it.

 But of course that was not enough. At least that was a self-proclaimed “climate activist” just being an activist. Or was he? Toward the end of his piece he begins to claim the mantle of “science” to support the case:

“And let’s be clear: this “Frankenstorm” isn’t a fluke.”

 But of course there are actual scientists who have taken the lead on this. You may remember the tornadoes in the Midwest last year:

 “Storms Kill Over 250 Americans In States Represented By Climate Pollution Deniers”

 Well, today we have scientists issuing press releases including:

“But what their role as national leaders demands that they also do is explain that Hurricane Sandy is a true Frankenstorm, a monster created by man tampering with nature with oil, coal, and gas pollution.”

It would be nice if we could of course examine the scientific veracity of any of this, or whether there is reason to be terrified. But we are way beyond that. To illustrate just how far beyond that we are, what if someone decided to write a piece like this:

The Amherst College Rape Controversy is G-d’s Revenge for the Refusal of the US Government to Take Action on Family Values Issues. After all the Amherst Rape took place in a state represented by “Family Values Deniers.”

Contort yourself into a million pretzels if you like. But the fact remains that the two arguments are identical. Identical.

3 Responses to “Weekend Ponderance: Climate Denialism and Family Values Denialism”

  1. Speedmaster says:

    Indeed, well-stated.

  2. Andrew says:

    Of course, it’s easy to make your point when you pick out the most hyperbolic voices and have them stand as straw men in place of a certain viewpoint.

    I am not a scientist, and I am legitimately curious as to whether or not climate change has anything to do with these strange weather patterns. Climate change is a still discussion that needs to be had, and that won’t change just because a few crazy people said that this was God’s way of telling us to vote for Obama.

    • Harry says:

      Note the argument has shifted from global warming to climate change, so whatever occurs post hoc is caused by propter hoc.

      Of course the climate is changing, I guess.

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