Thursday, March 5, 2009

Class Two - March 2: Similar Conflicts - Global Warming


There are parallels between the intellectual freedom issues raised in Inherit the Wind and the current battle over global warming. The Union of Concerned Scientists provides information and analysis here about "contrarians" - skeptic organizations who reject the widely accepted conclusions about global warming. In many cases, it's not Christian fundamentalists who are fighting scientists. It's corporate interests or extreme right-wing groups like Rev. Sung Myung Moon's Unification Church.

Media Matters for America took issue this week with the Washington Post and columnist George Will for his alleged misuse of data and distortion of statements by climate experts to suggest that human-caused global warming is not occurring. You can read more details here.

Now for a more lighthearted look at the issue, courtesy of The Big Picture:


The more observant of you will note that there is no California on this map . . .

This is a parody of the famous Saul Steinberg 1976 New Yorker cartoon called "A View of the World from 9th Avenue, 1976"

Can you think of any other issues that have emerged in which groups attempt to silence scientists?

6 comments:

Ian said...

"Can you think of any other issues that have emerged in which groups attempt to silence scientists?"

Yes, religious groups were not at all happy, when scientists first claimed the wold was no flat.

In Saudi Arabia, no mention of Darwin's Theory of Evolution is permitted.

Fantastic Forrest said...

What?! The Earth isn't flat? Are you sure? :-)

Interesting about Saudi Arabia. I'll bet it's not the only place Darwin is taboo.

Seeker said...

OMG that first picture is incredibel!!!

What a cool blog you've here!!!!!

Thank you so much for being at my blog and left such nice note.

Keep in touch if you feel like.

xoxo

Seeker said...

OMG that first picture is incredibel!!!

What a cool blog you've here!!!!!

Thank you so much for being at my blog and left such nice note.

Keep in touch if you feel like.

xoxo

Tarun Kumar said...

nice article. I have also a blog on climate change.

Fantastic Forrest said...

Seeker - thanks.

Bhuvan Chand - I like your blog. Thanks for making me aware of it! Can you think of any good popular culture films that deal with the issue of global warming? No fair saying An Inconvenient Truth or some documentary. :-)