[Vision2020] Bill McKibben: "The Climate Skeptics Can Crow" Re: 10:10 "no pressure" video

[Ted Moffett]

As the following source indicates, your statement that "this video is
intended for mass consumption by the public at large" should be qualified
with the fact that "The film was withdrawn from public circulation by 10:10
on the same day it was released, as a reaction to immediate intense negative
publicity..." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_Pressure_(film) .  Therefore
the availability of this film for the public at large at this point in time
is not the result of the 10:10 campaign promoting the film.

As far as being "brave enough" to watch it, I doubt there is any content
that would exceed the levels of violence, blood, gore or torture, etc. that
is common in the modern world of film making.  Along with many others, I'm
too jaded by the violence in modern media to be easily shocked by what I
view in a film.

Bill McKibben, well known author and environmentalist, involved in the
350.org project, wrote a response regarding this film, which I have pasted
in below.  Just as he wrote, "The climate skeptics can crow." a prediction
fulfilled by your emphasis on the objectionable content in this film, while
you do not comment on the serious and thoughtful science and economics I
previously presented that is included below your response lower down.

http://climateprogress.org/2010/10/01/bill-mckibben-days-that-suck/
 (A response to the "No Pressure" Video)October 1, 2010

*Bill McKibben — some-time guest blogger and the author most recently
of themust-read<http://climateprogress.org/2010/05/22/review-bill-mckibben-book-eaarth/>book
**Eaarth — has asked me to post this response to a noxious video that some
irresponsible folks in the UK put together.*

I just climbed off an airplane at Boston’s Logan Airport. The day began in
Monterrey, Mexico–and though I was tired, I was also feeling pretty good.
Our big day of action on October 10th has been building to a crescendo: we
yesterday broke our record from last year, registering more than 5500
actions for the big Global Work Party.

But I’d barely turned on my computer when that good feeling turned to a kind
of quiet nausea. There were emails from people all saying the same thing:
Have you seen this? This was a gross video making its way around Youtube,
purporting to show people being blown up for not believing in climate
change. It’s been “pulled” from Youtube by its creators, the British climate
group 10:10, but of course nothing is ever really “pulled” from Youtube. If
you want to watch it bad enough, I’m pretty sure you can find it. Or you can
look at the stories by climate deniers assailing it as the latest example of
eco-fascism.
The climate skeptics can crow.  It’s the kind of stupidity that hurts our
side, reinforcing in people’s minds a series of preconceived notions, not
the least of which is that we’re out-of-control and out of touch — not to
mention off the wall, and also with completely misplaced sense of humor.

We put out a statement at 350.org saying we had nothing to do with it–we
didn’t see it till it had made its way around the web, and as soon as we did
we let people know we thought it was disgusting.  We’ve known the creators
for years–they put out a statement apologizing for their lapse. But it’s the
kind of mistake that will hurt efforts. What makes it so depressing is that
it’s the precise opposite of what the people organizing around the world for
October 10 are all about. In the first place, they’re as responsible as it’s
possible to be:  They’ll spend the day putting up windmills and solar
panels, laying out bike paths and digging community gardens. And in the
second place, they’re doing it because they realize kids are already dying
from climate change, and that many many more are at risk as the century
winds on. Killing people is, literally, the last thing we want.

There’s no question that crap like this will cast a shadow, for a time, over
our efforts and everyone else who’s working on global warming. We’re hard at
work, as always, but we’re doing it today with a sunk and sad feeling.

– Bill McKibben

*JR:  The video is beyond tasteless and should be widely condemned.
Individual anti-science, pro-pollution disinformers, of course, routinely
promote hate speech but you rarely see anyone on their side denounces them.
I’m speaking of people like Anthony Watts, with his utterly offensive
comments on the Purported eco-terrorist who was shot and killed by
police<http://climateprogress.org/2010/09/01/eco-terrorist-shot-and-killed-by-police-wattsupwiththat/>.
And of course there’s the Swift Boat smearer (see “UK Guardian slams Morano
for cyber-bullying and for urging violence against climate
scientists<http://climateprogress.org/2010/07/15/uk-guardian-slams-morano-for-cyber-bullying-and-for-urging-violence-against-climate-scientists/>“).
And the worst of all is Lord Monckton (see Monckton repeats and expands on
his charge that those who embrace climate science are “Hitler youth” and
fascists<http://climateprogress.org/2009/12/12/tvmob-hate-speech-lord-monckton-hitler-youth-fascist-climate-activists/>
).*

*None of this excuses that disgusting video.  But the difference is that
those who are trying to preserve a livable climate and hence the health and
well-being of our children and billions of people this century quickly
denounce the few offensive over-reaches of those who claim to share our
goals — but those trying to destroy a livable climate, well, for them lies
and hate speech are the modus operandi, so such behavior is not only
tolerated, but encouraged.*

*Please keep the comments civil.  And no, I’m not linking to the video.  You
can find it only if you want.
--------------------------------------------*

*Vision2020 Post: Ted Moffett*
On 10/3/10, Paul Rumelhart <godshatter at yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>
> I got the gender of the director of "the Age of Stupid" wrong.  My
> apologies.
>
> If any one out there is brave enough to watch this video that is intended
> for mass consumption by the public at large, please do so and let me know
> what you think.  If you can spare some time from your researches on climate
> change, of course.
>
> Paul
>
> Ted Moffett wrote:
>
>> The director of "the Age of Stupid" is not a guy, given a meaning of this
>> word to be "a male."  When this film came out last year, I repeatedly posted
>> information to Vision2020 about it, specifically referring to the director,
>> Franny Armstrong, who also directed such noteworthy films as "McLibel" and
>> "Drowned Out."  Read about Ms. Armstrong and her film making efforts at
>> website below
>>  http://www.spannerfilms.net/people/franny_armstrong
>> ---------------------- Some people toss the word "guy" around in a gender
>> neutral way, as in "you guys" referring to a group of men and/or women.  But
>> when specifically referring to the director of a film, to call them a "guy"
>> I think in most people's minds indicates they are a male.
>>  I did not watch the video you posted a link to, given I have far more
>> professional and in depth sources to spend my limited time studying,
>> regarding what is required to address lowering CO2 emissions.  However, I
>> did a quick search on the 10:10 campaign and found a different video on
>> YouTube regarding "The Guardian's 10:10 climate change campaign," which I
>> did not watch either, but I suspect refers to the major United Kingdom
>> newspaper "The Guardian."
>>  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=314UCvMmgrU
>> ---------------
>>  For anyone serious about considering plans to lower CO2 emissions to
>> address anthropogenic climate warming, I recommend study of the following
>> plan from the Earth Policy Institute for lowering global emissions 80
>> percent by 2020, or read NASA climate scientist James Hansen's book, 'Storms
>> of My Grandchildren."  There are numerous professional and in depth sources
>> addressing this problem, but these two sources are certainly worth
>> consideration.
>>  The Earth Policy Institute has discussed "tax shifting" to encourage less
>> reliance on fossil fuels, and James Hansen has advocated a "fee and
>> dividend" plan.  Peculiarly, these alternative plans to "cap and trade" are
>> rarely discussed in mainstream media, as far as I have noted.  James Hansen
>> has specifically stated that "cap and trade" is a flawed approach.
>>  I have posted information on the Earth Policy Institute plan and James
>> Hansen's plans repeatedly, yet I do not recall anyone on this list ever
>> responding "onlist" specifically to these sources:
>>  Information on Earth Policy Institute's "80 by 2020" plan:
>>  http://www.earth-policy.org/datacenter/pdf/80by2020doc.pdf
>>  James Hansen on "fee and dividend" plan as discussed in a New York Times
>> article "Cap and Fade."  The article title makes it rather clear that Hansen
>> does not promote "cap and trade:"
>>  http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/07/opinion/07hansen.html
>> ------------------------------------------
>> Vision2020 Post: Ted Moffett
>>  On 9/30/10, *Paul Rumelhart* <godshatter at yahoo.com <mailto:
>> godshatter at yahoo.com>> wrote:
>>
>>    I just stumbled upon this (may contain disturbing images):
>>
>>    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3UHN3zHoYA0
>>
>>    It's a video about the "10:10 campaign" that encourages people to cut
>>    their carbon footprints by 10%, with a rather remarkable
>>    punishment for
>>    those who aren't willing to do so.
>>
>>    This isn't a small-time production, either.  It's directed by the guy
>>    who directed The Age of Stupid, it's written by the screenwriters that
>>    wrote "Four Weddings", it has a soundtrack provided by Radiohead,
>>    and it
>>    has a cameo by Gillian Anderson of X Files fame.
>>
>>    While I'm not blind to the humor involved, is this really the
>>    message we
>>    want to get across?  Play ball or die?  I mean, I'm willing to
>>    conserve
>>    energy and reduce gasoline usage without death threats.  I just don't
>>    think that "climate change" is necessarily the Armageddon it's
>>    made out
>>    to be, and this makes me wonder about the people pushing that
>>    particular
>>    agenda.
>>
>>    Anyway, take a look and let us know what you think.
>>
>>    Paul
>>
>>    P. S.  I'm *really* hoping that Ted didn't get issued one of those red
>>    buttons...
>>
>>
>
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