I wish it weren’t true. I wish people didn’t appear to be getting stupider, less scientifically literate, and less knowledgeable of history (see Santayana‘s thoughts in the upper right-hand corner of the blog . . .). My e-mail box is filling today with notes from people claiming environmentalists want to rid the Earth of humans, urging that we should oppose them and let poisoning of our air and water continue . . . oblivious to the irony of the claim coupled with their supposed opposition to the idea. Here’s the truth, in large part, an encore post from several months ago (I apologize in advance for the necessary profanity):
The fictional but very popular memes that environmentalists hate humans, humanity and capitalism wouldn’t bother me so much if they didn’t blind their believers to larger truths and sensible policies on environmental protection.
One may argue the history of the environmental movement, how most of the originators were great capitalists and humanitarians — think Andrew Carnegie, Laurance Rockefeller, Theodore Roosevelt, Gifford Pinchot, and all the early medical doctors who warned of the dangers of pollution-caused diseases — but it falls on deaf ears on the other sides.
Here’s the 30-second response, from Humon, in cartoon form (or here, at Humon Comics):
Facts of life and environmental protection – from Humon at Deviant Art
Tip of the old scrub brush to P. Z. Myers, and Mia, whoever she is. Myers noted, “Environmentalism is actually an act of self defense.”
More:
- Environmentalists Press Obama In Heated Oil Pipeline Debate (eurasiareview.com)
- Environmentalists and unions band together to fight CEQA changes (latimesblogs.latimes.com)
- Enviros Urged to Reckon with California Voter Demographics (newamericamedia.org)
- Developer, environmentalists reach deal on whales (boston.com)
- Getting on the bus toward a sustainable future (newsobserver.com)
Wall of Shame; sites that don’t get it, or intentionally tell the error:
- Environmentalism and Human Sacrifice (nationalreview.com)
- Scratch an Environmentalist, Find a Malthusian (minx.cc)
- MESSAGE TO ENVIRONMENTALISTS: STOP POISONING PEOPLE! Grocery Bag Bans And Foodborne Illness: “Rec… (pjmedia.com)
1908 Rense editorial cartoon of President Theodore Roosevelt as “A Practical Forester.” Source: St. Paul Minnesota “Pioneer Press”. Via GPO’s Government Book Talk blog.
Posted by Ed Darrell 
