Full feedWill the real ClimateGate please stand up? (part 1)
You’ve probably come here to read a blog post written by our colleague Gene, in which he addresses climate sceptics by saying: “Let's talk about what that mass civil disobedience is going to look like.
"If you're one of those who have spent their lives undermining progressive climate legislation, bankrolling junk science, fueling spurious debates around false solutions, and cattle-prodding democratically-elected governments into submission, then hear this:
We know who you are. We know where you live. We know where you work. And we be many, but you be few.”
Well, we’ve taken down that post from our website. It’s very easy to misconstrue that line, take it out of context and suggest it means something wholly different from the practice of peaceful civil disobedience, which is what the post was about. Anyone who knows Gene knows he’s an entirely peaceful guy. In the interest of transparency we have moved it off site to this location, where you can read the offending quotes in context and judge for yourself:
We got this one wrong, no doubt about it. I’m holding up my hands on behalf of the organisation and saying sorry for that. Peaceful action is at the very core of what we do, so any language that even comes close to suggesting that’s not the case is something we cannot support.
Gene in his blog asks: “What do you do when patient petitioning, protest marches and court orders fail? What do you do when all the protocols and cheat codes of democracy fail? This is what you do: you reclaim the language of democracy from the twisted bunch that have hijacked, cannibalized and subverted it.”
We need to reclaim the language of democracy and tolerance. A language that is clear and precise. A language that does not confuse integrity of protest and civil disobedience with anger. One which establishes the fundamental tenets of protecting the planet for all life forms.
The climate change debate is often characterised by more heat than light, and for that reason we all need to be careful about how we express ourselves.
Of course the anti-science brigade on the web has seized on the line in Gene's post and run with it (and will run and run and run), taken it out of context and run with it some more – it’s what the climate contrarians exist to do.
We do not look over our colleagues’ shoulders when they blog. That’s not what the web is about – and that means we’ll make mistakes. No doubt this won’t be the last one, but next time we’ll deal with it a little quicker.
Thank you for coming to the Greenpeace website, and while you’re here please take the chance to have a look round at some of the work we do.
And if you have any questions about what I’ve written here, feel free to drop me a line at: ananth[at]greenpeace.org, International Programme Director, Greenpeace International
Comments
Thanks Gene.
Iam glad to hear the names and groups of the shadow and mirror spinners.
Posted by: Steve Wiggs | March 31, 2010 12:44 PM
What about ExxonMobil giving $100 million to Stanford University where Stephen Schenider and Paul Ehrlich will have their share to keep promoting the global warming hoax?
AWG hysteria has increased Big Oil earnings and profits! They love it!
Posted by: Edward | April 4, 2010 2:01 AM
Greenpeace should disband. You have become a lobbiest group supporting cap and trade, carbon taxes and other ways to increase the cost of energy. All for the disproved hypothesis of carbon dioxide induced warming. If you do not want electricity then please get off the grid. But no more lobbying and no more picketing electricity producing plants. No more money will be donated to this pretend environmental group.
Dear Eve,
We don't lobby for anyone to get of the grid altogether - we offer clean energy solutions that can benefit everyone while not making life more difficult - except maybe for those who bebefit from selling us air-polluting, climate-change inducing technology.
Juliette
Posted by: Eve | April 4, 2010 4:55 PM
Since everything Greenpeace has been saying for decades has been proven false, they've been forced to exit the arena of rational discourse. Thus we have this last desperate cry to preserve the "Climate Change" industry.
While Gene and Co. have been busy creating and pimping myths about the sea levels, glaciers, rain forests, etc., the rest of the world has been taking note. They now know that you've been lying, and the only question is "why"? They'll figure that out pretty soon.
Posted by: lincolntf | April 4, 2010 7:14 PM
What a farce. Your AGW movement died because your "scientists" were caught red-handed manipulating data.
And now you're reduced to issuing veiled threats.
Typical little watermelons.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Actually, no one but the climate deniers have been "manipulating data".
That's one of the main points Gene is making.
Read more: "No scandal behind these gates
-- Andrew (Greenpeace web producer)
Posted by: Fen | April 5, 2010 1:17 PM
Big Oil ??? Grow Up you Uranium Industry "Useful Idiot", Maurice Strong, Billionaire and OIl Man started this, the Oil Men Rockerfellers Promote this AGW lie - Cap and Trade was first promoted by Ken Lay of Enron !
Every Banking and Investment house is pushing AGW, Goldman Sachs is in partnership with Al Gore all because AGW acolytes claim that 30% of CO2 is man made (thats bull) even if it is , that is only Thirteen parts for every ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND other parts of atmosphere. What properties that defy the laws of physics does this trace gas and the plant nutrient, CO2 possess ????
Posted by: peter laux | April 5, 2010 2:12 PM
Do I detect a growing panic in the ranks of warmist scientists as they sense that the gravy train they have fed off for years is grinding to a halt with red faces all round?
Posted by: Geomacl | April 5, 2010 6:29 PM
You environmental nutjobs only care about your agenda not the people or this planet.
Global warming has been proved false, get over it.
All you want is cap and trade so the government can have more control over our lives while taking away more of our freedoms.
You need to get your heads examined.
Posted by: Patriots Unite | April 5, 2010 6:37 PM
Peter Laux demonstrates the typical ignorance of climate science that underlies the virulent opposition among deniers. No amount of scientific evidence or reasoning can tear town the mighty ideological position they have staked.
"acolytes claim that 30% of CO2 is man made"
Actually it's almost 40%, and it's scientists who have made that solid conclusion based on isotopic evidence. (Do most deniers even know what an isotope is?)
And yes, Peter, things in small concentrations can have a very larger impact. Would you accept 130 ppm of Ebola virus in your bloodstream?
Check out this video for a visual explanation.
Posted by: substanti8 | April 5, 2010 6:38 PM
Before you guys say I work for oil company please hear me out!
I do not drive a car, becouse of my effection toward enviorment.
I do not use make up or any kind of sprays!
I do not eat geneticaly modified food.
I do clean enviorment regulary (no organized action needed), tresh are everywhere. I do clear even under water.
I talk with people and try to convince them nature is ok...
But still I DO NOT NEED to fall for another trick of corporations and big money. And this another trick is CO2 cap and trade!!!
Wake up Greenpeace people, why did your founder leave and denounce you? Becouse you have been hijacked by BIG MONEY!
Think about it, do not hurt people, try to help people understand. New laws will do nothing if people do not understand the nature. And Greenpeace people have problem understanding nature since you can't even understand the forces behing your movement.
So for change, can you guys do something usefull?
My 5 cents.
Posted by: Jaka | April 6, 2010 11:37 AM
I have read a lot of negative posts on this website, and it makes me feel realy sad to learn how many people just love to spill their hate. Human nature aparently makes people thrive on it. I can’t imagine you feel all better now. Given the few words that are spent on the average post, I also wonder if you have actually read the entire article or the explanation that was given by Greenpeace on this matter.
Let’s look at this in it’s perspective. So, one guy writes these sentences… He did not have the intention of harming anyone, cause if he did he would’t have written them.
He is just not very tactfull.
Greenpeace has been around for many years, working hard for a better environment in a peacefull way. If this organisation was truly the viperous brood some people claim or enjoy to believe, it would have seized to exist ages ago. Have you ever seen Greenpeace using violence? I haven’t. Wonder why...
So once again: please look at this in it’s perspective and try asking yourself if you yourself have ever said something that came out wrong. I guess we all know the answer to that.
To Greenpeace I would like to say: keep up the good work and spirit!
If I may quote: ‘You are with many’ (good folk!).
Posted by: Ann | April 7, 2010 3:05 PM
Thanks for having style, Greenpeace. The modus operandi for any public organization these days is deny, deny, deny, and if that doesn't work, point the finger elsewhere, and if that doesn't work, apologize (insincerely).
You goofed, though your heart was in the right place, and you admitted it. And when the climate change reality hits the fan with food and oil prices skyrocketing, it's not going to look like a very big mistake at all.
And then it'll the hysterical CC deniers posting above who are going to be among those yelling We know who you are, we know where you live....
I admire and support the work you do. Keep it up.
Posted by: greg blanchette | April 11, 2010 9:49 PM