The title comes from Czech President Vaclav Klaus's book about how the "green" movement and global warming alarmism is threatening the freedom of everyone. Apparently, the English translation of the book is currently out of stock, but nonetheless, let's talk about it anyway.
I'm not longer a "global warming skeptic" but now claim the title of "climate realist" because there is no question in my mind that the planet's climate is fine and will continue to be fine regardless of what mankind does. The only thing at risk is the freedom of people to live in the ways they prefer. If I can afford to pay $5 or $6 per gallon of gas to drive my kids and their friends around in my SUV, then I certainly should be free to do so without having to suffer some ridiculous stigma about "damaging" the climate with my "carbon footprint." Sorry to all the treehuggers and other green psychos who don't understand that at least here in America, we are still supposed to be allowed "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." If my pursuit of happiness means driving a big vehicle full of kids to school and other activities, then who's to say that I'm wrong or evil?
Hey, if people want to drive motorized roller-skates around that's fine by me, but just don't go around telling me that I have to do it too. And don't go around calling me evil and other bad names just because I don't want to drive a motorized roller-skate. And if I want to burn all the lights in my house all day long and pay the electric bill for it, then who are you to tell me that I'm killing the planet? Freedom allows us some self-interest and other people must realize that their freedom does not cross the line of my freedom. If I can afford to pay the price for "excessive" use of something, then that's my business and no one else's (except the seller of that something).
I once read something by a very communistic totalitarian type of person that said he thought it would be a good idea to limit the whole world's fertility rate, i.e. limit the number of children everyone can have, and to let the poor women of the world "sell" their birth rights (to have babies) to women in wealthy countries who want more kids than they are "allowed". This was supposed to be a way to control population growth in the world because he thinks that overpopulation is the root of all the "climate changes" and "resource scarcity" and also a way to "redistribute wealth" around the world. Well, let's think about it a moment. If it's okay for someone to sell her fertility and for someone else to buy it, then how is it bad or wrong for someone to be able to buy more fuel and energy than they are "allowed"? Well, obviously, there is no real difference and the communistic totalitarian (meaning limiting freedoms) arguments fall apart easily.
Green used to be one of my favorite colors, but now it's being hijacked by a bunch of rabid vegetarians* and communists. There is even a new TV network, Planet Green. Well, that's fine and maybe it will have some good things on it, but let's not allow "greenness" to become the new reversed McCarthyism in which those who don't fit the "green" expectations of others are targeted as criminals and their lives ruined.
Just the other night I was watching a "green" show about alternative energy sources. It had some very interesting new developments, especially in solar power. They are developing much smaller and more efficient solar collecting "film" that is flexible and could be used in many applications that older panels can't. Well, this is certainly an exciting idea and one that should definitely be promoted. One application they talked about was embedding these in roofing materials, and when it's time to replace my roof I would be interested in such a product if it's available and not prohibitively expensive. I think it's great when the "greens" put their money and effort where their mouths are by actually working on solutions and improvements instead of dictating how everyone else should live. And that's how freedom should work.
*I have nothing against vegetarians, only rabid ones. ;-)
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