In response to what were perfectly reasonable observations from myself and fellow traveller Jill Singer about the planet-killing behaviour of eeevil climate change
denialists, the appalling Iain Hall has responded with something truly vile. In that offensively arrogant and sanctimonious manner that all conservatives seem to have, he has argued that we on the green left should "name our poison" and either neuter or kill ourselves to "make a real difference to
the environment".
Needless to say it is deeply distressing to read what is clearly a death threat. I now know what those poor climate scientists must be
going through.
Of course I would be more than justified in reporting Hall's sinister online harassment of me to the relevant blogosphere ombudsperson. She, (or he, or it) would no doubt side in my favour and shut down Hall's offensive hate site. But that would be far too easy. And playing victim is simply not in my
nature nurture (nor is it something anyone on the left would ever do, of course).
No, because I believe so strongly in freedom of speech, I will do no such thing. I will leave his insane rantings up there. They will remain online as a testament to his deranged viciousness. And I will respond in the calm, compassionate way that we who
do care about the planet are so renowned for by saying this:
Iain, it's not for
us to sacrifice ourselves in the name of Gaia. We have nothing to feel ashamed of. We have been exemplary acolytes of the Earth Goddess, repeatedly, selflessly healing the vicious wounds inflicted by peenie-waving planet-plundering Earth-rapists!
You have no doubt heard of the AmeriKKKan warmonger General
Patton. He was once quoted as
saying: "No bastard ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country."
Of course I would never in a million years endorse such a bloodthirsty and fascist sentiment. But sadly, his war mentality constitutes the dominant paradigm in the tiny mind of the denialist. And this is one paradigm that is in dire need of subversion. So I will do so here, and say:
Iain, we will not save the planet by dying for Gaia. No, we will save it by making
climate change denialists die for Gaia.
You have been warned. (And I mean that in a life affirming way, of course.)
