Environmentalists Run Amok In the UK

[dianahsieh]

By Paul Hsieh from NoodleFood,cross-posted by MetaBlog

Two recent stories from the UK should serve as a warning for Americans. Unless we fight the battle against bad environmentalist ideas now, we'll be facing similar problems in the US in just a few years.

The first story describes a proposed law in (part of) the UK that would require drivers to turn off their engines if they are stuck in traffic: "Drivers could face £20 fine for leaving engines running in traffic jams".

The goal, of course, is to reduce pollution and carbon emissions, and it would be humorous if it were not so wrong-headed.

The second more alarming story comes via Amit Ghate. A jury in the UK has acquitted a group of Greenpeace vandals who inflicted thousands of dollars worth of damage against a coal-fuled power plant:

Jury decides that threat of global warming justifies breaking the law

...Jurors accepted defence arguments that the six had a "lawful excuse" to damage property at Kingsnorth power station in Kent to prevent even greater damage caused by climate change. The defence of "lawful excuse" under the Criminal Damage Act 1971 allows damage to be caused to property to prevent even greater damage -- such as breaking down the door of a burning house to tackle a fire.

Of course, once one accepts the principle that it's ok to commit violence against property in order to stop global warming, then the next logical step will be the (currently fictional) argument that, "the best way to reduce carbon emissions is to kill as many rich Westerners as possible".

How will it be before long before that far-fetched fictional example turns into tomorrow's real-life killing spree?

This is all the more reason to support the "EPA Ruination" project by John Lewis and Paul Saunders. Feel free to forward their "Letter to All Americans" to any appropriate venues and/or use their talking points in your own letters, conversations, etc. Their letter also includes links on how to give feedback to the EPA.

Remember: "Outlawing carbon means outlawing civilization."

This cartoon from Wondermark pretty much says it all:

http://ObjectivismOnline.com/archives/004071.html