The Eagle Creek Fire / Mark of the Beast
The Eagle Creek Fire was started in the Columbia River Gorge, a National Scenic Area, in early September of 2017. By May of 2018, some parts were still smouldering. The fire began during a burn ban. It was started by teenagers throwing firecrackers into the canyon. This stupidity reminds me of what fools we mortals be. If someone says no, even for the wisest of reasons, someone has to defy and destroy, just to make himself look important for an instant. Often, this sort of person is a conservative, demanding individual freedom of action. But, almost as often, this sort of person is some liberal jerkwad, motivated by some kind of abstract ego-elitism - "I always mean good, so how could I ever do wrong? No matter how extreme it is?"
I noticed that many of the people who ridiculed Greta Thunberg, for her U.N. speech, were liberal white males, from CNN, to LiveJournal. These people may spout the latest liberal lingo, virtue-signalling, just to be popular: Like the rights of women, etc. But, when it comes down to it, they are as close-minded and mean as the conservatives they decry. For example, they shot down Greta Thunberg, ridiculing her for being an irrational child - when what she was saying was, "Listen to the scientists!" But, they mocked her like old misogynists once mocked women: The proper place for a child is in her bedroom. Children should be seen and not heard. Children must follow our authority on what is true or right. Well, isn't that what conservatives also once said of the hippies and war-protestors in the 1960's-70's? How can the young possibly think for themselves? Why should they be given the vote? Send them off to Vietnam! For no sensible reason!
And so, in their mockery of Thunberg, they rationalised their ignorance of what she was saying. One very wise, ultra-progressive message was that humans - not even scientists - fully understand the multitude of tipping-points that will follow from global warming. These are critical, massive switches that further amplify the damage to the environment - and so our economies. Like a firecracker into a dry, flammable gorge. We already see such tipping points occurring. Scientists are finding that global warming, ice melt, species extinctions, etc., are all proceeding much faster than predicted even only a few years ago. Climate warming promises more frequent extreme El Niño events . Pollinators likes bees and butterflies are dropping like flies. Frogs and amphibians are dying off. Weakened trees in the west are dying not just from increasing wildfires, but from opportunistic pathogens. Apple trees are suddenly rotting, from Michigan to South Carolina. Bird species are dwindling - one reason: because of the massive collapse of global insect populations. And I walk downtown seeing these little boxes placed in bushes and on light-posts, meant to kill flying insects. The ignorance and stupidity is of biblical proportions. And idiots everywhere continue to litter the ground and oceans with plastic trash. Because, they are so damned more important than anything else. What asses their snarky tongues betray them to be.
"Forgive them, for they know not what they do," can be translated thus: "Ignore, enable them, for they choose to be a bunch of fucking idiots." And, I noticed a somewhat related tweet recently, calling out the dirty little secret of liberal hypocrisy: " "People always spout equality and redistribution until it actually starts to impact them personally (I’m looking at you liberals who live by homeless encampments or use their political power to turn down a new homeless shelter)." Well, I have read people on LJ complaining about the tragedy of global warming, but when they receive an invitation from w_a_r_m_i_n_g, they don't join, or even respond. They prefer ONTD to being real, or even leaning more about the subject. And how many liberals have involved themselves in solutions, much less given up their cars, etc.? "I feel too powerless," can be equivalent to saying, "I enjoy my privilege."
Do not misunderstand. I am not blaming only liberals. We all know many more conservatives are demonstrably to blame for inaction on climate change. But the forces of money, corporate jobs, comfort, greed, and denial - along with the economic and geopolitical policies instituted on their behalf - involve most on the left as they do those on the right. I have compassion for those who feel locked in a vast anti-ecological conspiracy of a System. But to hear the snotty, self-satisfied, preachy rhetoric and blame which justifies continued ignorance and inaction - it is disgusting to me. I ask you not to support those jerks on LJ who spew this piggish chauvinism.
Like Antifa, like Neo-NAZI's, people who throw verbal firecrackers like this themselves become a tipping point for violence as a substitute for solutions or salvations. Even if the outlook for our environment may look hopeless, at least we can strive responsibly towards our more human nature. The thought of us all descending into a contagion of conflagration, like ants boiling together under a magnifying glass, seems to rather put the lie to anything positive we have ever tried to do. Personally, I am better than that, and beg to differ.
The Eagle Creek Fire destroyed over 50,000 acres, displaced thousands, and choked the air with smoke. The primary perpetrator was given five years of probation. But, he was later fined tens of millions of dollars for all the damage done to parkland, natural ecosystems, business, etc. I wonder if that is what it takes to make one person grow up and think. If it is, we are in big trouble.
I noticed that many of the people who ridiculed Greta Thunberg, for her U.N. speech, were liberal white males, from CNN, to LiveJournal. These people may spout the latest liberal lingo, virtue-signalling, just to be popular: Like the rights of women, etc. But, when it comes down to it, they are as close-minded and mean as the conservatives they decry. For example, they shot down Greta Thunberg, ridiculing her for being an irrational child - when what she was saying was, "Listen to the scientists!" But, they mocked her like old misogynists once mocked women: The proper place for a child is in her bedroom. Children should be seen and not heard. Children must follow our authority on what is true or right. Well, isn't that what conservatives also once said of the hippies and war-protestors in the 1960's-70's? How can the young possibly think for themselves? Why should they be given the vote? Send them off to Vietnam! For no sensible reason!
And so, in their mockery of Thunberg, they rationalised their ignorance of what she was saying. One very wise, ultra-progressive message was that humans - not even scientists - fully understand the multitude of tipping-points that will follow from global warming. These are critical, massive switches that further amplify the damage to the environment - and so our economies. Like a firecracker into a dry, flammable gorge. We already see such tipping points occurring. Scientists are finding that global warming, ice melt, species extinctions, etc., are all proceeding much faster than predicted even only a few years ago. Climate warming promises more frequent extreme El Niño events . Pollinators likes bees and butterflies are dropping like flies. Frogs and amphibians are dying off. Weakened trees in the west are dying not just from increasing wildfires, but from opportunistic pathogens. Apple trees are suddenly rotting, from Michigan to South Carolina. Bird species are dwindling - one reason: because of the massive collapse of global insect populations. And I walk downtown seeing these little boxes placed in bushes and on light-posts, meant to kill flying insects. The ignorance and stupidity is of biblical proportions. And idiots everywhere continue to litter the ground and oceans with plastic trash. Because, they are so damned more important than anything else. What asses their snarky tongues betray them to be.
"Forgive them, for they know not what they do," can be translated thus: "Ignore, enable them, for they choose to be a bunch of fucking idiots." And, I noticed a somewhat related tweet recently, calling out the dirty little secret of liberal hypocrisy: " "People always spout equality and redistribution until it actually starts to impact them personally (I’m looking at you liberals who live by homeless encampments or use their political power to turn down a new homeless shelter)." Well, I have read people on LJ complaining about the tragedy of global warming, but when they receive an invitation from w_a_r_m_i_n_g, they don't join, or even respond. They prefer ONTD to being real, or even leaning more about the subject. And how many liberals have involved themselves in solutions, much less given up their cars, etc.? "I feel too powerless," can be equivalent to saying, "I enjoy my privilege."
Do not misunderstand. I am not blaming only liberals. We all know many more conservatives are demonstrably to blame for inaction on climate change. But the forces of money, corporate jobs, comfort, greed, and denial - along with the economic and geopolitical policies instituted on their behalf - involve most on the left as they do those on the right. I have compassion for those who feel locked in a vast anti-ecological conspiracy of a System. But to hear the snotty, self-satisfied, preachy rhetoric and blame which justifies continued ignorance and inaction - it is disgusting to me. I ask you not to support those jerks on LJ who spew this piggish chauvinism.
Like Antifa, like Neo-NAZI's, people who throw verbal firecrackers like this themselves become a tipping point for violence as a substitute for solutions or salvations. Even if the outlook for our environment may look hopeless, at least we can strive responsibly towards our more human nature. The thought of us all descending into a contagion of conflagration, like ants boiling together under a magnifying glass, seems to rather put the lie to anything positive we have ever tried to do. Personally, I am better than that, and beg to differ.
The Eagle Creek Fire destroyed over 50,000 acres, displaced thousands, and choked the air with smoke. The primary perpetrator was given five years of probation. But, he was later fined tens of millions of dollars for all the damage done to parkland, natural ecosystems, business, etc. I wonder if that is what it takes to make one person grow up and think. If it is, we are in big trouble.