Throwing down the gauntlet on climate change

[deadmessengers]

Had an interesting conversation with a right-winger co-worker this morning. He was spewing out the Bush/ExxonMobil/Inhofe party line that human-caused climate change is a hoax intended to destroy the American economy.

When I pointed out the overwhelming consensus among climate scientists that climate change is very real, he responded "yeah, where'd you hear that from, that lunatic Al Gore? He must have been off his meds that day."

My response - "As a matter of fact, I did learn that while watching 'An Inconvenient Truth'. Have you seen it?"

RWer - "I'm not watching that commie crap."

Me - "How can you dismiss it as crap if you've never seen it?"

RWer - "Because Al Gore is a terrorist sympathizer, and I'm not putting a dime in his pocket."

Me - "Fine. If you promise to actually watch it, I will lend you my DVD. That won't put another cent in his pocket that isn't already there."

Backed into a logical corner, my rightwing co-worker (much to my surprise) agreed. He says he'll watch it this weekend.

Next week will be awfully interesting around the office.

[rosesaylavee]

1. Good for you!

Way to hang in there without beating him about the face and neck which I would surely have done by the time of the 'commie crap' response!

[crim son]

2. Good for you!

My daughter spoke about the film to her science teacher and he told her that it was all bunk and gross exaggeration, and that was the end of that conversation. I'm glad you've at leaset persuaded your coworker to take a look at it.

[deadmessengers]

4. A SCIENCE teacher said that?

If that's the kind of person teaching science these days...

Oh God(s|dess), we're screwed.

[crim son]

10. Yup. H.S. science, no less.

I can save my own kids but I pity the others he's "teaching."

[porphyrian]

3. I think the message needs to get out in any way possible.

You are making a real difference by attempting the hardest thing possible - changing someone's mind.

[deadmessengers]

6. I have no illusions about that

A person whos opinion is that ingrained isn't likely to have their mind changed by a movie. The best I'm hoping for here is that after watching AIT, he'll have just the tiniest seed of doubt planted in amongst all the right-wing propaganda. Maybe in a few years, that seed will grow and he'll see that Al Gore might not have been quite so crazy after all.

[BoneDaddy]

5. This guy is an idiot

if you deny Global Warming at this point in time you might as well join the Flat Earth Society.

[nam78_two]

7. He probably think evolution is a communist myth too.nt

[NotGivingUp]

8. that's great! i sure give you credit for remaining calm! let us know how it turns out.

[deadmessengers]

9. Will do!

As far as the calm, I used to be a bouncer in a bar - if you can't stay calm while dealing with irrational morons in that job, you've no business doing it ;)

[Jeffersons Ghost]

11. he'll watch it when...

Why not simply ask him which flowers bloom out of season in his yard these days?

[Jeffersons Ghost]

12. oh yeah, I nearly forgot... K&R! w/ another pic...

[deadmessengers]

14. Sir Albert of the Realm of Tennessee?

...slaying the dragons of conservative disinformation?

[deadmessengers]

13. I think he will

I genuinely do. I think he was embarrassed at having been caught in an act of intellectual dishonesty, criticizing the movie without having seen it. The only way for him to be able to keep bashing Al Gore (one of his favorite pastimes) will be to actually watch the movie, and I'm fine with that - at least he'll have seen it. I have absolutely no problem with him criticizing AIT after having seen it - in fact, I look forward to it.

I'm not looking to change his mind overnight here - I'm just hoping to plant a few seeds, and hope they'll take root eventually.

[Usrename]

15. You raise an interesting paradox with that question.

It's funny, but the science (especially the relatively new developments in the mathematics) of global warming have to be very compelling to most scientific thinkers who make an attempt to understand it. The anecdotal evidence about flowers blooming out of season is absolutely the least compelling argument.

Only, you are absolutely correct in suggesting that, to most of these troglodytes, the least scientific arguments will be the most persuasive.

Go figure.

[bdamomma]

16. geez, sounds like a limbaugh listener, this person needs

repub rehab.