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Don't you dare question our viewpoint. Woe be to the poor students in the Meteorology Department at San Jose State who question the gospel

Climate Thought Police--Akin To George Orwell 1984



Professor tell students: "Drop class if you dispute man-made climate change. We will not, at any time, debate the science of climate change. Three professors co-teaching an online course called "Medical Humanities in the Digital Age" at the University of Colorado- Colorado Springs recently told their students via e-mail that man-made climate change is not open for debate, and those who think otherwise have no place in their course. (1) Here is what their e-mail said: "The point of departure for this course is based on the scientific premise that human induced climate change is valid and occurring. We will not, at any time, debate the science of climate change, nor will the 'other side' of the climate change debate be taught or discussed in this course. Opening up a debate that 98% of climate scientists unequivocally agree to be a non-debate would detract from the central concerns of environment and health addressed in this course." The professors e-mail continued, "If you believe this premise to be an issue for you, we respectfully ask that you do not take this course, as there are options within the Humanities program for face to face this semester and online next."
The professors also note this ban on debate extends to discussion among students in the online forums. Moreover, students who choose outside sources for research during their time in the course may select only those that have been peer-reviewed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. In addition to teaching man-made climate change, the course also delves into the 'health effects of fracking.' The reading assignments in the fracking section focus on only the negative impacts and fail to present the other side of the issue, namely the possible benefits of fracking. (2) It's interesting to look at the background of these professors: genetic engineering, English, and Sociology/Social Justice. (1)
  • Research includes genetic engineering of yeast for the production of biofuels and chemical signaling among bacteria.
  • An English professor who works in texts from the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Her research is in early modern recipe collections.
  • Area of inquiry is the sociology of climate change with an emphasis on environmental and social justice movements and the importance of indigenous ways of knowing the natural world.

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Some reviewer comments are to the point: (1)
  • The course is titled "Medical Humanities in the Digital Age." There is nothing about that subject matter that dictates anything about climate change. The professors are out of line to make demands of conformity in this case.
  • Why waste your money taking a class from professors that are clearly clueless on their expounded subject.
  • This is wonderful news! The fact that a professor feels the need to proclaim this is an indication of how strong and widespread the anti-AGW movement has become. It reveals the professors insecurity. We need many more such insecure man-made climate change hucksters.
  • If there is no allowance for disagreement and discussion and the course is taught by professors with no experience in the discipline (it's a course in 'environment and health' and none of the listed faculty appear to have any background in 'environment and health' or global warming/climate change), it's not education, it's indoctrination.
Another example of thought police in action: In late May the Portland, Oregon Public School Board voted unanimously to ban any classroom materials‚--including textbooks--that cast doubt on climate change. In addition, humanity's effect on climate change must be presented as one of the phenomenon's causes. (3) Noted one observer: "Well this is special...ban books because you don't agree with the context. Sounds like teaching professionals promoting a very personal and liberal agenda.

Then there's young climate change activists in Washington. Eight middle school 'climate activists' in Washington State are working in conjunction with the Western Environmental Law Center to sue the state 'about why the state Department of Ecology should reduce carbon emission 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050.' If Washington fails to do this, they argue, it could lead to intergenerational inequalities. (4) This from middle school kids only in their early teens and they already have contemporary college-speak. Come-on they are getting plenty of help from older folks with a strong agenda. Lastly, in May of 2013 this appeared in the San Jose State Department of Meteorology website: "This week we received a deluge of free books form the Heartland Institute. The book is entitled, The Mad, Mad, Made of Climatism." The actual title of the book is The Mad, Mad, Mad world of Climatism—not sure where the word Made came from. By design intent? The book has 898 references and footnotes so it isn't a diatribe without some serious literature references. Regardless, two professors from San Jose tested the flammability of the book. (5) The idea of burning books one doesn't agree with is reprehensible. What message does this send the students and community at large? As Noel Sheppard notes, "You would think university professors would have some respect for books, regardless of their content. (6) Any thoughtful examination of climate science reveals that the science is not settled. Yet, this action says, "Don't you dare question our viewpoint." Woe be to the poor students in the Meteorology Department at San Jose State who question the gospel. The same goes for all the other students mentioned above. References
  1. Anthony Watts. "Intolerance by the climate thought police at University of Colorado," wattsupwiththat.com, August 31, 2016
  2. Kate Hardiman, "Professors tell students: drop class if you dispute man-made climate change," thecollegefix.com, August 31, 2016
  3. College Fix Staff, "Portland, Oregon school board prohibits classroom materials on climate change skepticism," thecollegefix.com, May 22, 2016
  4. Dave Huber, "Middle schoolers used as legal pawns to fight climate change," thecollegefix.com, November 7, 2015
  5. Anthony Watts, "San Jose State University meteorology decides burning books they don't agree with is better than reading them," wattsuupwiththat.com, May 2, 2013
  6. Noel Sheppard, "San Jose State professors would rather burn climate skeptic book than read it," blog.heartland.org, May 3, 2013


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Jack Dini -- Bio and Archives

Jack Dini is author of Challenging Environmental Mythology.  He has also written for American Council on Science and Health, Environment & Climate News, and Hawaii Reporter.


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