The Inconvenient Truth...About Penguins?

I guess it was only a matter of time before they went after the penguins.

The loveable, Antarctic-dwelling creatures have marched their way into our hearts and minds. They’re the most popular animals that Louis Vuitton has yet to create an over-priced carrying case for. Unless you’re a conservative commentator like Neil Cavuto with lots of air time to fill. In that case, a cheerful animated movie about singing and dancing penguins is nothing more than left-wing propaganda aimed at indoctrinating youth into—gasp—caring about the environment.

Now, I haven’t seen Happy Feet, so maybe the movie was made by the Leni Reifenstahls of tree-hugging. How effective that will be with kids is questionable. After all, I watched the Smurfs for much of my youth and didn’t become a Communist. But if tap-dancing penguins actually are a thinly disguised indictment of the havoc we humans have wreaked on the earth and our feathered friends, than I ask…What’s wrong with that? Any good parent tries to instill basic values into their kids--things like respect for fellow human beings, tolerance and generosity. Why would we assume that respecting the earth would be beyond a child's realm of understanding?

I get that there’s a debate in this country about global warming. What I don't understand is why. The extent of the damage may be debatable, but the evidence—such as reports that frozen sea areas in the Arctic Circle will be completely gone by the summer 2040—is pretty sobering. At least that’s what scientists from the National Center for Atmospheric Research, the University of Washington and McGill University say. And they are much smarter than I am. The fact that the brain trust of Cavuto and Co. write it off as a liberal agenda is less than comforting.

I understand that the glory of this great nation is that everyone is free to espouse whatever kooky theories they like. But why should they merit equal time and consideration? Why aren’t global warming naysayers relegated to the societal fringes reserved for alien abductees and people who see leprechauns in trees? Which, incidentally, happened in Alabama.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nda_OSWeyn8

The point is that the longer we continue to treat global warming like a robust debate instead of a foregone conclusion, the longer it will take to enact any real changes.

And on a related subject, I did recently see An Inconvenient Truth, and it was as impressive and downright scary as everyone has said. How is that Al Gore put me to sleep during a presidential debate, yet managed to keep me on the edge of my seat for an hour-and-a-half long power point presentation?

Actually, I think it would very interesting to see him run for President again in 2008. At least he's demonstarted that he has the ability to look at an issue in broader terms than the next election cycle, and he now tells jokes that are actually kind of funny. (Hearing him refer to himself as "the former next President of the United States" never gets old.) Plus, I'm pretty sure he'll get the penguin vote.