Mike Thompson, a state senator in Kansas, recently wrote, “This [the power outages in Texas] is why the expansion of renewables is dangerous.” Apparently, we are supposed to be afraid of windmills. We should not be surprised that once again so-called “conservatives” are spreading disinformation. But, this is particularly hypocritical. To say that wind power is to blame for a failure of the power grid that is a symptom of the greater disease of climate change is deplorable. It says something about what people who care about the future of America are up against. Until enough people come to grips with reality, the world community will not be able to do the things necessary to combat climate change. So, for those of us that want something done, what is our next move?
It starts with the recognition that there are those who are so consumed with conspiracy theories that they will never be reached. However, there is a group of people that can be reached, a group that rejects conspiracy theories. The task is to find those individuals and organize them. Without this, all hope for real action on climate is gone. Words can be dangerous. But, that means they are powerful.
My fear is that not enough progressives (and moderates not in denial about what the world faces) aren’t saying enough loud enough; that now that the Democrats are in power people will become lax. Without Trump to unite everyone, there is a danger of complacency. Think of how many people voted for Trump, and more importantly why they voted for Trump. Just because progressives managed to get one man out of the white house, doesn’t mean we can let our guard down, because the problem is far greater than one man. Never has America ever been headed in a more dangerous direction.
Climate change is a perfect example. The alt-right is once again mobilizing to keep people from mobilizing. While they proclaim “All is well,” the nation faces serious problems that are going nowhere, and getting a little worse everyday they go unaddressed. While the alt-right spreads disinformation, our forests burn and people die in the cold. As we reflect back on the controversies this storm has generated, let us remember that we can and must combat disinformation. It will take a lot of effort to get out of the hole America has dug for itself. Change, real change, must come now, right now.
Progressive Without Apology 