"Global Warming" also an attack on young minds

In the seeming landslide of misinformation about "global warming," I often quail at the thought of the harm being done to the minds of children—both in form and content. They pack up their books and go off to school where they're filled to capacity with drivel (and worse)—and they innocently believe it when they hear that our planet is approaching doom and that Man is guilty for it.

Their teachers—far from being the shining defenders of rationality and truth—are generally agents (unwitting or not) of the very deception the kids need a defense for. And it's not only falsehoods about science and statistics and causality that are chalked onto the blank slates of those young minds: it's also the very style of mis-thinking that allows such falsehoods to exist and to drool out across the cultural mainstream.

So what are the kids "taught"?

Bad science, invalid statistics, unsound causal deductions (like "what comes before is inevitably the cause of what comes after"), a deep-seated fear of imminent doom, and an overarching feeling of guilt that they're a member of the race that "killed the planet."

That last might be the worst and most insidious of all, since young minds aren't up to the job of defending themselves against the assignment of unearned guilt, especially when meted out by people they trust.

I'll say more of this dangerous and disgusting attempt at corrupting our young citizens' minds in a separate post, but for now let me mention a piece of good news.

At least one author of childrens' books is fighting back. Al Sonja Rice-Schmidt, producer and writer of Emmy-nominated TV programs, is tackling the world of children’s literature with her book, Deb & Seby’s Real Deal on Global Warming. Currently the Co-Executive Producer of the Disney series, Cory in the House, Schmidt's foray into children’s books is aimed at easing their growing fears about warming trends, with a more positive perspective on man-made global warming.

Some of the topics she covers: "Who's telling us all this scary global warming stuff and why?" "We are Not all Doomed!" "How have 'x-treme greenie meanies' been the boss of us!" "Fact!! No debate!" "No Facts!! Prove it!!" "Earth's warming and cooling is so Old News!" and "Global Warming and other eco-oopsies"

It's about time someone wrote a counter-balance book for young minds on the scurrilous pseudo-topic of "global warming." It was published just in time for Earth Day 2008, and is available from Amazon and other outlets. It's aimed at ages 9 to 12.

As an interesting side note, the book's website has links to several pages over at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, which claims to be "dedicated to advancing the principles of free enterprise and limited government. We believe that individuals are best helped not by government intervention, but by making their own choices in a free marketplace." I know only a little about the CEI, but that statement of principles is an excellent start.

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