Need Help RE: "An Inconvenient Truth"

[AnnieBW]

I am having a discussion with a person on another list who, when told about "And Inconvenient Truth" said the following:

> Here's another inconvenient truth:

> Those politicians, political commentators, and journalists who are the
> most alarmist about Global Warming are overwhelmingly the same
> politicians, political commentators, and journalists who were dead
> wrong about the nature of the Soviet Union.

> This phenomena appears much too widespread to be a coincidence.

When I confronted him about this, he sent a very patronizing message back about how Al Gore was one of many liberals who were trying to make the Soviet Union out to be less of a threat. In other words, obfuscating the truth by attacking the messenger. I challenged him (and I'm assuming that it's a him) to see the movie, regardless of what he thinks of the messenger. BTW, this person claims to be a Pagan, or is at least on a Pagan-related list.

[bigendian]

1. Pagan, Shmagan.

They're an idiot.

The movie provides a common ground for discussion. There is no common ground here.

[truebrit71]

2. Wrong about the nature of the Soviet Union? How were they wrong?

It collapsed under it's own weight without a shot being fired or a nuke being launched....

[Beaverhausen]

3. that person's response doesn't even make any sense

Global warming is a scientific fact.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060623/ap_on_sc/global_warming

[Radical Activist]

4. Tell him conservatives and the corporate media don't want him to see it.

They are afraid of too many people seeing this film. This is why Rush, Fox, and all the conservatives attack Gore and made silly arguments against the movie like this one. If he doesn't see it, he is only showing how closed-minded and obedient he is.

Logic obviously isn't going to work, but that approach might. It plays into the talk radio mindset.

[Fridays Child]

5. That's mind-numbingly stupid on so many levels it's breathtaking.

Make him prove his point. He won't be able to do it.

[NMDemDist2]

6. Al Gore was considered a Hawkish Dem for ages and voted for GW1

see these quotes here

Q: If you had been president, would any of these military interventions not have happened: Lebanon?
A: That was a mistake.
Q: Grenada?
A: I supported that.
Q: Panama?
A: I supported that one.
Q: Persian Gulf?
A: Yes, I voted for it, supported it.
Q: Somalia?
A: That was ill considered. I did support it at the time. In retrospect the lessons there are ones that we should take very seriously.
Q: Bosnia.
A: Oh, yes.
Q: Haiti?
A: Yes.
Q: And then Kosovo.
A: Yes.
Source: Presidential Debate at Wake Forest University Oct 11, 2000



http://www.ontheissues.org/Celeb/Al_Gore_Foreign_Policy.htm

[silverweb]

7. Tell him...

... to document his assertions or STFU.

People who argue in absolutes and/or vague generalities without backing up their statements are usually just parroting what a favorite blow-hard, self-described "pundit" has stated. They most often don't understand the issues and can't support their statements.

Challenge him to document anything he's said and he'll most likely reply with the last weapon he has, namely another condescending remark or personal insult.