"An Inconvenient Truth" being used in my child's 5th grade class

[oregonjen]

My daughter's teacher has been using Gore's book to help educate them on global warming. After school yesterday, she was giving me all kinds of facts and I finally asked her at bedtime what kind of material was he using to teach with. She said "An Inconvenient Truth." :thumbsup: I was so happy to know that she has a cool, caring, and intelligent teacher. Just thought I'd share. :hi:

[Clark2008]

1. In all fairness, we'd be going ballistic if it were a rightwing

flick.

Just saying...

[oregonjen]

2. True enough, but I'm not a right-winger.

;)

[Dora]

And in all fairness, a rightwing book

would not have the credible research backing up Gore's book's arguments.

[Ravenseye]

5. There's a difference

Rightwing flicks lie their ass off, and an Inconvienent Truth just gives the facts.

[helderheid]

6. An Inconvenient Truth isn't a left wing flick. It's science. Just sayin...

:hi:

[Clark2008]

9. I understand that and agree.

But, how many right wingers do you know that look at the truth and say it's not important or doesn't matter because it comes from a Democrat?

That was my point.

I know it's the truth. I just expect backlash.

[helderheid]

19. I agree with you too. :)

[Lone_Star_Dem]

26. That you expect backlash for the truth being taught in schools

Makes a very sad statement about how bad off things are right now.

[philosophie_en_rose]

43. But Science has a well-known liberal bias.

Just like reality. :)

[immoderate]

7. Uh-huh. So bring 'em on.

It's a fight you hope for, if you've got the facts on your side.

Brave teacher.:patriot:

--IMM

[SammyWinstonJack]

11. If it were a right wing pack of lies, I could understand that. Not the

case with "An Inconvenient Truth", right?

[sandnsea]

14. It's about right and wrong - not right and left

Have to stop letting them make everything political and get back to reason - which is actually what the Pope was saying. Faith without reason leads to some pretty loony ideas, as does politics without reason.

[Ignacio Upton]

50. Inconvenient Truth =/= Path to 9/11

Gore's film is backed up by facts, while PT 9/11 was full of blatant lies.

[alarimer]

55. But it's not left-wing either; it is FACT

Just because it has Al Gore's name on it doesn't change the fact that it is TRUE. Right-wing movies are not fact-based at all. Just look at the recent 9/11 flick. All lies and distortion.

[rman]

58. Only because RW flicks tend to be untruthful

[sarcasmo]

3. Wonder how long before she gets fired.

Some Reich winger on the local school boards will get wind of this and put a stop to a progressive smart teacher.

[RamboLiberal]

4. Any Fundie Parents Protesting?

I think it's great. Gore IMHO has his facts correct, so I don't think it should matter that he was the Democratic VP. If a Republican put out something factual I would not have a problem with it's use in a school - but that doesn't happen.

If I was you I'd write a non-political thank you to the school and teacher.

[H2O Man]

8. That's great!

Teachers can -- and do -- have a great influence on how children and teens view the world.

[patrice]

10. I don't think An Inconvenient Truth is a Left Wing flick.

We would be going ballistic if the teacher used an extremist RW flick, not a rational RW flick, if there is such a thing.

Just because it is the opposition doesn't mean that An Inconvenient Truth is extremist bullshit like most of the stuff associated with the RW.

We don't have to apologize for supporting it and being against RW nutcase bullshit propaganda!

[135th]

13. It is a left wing film.

While there is legit scientific debate over global warming, as far as politcs go it is a very left/right issue. Gore is a politician with a platform about climate change. Rightly or wrongly, An Inconvenient Truth will always be viewed as a political film.

[sandnsea]

15. Why do you help perpetuate that notion?

That's what I can't figure out about people. Why do they help perpetuate divisive frames, especially the ones that only hurt us.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

16. LOL

No, there isn't a legit scientific debate.

Haven't seen the film, have you?

[135th]

20. No, but I've read much of the book.

I think Gore makes a very strong case for global warming. That doesn't change the fact that there are scientists who disagree for legit reasons, or conservatives who disagree for angry conservative reasons.

I know sceintists who don't belive in it for scientific reasons, and I can respect that. I know many conservatives doubters who's rational is somewhere along the line of "whatever, Al Gore took money from China, like I care what he thinks." That I don't respect, but try getting them to look into it seriously. It's easier to get Cheney to drive a hybrid.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

23. Ah, you better go see the film.

Because there aren't any scientists who disagree.

There's some people with scientific degrees getting paid by oil companies to say they disagree. But thsoe aren't scientists, and they're not using science.

"I know sceintists who don't belive in it for scientific reasons."

Hmm. No you don't.

[Uncle Joe]

32. 928 to 0 peer reviewed scientific studies support

the case for man induced global warming. The key words are peer reviewed. 928 to 0 does not leave much room for doubt, even for an angry conservative.

[hatrack]

37. And those studies were only 10% of the total literature for the period

So, this representative sample speaks not only the 928 articles, but for more than 9,000 peer-reviewed articles.

A reasonable extrapolation on the consensus for all 9,000+ articles would be, what, 98%? 99% in agreement on the basics of warming?

That detail kind of got blurred in the movie, but the consensus is even more overwhelming than it appears to be.

[H2O Man]

18. I think we should

put that incorrect belief to bed. It's not even close to accurate. VP Gore is, for example, good friends with Robert Kennedy, Jr, the best environmental attorney in the country. Robert has made it clear that he does not play politics. He works closely with both democrats and republicans, on the local, state, and federal level. More, as anyone who follows his work -- or simply takes the time to read his books -- knows that conservative republican audiences almost always react very positively to his public presentations on environmental issues. (See the Introduction to "Crimes Against Nature" for wonderful examples.)

[135th]

21. I grew up near the Hudson.

It is not fun having nice parks and beaches and not being able to swim or fish them. Props to RFK Jr. for his work getting the Hudson cleanup on track.

[H2O Man]

27. Robert has done

a lot of good for people across the country. I remember one time when he was going to take a group of "city kids" on a trip to experience nature. A problem popped up, that threatened the trip. He spoke with VP Gore, and the vice president made the trip happen. Like Robert, Al Gore does a heck of a lot of things to help children that he doesn't want reported in the news. Neither man is concerned if the children they attempt to help have parents who are registered voters, or if they belong to one of the major parties. These guys are motivated by something that is above politics.

[135th]

29. He spoke at my college a few years ago,

and I missed him. :-( I marked the wrong date down, and only realized my mistake after everyone was talking about his speech. From what I hear, it was very good.

[RaleighNCDUer]

24. Sorry, but THERE IS NO LEGIT SCIENTIFIC DEBATE.

The facts are in. Global warming is. The only scientists who argue that it isn't, are asshats talking outside their field - all climatologists with any standing at all are in agreement, as evidenced by the papers published by them making the case and the absolute dearth of papers by them refuting the case. In peer reviewed papers there is 100% agreement.

Do the research. When you see any paper refuting global warming, look to its provenance - it will almost undoubtedly come from a RW think tank or from a front for the oil industry.

The only people politicizing global warming are the right.

[135th]

28. And they did a good job of it.

Have you ever tried getting your rightwing friends to watch An Inconvenient Truth, or even seriously look into global warming? They either brush you off with comments about Gore, or tell you to read State of Fear. Like it or not, global warming is a political issue. I'm not saying it should be, but those are the facts.

Also, there are respectable sceintifc sources that don't agree with global warming. For the most part they don't deny climate change is occuring, but take issue with some specific part of the process (most often that it is caused by man).

[eShirl]

36. NAME THEM

You keep saying that. I suggest you "put up or shut up."

"Also, there are respectable sceintifc sources that don't agree with global warming. "

[135th]

39. I don't keep track of scientists names well enough to drop them

without hitting up Google, which would be cheating. That doesn't change the fact that they exist. I had several professors in college who didn't agree with global warming, and have seen many scientists saying the same thing. Are they the majority? No. Do they exist, and are there beliefs based on science rather then politcs? Yes.

[eShirl]

40. uh huh, sure.

That's what I thought.

[135th]

42. What, you do?

Most people outside of a field don't bother memorizing the names of it's professionals. That doesn't chage the fact they exist.

I'm not saying global warming is not real, or that I agree with its critics. I'm saying it has become first and foremost a political issue. It shoulnd't be, but it has. Because of who he is, Gore's film is seen as political by a large portion of the country.

[patrice]

54. I think all Religion is political because people like R. Santorum or

J. Ashcroft talk abot Religion. Does that make me right?

[skids]

45. Here, let me help.

You can find the names of those scientists here:

http://environment.guardian.co.uk/climatechange/story/0,,1875762,00.html?gusrc=rss&feed=1

[glitch]

46. Ha! Good post. nt

[Bjorn Against]

57. Name a scientist who has been peer reviewed

Simply getting a degree in a science related field is not good enough, in order to be taken seriously in the science world you have to be able to survive peer review. There are no scientists who have put out peer reviewed literature denying global warming. Try finding a peer reviewed article disputing global warming that was written in the last few years, you will not be able to. There is no dispute. Period.

[MessiahRp]

30. No it is not. It has a Democrat narrating scientific fact.

The narrator is the only link to politics. The rest is scientific study and fact and speaking about the urgency of a situation dealing with nature.

Rp

[135th]

35. What do you think matters more

to people who already have their mind made up? Science, or the narrating politician? Conservatives have made this a political film.

[MessiahRp]

38. Conservatives disregard science irregardless of the messenger

I don't think Gore being involved with this will make them any less ignorant about this topic and any more angry that their artificial beliefs of creationism or intelligent design isn't being taught instead.

Rp

[135th]

41. Exactly

The powers that be on both sides have managed to make global warming a political issue, mostly by simply talking about it. When a promintent Dem says he supports Kyoto or something similar conservatives instantly decide they disagree. Unfortunately it is mostly Dems who talk about global warming, so conservatives largely hate it. This country has quite a few conservatives running around, try asking one of them if they think Gore's film is motivated by politics or science. I'd be willing to bet most say politics.

[roody]

49. If Gore is a left winger, I am out of the ballpark!

Waaaayyyyyyy out.

[patrice]

53. I'm not going to debate the definition of "left wing" with you.

There are no absolutes, especially when it comes to semantics.

Left/Right - It's all relative and you didn't say "Left wing" relative to what.

"You say tomahto. I say tomato. Let's call the whole thing off."

[Ignacio Upton]

51. Using An Inconvient Truth for global warming education

Is the same as using the Wall Street Journal as a source for business classes in college. While both entities are run by people on the left or right, their political views don't stop them from doing credible research in their work itself (while the WSJ editorial page is is far-right, their actual reporting is credible.)

[patrice]

52. It really isn't possible, or even desirable to avoid a point of view.

But there are differences in the extremeness of perspectives. Honesty and awareness are essential to a vital mind.

[zbdent]

12. I'm sure all those people who loved the idea that

"Path to 9/11" propaganda leaflets, er, "guides" were distributed to the schools are all having cerebral hemorrhages at this news ...

[sandnsea]

17. If it was truthful, it would have been great

Facts aren't political. Science is facts. Global warming is fact. No politics involves at all.

[MessiahRp]

33. They could bitch if this was Fahrenheit 9/11. It is not.

This is science, pure and simple. The narrator might be a Democrat but beyond that politics is not a part of this film. It is science and studies from non-political climatologists across the globe as read by someone with a high profile.

If Justin Timberlake were the narrator of the exact same material it would not be called political and nobody would be accusing the movie of espousing the superiority of pop music just because that's what the narrator is known for.

The material is completely separate from the presenter.

Rp

[zbdent]

44. They WILL bitch

because it is "science", and it is "Gore" ...

[glitch]

47. full stop.

We need to concentrate on convincing the people who still have open minds and leave the rest to follow along with the tipping point.

[donco6]

56. No comparison.

PT911 just made shit up, and they even admitted it. Incovenient Truth is very well documented. Not the same at all.

[Uncle Joe]

22. You have a lucky daughter, being exposed to the truth,

and it seems, she has a very smart and dedicated teacher.:)

[AtomicKitten]

25. Gore has reiterated this is not a political issue.

It is heartwarming to know this material (which has been given the high-five by scientists across the globe) is being used to educate. The environment is everyone's issue and should remain out of the political arena.

Thanks for sharing. :)

[lonestarnot]

31. Woohoo! What a teacher!

:woohoo:

[upi402]

34. Wow! They teach 'creation' as an alternative around here...

in kindergarten. And in a liberal area. Those churchins really are persistent.

The "we would be alarmed by right wing movie" scenario would be an invalid comparison. It would be false, where Gore's film is truth and fact.

[Lisa]

48. I just hosted a government scientist in my college class ...

It's a course on water resources, and partway through the talk on water management systems, without prompting from me or the students, he began to describe some of the problems we'll be up against with global warming. Actually the implications were more frightening than what Gore presented in his movie! But like Gore, he began to explain the measures that can be taken to adapt and mitigate the problem.

I think it's great that the teacher is getting your daughter's class started so early, working on science and policy issues. My guest wound up his talk by pleading for people to consider resource management and environmental change research as careers. We are going to need a lot of expertise to make the necessary changes this century.