LEETERS: LEFTISTS ARE USING SCARE TACTICS

To the editor:

Global warming has created a firestorm of debate that thrives on misinformation and faulty arguments by leftist environmental extemists. Their elitist attitudes surfaced in a Dec. 3 letter to the editor from Alan Journet. He stated that anyone who thinks contrary to the leftist estremists' viewpoint is either paid by petroeum companies, or has never passed Biology 101. I am happy to say that I received an A in biology and am not employed by nor influenced by petroleum companies.

I would like to address Journet's measurement of global surface temperatures. According to scientists, the earth has been around for about 4 billion to 5 billion years. The surface temperatures of the planet have gone up and down throughout that time period. How can he or any other scientist accurately predict what is normal or abnormal with regard to surface temperature? Our recorded history only dates back a hundred years or so, yet he is able to assume that these surface temperatures are abnormally high.

Also, throughout his argument he uses the words "could" and "probably." With so much at stke in our local economy, is he willing to drove the costs of food higher and put people out of work simply on the basis of a theory? What about the re-allocation of greenhouse gases by developing countries who do not sign the Kyoto treaty? The treaty will not reduce greenouse gases but simply re-allocate them to contries that are not bound by the treaty.

Here are the facts. A 1992 Gallop survye of climatologists found that 81 percent of respondents believed that the global temperature had not risen over past 100 years, were uncertain whether or not such warming had occurred, or believed any temperature increases during that period were within the natural range of variation. Further, a 1997 suyrvey conducted by American Viewpoint found that state climatologists believe that global warming is largely a natural phenomenon by a margin of 44 percent to 17 percent. This debunks the leftist viewpoint that a majority of scientists believe that the global warming process is under way and that it is human induced.

Another leftist claim: thousands of scientists have signed letters and petitions alerting the public to the dangers of global warming. Fact: One of the letters often cited to support this claim was issued by Ozone Action. A close examination of that letter revealed that only 10 percent of the letter's signatories had backgrounds in climate science. Worse than that, landscape architects, a gynecologist and a practioner of traditional Chinese medicine are among the signatories. So it seems that some of these so-called scientists that support Journet's position are not actually scientists.

True science attempts to prove a hypothesis with convincing empirical evidence. What disturbs me is the growing leftist movement in this country that attempts to scare the citizenry with inconclusive, half-baked theories rather than using accepted scientific methods. Contrary to what Journet thinks, my concern is not politically driven. I am worried like Journet is about the world we live in. However, we must be careful not to cry wolf when there is no wolf. Otherwise, when a real global threat comes our way, his side will not be believed.

JIM KREWSON

Shawneetown