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Thursday, April 25, 2019
We don’t need climate lectures from Greta, says British conservative Iain Martin
THEME: Rossyln Warren in the UK writes:
Greta Thunberg's UK critics just want to be lucrative right-wing talking heads
Greta Thunberg's critics have turned on a 16-year-old girl speaking ''truth to power'' for one reason, argues Rossalyn Warren: they know that presenting themselves as a level-headed threat to liberals will earn them Twitter followers and time on TV...
Greta Thunberg is pissing off all the right people.
At the age of just 16, the Swedish schoolgirl has taken on the world. Last November, she led the international school strikes for climate. Today, she’s inspiring generations to take action to protect our environment and reigniting the urgency over climate change.
Greta’s voice may not have been so necessary if we’d taken the threat of climate change seriously. But we failed. We became complacent and the urgency to take action slipped. And by “we” I mean adults.
“You lied to us,” she said on Tuesday, addressing MP’s in parliament. “You gave us false hope. You told us that the future was something to look forward to. And the saddest thing is that most children are not even aware of the fate that awaits us. We will not understand it until it’s too late.”
And of course, she’s right. Her generation didn’t create this mess. But it’s the schoolchildren of today who will be the ones bearing the brunt over our inaction. That in itself should be enough to shame us all.
Instead, there are many gleefully mocking Greta.
A cohort of mostly male, middle-aged, out-of-touch media commentators and journalists are dismissing her call for change as a childish, unrealistic dream, indulged by liberals.
Newspapers describe Greta’s popularity as a “cult”.A swirl of conspiracy theories about what’s “really behind” the rise of Greta’s popularity have been published. One article read: “Greta Thunberg is privileged daughter of Sweden's Eurovision star.” Journalists shared the article, conveniently ignoring the fact the British press itself is consumed by privately educated, wealthy, Oxbridge graduates.
The reviews of Thunberg were in and they were as expected.
“Sorry, but the fawning attitude towards Thunberg is not going to extend to me,” said the Spectator. “If you are going to be given an international stage to call for a general strike, as Thunberg has done, you deserve to be challenged – whether you are 16 and wear pigtails or not... who will dare criticise a 16-year-old girl with Asperger’s?”
“On what basis can someone claim to speak for future generations?” asked Iain Martin, a columnist for the Times, about Greta. “Was there a vote? How? Radical Green religion looks post-democratic.”
The dismissive response to Greta isn’t a shock to any of us who follow how much of modern British journalism works. It’s indicative of an industry that is increasingly out of touch with young people. It also reflects an industry that routinely rewards “outrage” over fact and reason.
As a journalist, I’ve seen how easy it is to get ahead if you pitch yourself as a “controversial” voice. For every Katie Hopkins, Julia Hartley-Brewer or James Delingpole, there’s a scramble of other media-types attempting to replicate their success, barking about whatever will grab attention.
How do you position yourself as the next “controversial” media voice? It’s pretty simple. Pitch yourself as the stable, brave voice taking a stand against the liberal brainwashing machine. Say something outrageous or offensive on social media and, soon enough, you’ll be invited onto television. If all else fails, you’ll at least bump up your Twitter followers.
As Greta trended on Twitter throughout her visit to the UK, the lesser-known voices hopped on for a piece of the action. “Can the Beeb arrange for Andrew Neil to interview this Greta Thunberg character?” asked writer Helen Dale. “Because afterwards I guarantee we’ll never hear from her again. She may even have a meltdown on national telly into the bargain.”
Indeed, journalism is about challenging the powerful. But the same publications and media commentators smearing a school girl are the ones who’ve enabled climate change denial into the mainstream.
For too long, they’ve noy even allowed climate change to be an issue worthy of debate in the first place. While excellent reporting on climate change exists, the coverage is routinely drowned out by hyperbolic, factually-incorrect stories, often offering the “other” side to the issue.
Over the years, newspapers have amplified stories that question the validity of scientific research. Elsewhere, climate change deniers have been invited on news programs to “balance” out the debate. Just last October, the BBC invited on a prominent climate change denier onto Newsnight. (Only last month did the BBC advise its journalists they “do not need to include outright deniers” in discussions.)
Elsewhere on the internet, the news site Spiked said of Greta: “This poor young woman increasingly looks and sounds like a cult member. The monotone voice. The look of apocalyptic dread in her eyes.”
The very same Spiked that’s routinely describes climate change as a “myth” and a site that’s taken financial donations from the Charles Koch Foundation.
Greta elevated the issue of climate change as a matter of urgency. Now, as her message continues to build momentum, watch closely as the very people who spout spiteful messages about her in the press are the same ones who need to listen to her the most.
We don’t need climate lectures from Greta, says British conservative @IainMartin on Twitter
Instead of fawning over the 16-year-old campaigner, politicians should have explained to Greta how the UK weaned ourselves off coal
The “basic problem”, Greta Thunberg told MPs and campaigners in her speech at parliament this week, “is that basically nothing is being done to halt — or even slow — climate and ecological breakdown”.
As Thunberg was explaining to fawning legislators how “basic” the situation supposedly is, 'Extinction Rebellion' campaigners continued to block the streets, glueing themselves to public transport for headlines and demanding that democratically-elected British politicians yield to their demands to scrap the existing economic system.
''At the peak of Gretamania — and it was like a late 1960s hippie “happening” at Westminster when the 16-year-old campaigner arrived at Portcullis House this week — it is judged heretical to question anything the prophet says. But here goes," he says.
''Thunberg may be a well-intentioned…''
@iainmartin1 -- 16 year old Swedish Climate Campaigner Greta Thunberg speaking to MPs in UK today: "My name is Greta Thunberg. I am 16 years old. I come from Sweden. And I speak on behalf of future generations." ..... mr MARTIN ASKS: ''On what basis can someone claim to speak for future generations? Was there a vote? How? Radical Green religion looks post-democratic''
@RMCUNLIFFE --RACHEL CUNLIFFE - Iain, come on. We agree that Extinction Rebellion's alarmist anti-capitalism is intensely annoying. But so many activists for various causes - Brexit in particular - claim to speak for the people or future generations. It's a common, almost cliched refrain. Why single her out? IAIN -- They're wrong too. Or when they claim to speak for future generations - eg Kinnock - they are criticised robustly for it. It's like witnessing a mediaeval religious "happening" here at Westminster today. IANI: Fixation? The Today programme was turned over to her campaign. Uncritical coverage is wall to wall. Simply suggest that those in the public square making assertions should be questioned politely. That we should think critically. @DavidWaywell puts it well on @reactionlife
Instead of fawning over the 16-year-old campaigner, politicians should have explained how we weaned ourselves off coal
The “basic problem”, Greta Thunberg told MPs and campaigners in her speech at parliament this week, “is that basically nothing is being done to halt — or even slow — climate and ecological breakdown”.
As Thunberg was explaining to fawning legislators how “basic” the situation supposedly is, Extinction Rebellion campaigners continued to block the streets, glueing themselves to public transport for headlines and demanding that democratically elected British politicians yield to their demands to scrap the existing economic system.
At the peak of Gretamania — and it was like a late 1960s hippie “happening” at Westminster when the 16-year-old campaigner arrived at Portcullis House this week — it is judged heretical to question anything the prophet says. But here goes.
Thunberg may be a well-intentioned…
@iainmartin1 -- 16 year old Swedish Climate Campaigner Greta Thunberg speaking to MPs in UK today: "My name is Greta Thunberg. I am 16 years old. I come from Sweden. And I speak on behalf of future generations." ..... mr MARTIN ASKS: ''On what basis can someone claim to speak for future generations? Was there a vote? How? Radical Green religion looks post-democratic''
@RMCUNLIFFE --RACHEL CUNLIFFE - Iain, come on. We agree that Extinction Rebellion's alarmist anti-capitalism is intensely annoying. But so many activists for various causes - Brexit in particular - claim to speak for the people or future generations. It's a common, almost cliched refrain. Why single her out? IAIN -- They're wrong too. Or when they claim to speak for future generations - eg Kinnock - they are criticised robustly for it. It's like witnessing a mediaeval religious "happening" here at Westminster today. IANI: Fixation? The Today programme was turned over to her campaign. Uncritical coverage is wall to wall. Simply suggest that those in the public square making assertions should be questioned politely. That we should think critically. @DavidWaywell puts it well on @reactionlife
As realisation sinks in with the climate change denial lobby that the actions of groups like Extinction Rebellion, and individuals like teenager Greta Thunberg, may signal an end to their credibility, and thus a lessening of their status and indeed their bank balance, their collective defence mechanisms have kicked in. The result has been to make the disgraceful actions of Brendan O’Neill and Toby Young look positively restrained.
Greta Thunberg
The panicking pundits - Dan, Dan, the Oratory Man ...
... Julia Hartley Dooda ...
... and Iain Martin
Those prompted to inaction included MEP and occasional Tory Dan, Dan The Oratory Man, who loftily asserted “Britain has gone without burning coal for longer than at any time since the industrial revolution. We are reducing carbon emissions faster than any other big country. Adults should encourage children's enthusiasm, but not applaud their mistakes”.Er, hello Dan. “Gone without burning coal”, according to Gridwatch, has extended to four days. Also, exporting carbon emissions is not a reduction.
Having set the bar low, along came Julia Hartley Dooda to set it yet lower. “Please join me for my @talkRADIO breakfast show from 6.30am-10am. We’ll be talking about … the cult of Greta Thunberg”. Another jealous has-been hurling abuse for Murdoch money (Ms Hartley Dooda has also Retweeted the Spiked Online attack).
It got worse, as allegedly libertarian creep Christopher Snowden decided to endorse Brendan O’Neill’s equally creepy hatchet job on Ms Thunberg. “I only read this because Moonbat was pretending to be offended by it. It’s fine, and correct”. Gosh, and he included the climate change denialists’ dead clever George Monbiot insult too!
Meanwhile, in another desperate yet failed bid to regain some relevance, Ben Pile saw politicians meeting with Ms Thunberg and chipped in “They see this as some kind of progressive victory … I see only a catastrophically degenerate political establishment hiding behind a child”. So he doesn’t get it, either. Except that he remains irrelevant.
Iain Martin was made of sterner stuff: “Campaigner speaking to MPs today: ‘My name is Greta Thunberg. I am 16 years old. I come from Sweden. And I speak on behalf of future generations.’ On what basis can someone claim to speak for future generations? Was there a vote? How? Radical Green religion looks post-democratic”. Religion smear: check! Also, Iain, nobody voted for you to pollute the airwaves with reactionary drivel. Next.
After all that, someone had to get even nastier. And the someone was Helen Dale, who claims to be a “Classical Liberal”. But so does Toby Young. She grinned “Can the Beeb arrange for Andrew Neil to interview this Greta Thunberg character? Because afterwards I guarantee we’ll never hear from her again. She may even have a meltdown on national telly into the bargain”. Tee hee hee! Let’s play kick the greenie!
And by that point, the reactionary climate change denying right wing had lost the plot, lost the argument, and lost all credibility. As Mike Hinde concluded, “Greta Thunberg has destroyed the repellent right, on climate breakdown. They have nothing left but to attack the girl herself. She won”. She did indeed. Only one question remains.
Exactly how do press and broadcasters justify giving a platform to any of those quoted above, now they have demonstrated their intellectual bankruptcy, virulent dishonesty, and moral emptiness in attacking the messenger? I’ll just leave that one there.
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Excellent article. I was already incensed by Brendan O'Moron's tweet - especially as only that morning I was explaining to my own autistic daughter how fantastic it is that Greta is doing so much DESPITE her condition. I loath and detest these right-wing sociopathic idiots.
Yeah, but you've got to admit, she can't really speak for future generations because she can't know what they're going to think innit.
Stands to reason.
Literally.
You may be familiar with the person calling out Theresa May in that tweet further up. That’s Greta Thunberg, teenage climate activist from Sweden. Greta has Asperger’s. In the summer of 2018, she started a movement. Unable to continue with business as usual in a world caught fire, she skipped school one day and went to protest outside the Swedish parliament. Since then she has been thrust into the limelight, with the world’s media paying a great amount of attention to her as she shames various governing bodies around the world for their complicity in destroying the world her generation will inherit. She gave a speech in December at the United Nations plenary that remains one of the most powerful things I have ever seen.
4 comments:
Write to the Daily Mail Agony Aunt and outline your insecurities.
I have so much respect for Greta and Extinction Rebellion, waking up the world to the catastrophy that is Climate Change!
As for those that spit vitriol against her, as you have documented, I wouldn't piss on any of them if they were on fire!
Stands to reason.
Literally.