The Viscount Monckton of Brenchley - My new favorite Brit
18 December 2006
Why is that after fighting a war for freedom from the British Crown it is a British Lord that must take two US Senators to task for seeking squelch free expression and academic freedom.
Lord Monckton, Viscount of Brenchley, has rebuked in a letter (PDF format) Senators Olympia Snowe of Maine and John D. Rockefeller for their letter to CEO of Exxon asking him to stop funding of researchers skeptical of global warming.
The US Constitution guarantees the right of free speech. It is inappropriate for elected Senators such as yourselves to suggest that any person should refrain from exercising that right, as you have done in your letter of October 27 to the CEO of ExxonMobil. That great corporation has exercised its right of free speech – and with good reason – in openly providing support for scientists and groups that dare to question how much the increased concentration of CO2 in the air may warm the world. You must honour the Constitution, withdraw your letter and apologize to ExxonMobil, or resign as Senators.Lord Monckton here shows that he is much comfortable with the British practice of leaders resigning in the wake of scandalous action like personally interferring in the academic freedom of scholars and the research choices of private companies. In America politicians only resign in sex scandals.
In the circumstances, your comparison of Exxon’s funding of sceptical scientists and groups with the former antics of the tobacco industry is unjustifiable and unworthy of any credible elected representatives. Either withdraw that monstrous comparison forthwith, or resign so as not to pollute the office you hold.He expects a lot more from our politicians than we do. In the US we don't really care how dishonest the elected officials are, just how much they help us.
By seeking to pressure a private American corporation to stop funding of a research into global warming the Senators have proven they have a no interest in knowing anything more about the issue. They have shown themselves enemies of inquiry and science. If this research is foolish, then time will reveal that.
Page last updated 21 December 2006 00:20:01