Jerry Falwell Puts Foot In Mouth On National TV

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One night last week on the television show Politically Incorrect, an amazing event transpired. I say this under the full knowledge that most episodes of this show turn into shouting matches between conservatives and liberals and no one really makes much sense at all. Still, I stand by my guns (uhh no, not those guns Mr. Heston....just a figure of speech. Please put down your musket) and repeat, it was an amazing event.

The four guests for the evening were Dean Cain (TV's Superman), The Reverend Jerry Falwell, actress Lynn Redgrave and Representative Dana Rohrabacher, Republican from California. essentially two Republican conservatives and two liberals....a nicely balanced panel.

Host Bill Maher mentioned that George W. Bush had said little in his nomination acceptance speech regarding environmental protection and, out of the blue, that's when it happened. The Reverend. Jerry Falwell said he didn't believe in global warming or the hole in the ozone layer and that it was all a big myth. At that point, Representative Rohrabacher said he agreed totally with Reverend Falwell and that there was no such thing as global warming.

Dean Cain, Bill Maher and Lynn Redgrave's mouths fell open as if they were sure they couldn't have heard right. Lynn Redgrave even reached over and pretended to take the Reverend Falwell's pulse. As I stared at my Television set, I too thought, "Say what?"

The Reverend Falwell repeated his belief and erased all doubt that we had heard him incorrectly. By now, he not only had his foot in his mouth, but his entire leg, up to the knee. He believes there truly is no such thing as global warming. A supposedly learned man of God is denying something that has more proof behind it than the very existence of the God in which he believes. Don't get me wrong. I too, believe in God. Maybe not the dogmatic, repressive one the Reverend Falwell believes in, but I have strong beliefs in God never the less. But that's a belief based on faith while the existence of global warming is based on scientific facts.

Perhaps Falwell doesn't read the papers, for if he did he might have noticed this item.

"The surface of the ocean in the tropical Northern Hemisphere has become dramatically warmer in recent years, increasing at a rate of about 1 degree Fahrenheit per decade since 1984, according to an analysis announced yesterday."

"That's alarming," said oceanographer Alan E. Strong of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). "It's about the amount our planet has been seeing globally over the past century," he said, and has contributed to the stress and bleaching seen in many coral reefs worldwide during the past 10 years."

- Washington Post, July 29, 2000 -

Or perhaps he also missed this one.

"To study the history and future of heat, look at ice. That's the theory behind the latest evidence pointing toward the likelihood of global climate change. And what these studies are showing is that massive ice packs near the North and South Poles are diminishing in size."

"Using precise aerial mapping, NASA scientists have found that Greenland's ice cap is "rapidly thinning - at a rate of more than three feet a year in some places."

- Christian Science Monitor, July 25, 2000 -

I have to believe that some high ranking members of the Republican party will not be very pleased when they hear about this. They're trying to regain the White House while two self proclaimed Republican conservatives are on national TV giving their imitation of a baggy pants comedy team hitting each other over the head with rubber chickens.

This is the party we should vote for? I don't think so. They've offered no plan or even a suggestion as to what to do about global warming, even though the scientific proof of it grows each year. Hey, if you don't have a plan, just deny the problem's existence. Of course when you look at the two Republican candidates closely, you'll see that they are covered with oil. Yes, George W. ran an oil company in Midland, Texas and Dick Cheney, resigned a five year tenure as CEO of an oil company in Dallas, to run for Vice President. A Republican President and Vice President this time around means plenty for big oil and the environment be damned. Bush has already demonstrated this in Texas, which has one of the worst environmental records in the nation.

Finally, consider this from BBC News.

"A report by a coalition of US government agencies says that, on present trends, average US temperatures will rise by at least three degrees Celsius by 2100."

"There could be marked regional effects, including an end to cold winters in the north east US, and the demise of Florida's coral reefs."

And the report says "Every American, in one way or another, will feel the effects of global warming."

- BBC News, June 13, 2000

Addendum, February 18, 2001
Finally, there is this more recent item.

GENEVA (AP) - Poor countries and above all small island states, will be hardest hit by global warming, while melting ice caps and other changes in polar regions likely will continue for centuries, a new UN report says.

Even though the United States as a whole is less vulnerable, areas such as Florida are at great risk from rising sea levels, according to an initial draft of the report obtained by The Associated Press.

Government experts on Sunday finalized the report with results of extensive investigation into how global warming will affect different countries and regions of the world. The report, summarizing more than 1,000 pages of research conducted by some 700 scientists, was to be published Monday.

Yes Virginia, there is no Santa Claus and yes, Jerry, there is no global warming (if you say so).

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ken Kreps lives in the Pacific Northwest with his wife. He has written a number of published articles, essays and short stories, as well as numerous consumer and business pieces. Ken has also written scripts for Imagination Theater, an award winning audio drama series heard on over 150 commercial radio stations across the nation.

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