Andrew Crystall wrote:
<me>
>> No
>> one appears to be interested in a "solution" that involves them not
>> owning a car, for example; no one likes a solution that involves the
>> price of gas going up; no one, in short, likes solutions that may make
>> a major change in their way of life.
>
>True. What WE suggest is that legislation forces car
>manufacturers, from, say 6 months time to use Fuel Cells, NOT
>conventional engines in all their cars.
>
>So new cars cost a bit more...people WILL accept that, and the
>befefits will filter down through the years as a greater and greater
>percentage HAVE fuel cells..
>
Yup. Compromise is a fine, if not a particularly fufilling, art. I
greatly admire those who have mastered it.
>> No one likes a paradigm shift...
>
>What paradigm shift? I don't see any happening.
The above *is* a paradigm shift. To accept that some things must be
sacrificed for the good of this massive, nebulous concept we call "the
environment" is a major shift. It's just happening with glacial slowness.
(Cool question of my dad's: how many ecosystems are there?)
>> problem, or the heartily reassuring appearance of trained protestors
>> demanding that free trade be regulated by at least *some* sense of
>> morality.
>
>Uh-huh. You mean the whackos who riot every time world leaders
>meet? Sorry, all THEY do is give themselves (and since some are
>greeners, enviromentalism!) a bad name.
Actually, from what I've heard, it's more the media giving them a bad
name. I remember listening to NPR during the Seattle protests: they kept
talking about "the violence of the riots" "the violent rioters" et
cetera. Finally someone called up and said, "*What* violence?" and there
was this pause and someone said, "They've lit some dumpsters on fire."
Apart from the nasty stuff done by the police, who are just doing their
jobs, the protests have been remarkably violence-free, concentrating on
property distruction or the like. As far as I've heard, anyway. Does
anyone know anything about anybody being hurt in the protests beside the
protesters?
At any rate, I support planned protest. Make lots of noise. Why not?
Sooner or later people will have to pay attention. If you don't believe
that, look at what was said about the unions earlier this century.
Kat Feete
------------
Never raise your hands to your kids. It leaves your groin
unprotected.
- George Carlin
