Czech President Klaus Whines About ‘Sacrificing Freedom for the Planet’

Who knew that the president of the Czech Republic is just another Republican in the vein of Bush and Cheney? Last week President Vaclav Klaus said he’s ready to debate Al Gore on global warming, but that “he [Gore]’s not too much willing to make such a conversation”. Klaus, if Al Gore gave in to every conservative douche that wanted to debate him about global warming, he’d never have time to eat or sleep. Klaus is pushing the English version of his book, which argues that environmentalism poses a threat to basic human freedoms. Egads.

From The Earth Times:

Klaus was speaking a the National Press Building in Washington to present his new book, Blue Planet in Green Shackles - What Is Endangered: Climate or Freedom?, before meeting with Vice President Dick Cheney Wednesday.

“My answer is it is our freedom and, I might add, and our prosperity,” he said.

Gore a former US vice president who has become a leading international voice in the cause against global warming, was co-winner of this year’s Nobel Peace Prize. Gore’s effort was highlighted by his Oscar winning documentary film An Inconvienent Truth.

Klaus, an economist, said he opposed the “climate alarmism” perpetuated by environmentalism trying to impose their ideals, comparing it to the decades of communist rule he experienced growing up in Soviet-dominated Czechoslovakia.

“Like their (communist) predecessors, they will be certain that they have the right to sacrifice man and his freedom to make their idea reality,” he said.

“In the past, it was in the name of the Marxists or of the proletariat - this time, in the name of the planet,” he added.

Klaus is concerned that environmentalism will limit the continued rise of technology and progress. Because, apparently, progress means continuing with unsustainable, selfish, dirty practices that harm the planet and everything on it – including humans. Many conservatives that share Klaus’ viewpoints seem to feel as if progress and pollution-emitting technology are irreversibly linked – as if we can’t continue to move forward in a smarter, more sustainable way.

Klaus believes that the answer isn’t government regulations, but rather allowing the free market to address environmental concerns. Isn’t that just what we need? Let’s allow profit-hungry corporations to make all of the decisions that will determine whether we slow or stop our death march toward the destruction of the planet (the only one we have to live on, in case you forgot), or simply enjoy the sorts of modern money-making luxuries that we’re used to while we’re still around. Who cares about the generations to come?

Where did this idea come from, that we are so entitled to this lifestyle and all that comes with it, including spewing millions of tons of carbon into the atmosphere via factories, motor vehicles and other modern inventions? Global warming deniers continue to hide behind the faulty idea that scientific facts about global warming are nothing more than propaganda. They’re trying to turn the ‘greed’ accusation around on environmentalists, claiming that efforts to stop harmful practices is all part of a big conspiracy to take their precious money.

Poor Klaus. Change is scary, I know. You and all the other deniers here in our own country that chant the tired old “you’re taking away our American lifestyle” refrain can’t imagine a world without your coal-fired power plants, SUVs and ridiculously large homes. The thing is, no matter how frightened you are of a society that asks you to go without those things, climate change is much scarier. Perhaps you all just have a death wish: you want to perish clinging tenaciously to your dirty, comforting modern luxuries and leave the consequences for others to deal with. Well, honestly, most of us don’t care if that’s what you do. But we’re not going along with it. Lead, follow or get out of the way.

Link [Earth Times]
Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons