So, I visit the Rants and Raves section of Craigslist Minneapolis every once in a while and enjoy reading the posts. Sometimes I reply and sometimes I get responses to my replies. Some guy was ranting about how global warming is nothing to worry about and how the “lefties” want to destroy the economy and such. Well, I replied. The fool didn’t realize how the CL system works and instead replied directly to me.

Here is the text of the little flamewar that developed between us. It is quite funny and normally I don’t engage such people, but since my job sucks and I am bored at work…well:

First he sent a link to this story:
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=53902
(Notice the link? I knew immediately that I was dealing with “one of them”.)

My reply: “Nice try, but people like you are getting left behind. And thank God that is the case, finally.”

His reply: “Like I said, you can’t argue the facts and therefore lose the debate in a shutout.”

My reply: “Can’t argue facts? What are you talking about? For every scientist you cite, I can cite 10 more that disagree with your scientists. What is the point of even debating you when it is going to be a stalemate each time? All I know is your kind is being left behind and humanity will be better for it.”

This is where it gets good…I imagined him frothing at the mouth, TV tuned to Fox News and Rush Limbaugh blabbering in the background.

His reply: “1,000 years ago 9 out of 10 scientists believed the earth was flat and that the sun rotated around the earth!!!! These same types said we were heading for another ice age in the 70’s and we would be out of oil by 1990!!!!! I read it every week during the early 70’s for 4 years in current events classes. We were all doomed to freezing to death!! Mount St Helens put more caustic pollution into the air in 1980 than did all man-made pollution combined through the whole industrial age. Remember Paul Erlich’s book, ‘The Population Bomb” from 1970. A well respected scientist that used models to predict the end of civilization by 1996 due to overpopulation. Hmmm, was he right? How much money and time was wasted on the Y2K bomb that never came???? All my 1980’s technology worked and still works today without changing a thing. For every scientist you show me that has been right about something, I can show you 10 that have been wrong!! It is not science when they all agree. It is a mobocracy that stifles curiosity and pure unbiased thought and is the opposite of what scientists are supposed to do.

“All studies are based on measurements input into computer models programmed by humans with an anti-American/anti-capitalism agenda or by their own greed!! Yes scientists have a healthy self interest in getting ahead too. If they prove that humans cause global warming or can change the earths climate patterns, they will receive endless government grants and salaries funded by taxpayers. If you are foolish enough to believe they are unbiased, which appears to be the case, how much will you believe them when they decide to gore your ox? You also seem to think that these 9 out of 10 scientists are so pure and honest that it does not cross your mind that they may be in positions to hurt other scientists that don’t conform to their theories. Just look at what Dr. Williams cited as proof. The weather channel woman wanted to retaliate by stripping other scientists of their accreditation!! Of course, good intentions justify the means in your eyes, right?

“If your scientists are so right, explain why the last ice age ended, why we had a second mini ice age, why we have not run out of oil, and why old oil fields once thought to be used up are now again producing oil? Do you trust the scientists employed by the drug companies as much as trust the climate scientists? You did not argue against one point Dr. Williams made. Not one.

“What is so funny about hypocrites is how they rationalize their hypocrisy and double standards. The government you hated so much the last 6 years is the same government you love today. Nothing has changed there and nothing will. It never does. You don’t care how rotten, liberty stifling, and corrupt it is as long as your guys are in charge. The same ones you want to run your healthcare. The same ones that have spent all the social security money for the last 42 years. Yes, I can see why you would trust them now. The government loving types are just as guilty of ramming their morals down our throats as the right wing types. The difference is, the right wing uses persuasive debate while the left uses coercive force provided by the only source with the legal monopoly on the use of said force. The US gubment!! The tax code is a prime example. The left loves taxes because they can control our behaviors with them.

“You and your kind are never held responsible for being wrong. The unintended consequences of self important do-gooders intentions simply create more idiotic solutions to problems we should not have had to deal with in the first place. Please, spare me the inane drivel and platitudes and stop spamming my system. My response was intended to be on Craigslist for public debate and a variety of opinions. I did not know it would go to a personal e-mail and I apologize that it went to you directly.

“I am all for sane and reasonable measures to reduce emissions. Just not the kind that lower our standards of living and bring our economies to their knees for no reason other that to give job security to bureaucrats, lobbyists, and mollify whiny control freak leftists who so detest that which made America great using the force of gubment to impose their morals on the majority. It is not all-intrusive government that made it great. It is liberty loving rugged indivdualism that made it great. Leftist detest individualism everywhere but for sex and drugs. They want total individual liberty in those areas. There, anything goes. Nope, no concern for the effects on socicety in those two areas!! Whatever my ‘KIND” is, we will all be left behind if you and your KIND continue to believe that gubment makes America great.

“Try reading John Stossel’s latest books. He was of the same mind as many leftists but finally has seen the light.”

My reply: “When you wrote: “anti-American/anti-capitalism” that’s all I needed to know. You clearly are incapable of “persuasive debate” and I am not going to waste my time. Keep stamping out your parts for industry and let those who know more about climate change worry about the environment. Deal?

“I do need to point one thing out, though. I laughed when you wrote, “The unintended consequences of self important do-gooders intentions simply create more idiotic solutions to problems we should not have had to deal with in the first place.”

“I did find this statement quite ironic given the seemingly ignorant “self-important, do-gooders” who have continually changed the reasons for going into Iraq and now are once again trying to sell a “solution to problems” the White House and inept civilian military leadership has created.

“See, those on the left aren’t alone in being do-gooders. Doesn’t that make you feel great as none of us are immune?

“And don’t blame me for you not understanding how a simple system like CL works, buddy. You seem to be the only person who can’t understand how it works.

“Actually, thank you for making me laugh. I am going to forward your e-mail to all my tree-hugging, liberal, free-sex, capitalism-hatin’-gay-marriage havin’-abortion-lovin’, cut-and-run friends so they can all laugh, too.

“I’ll stay out of Coon Rapids as long as you stay out of Uptown. Sound like a plan?

“Have a pleasant day…

“P.S. John Stossel realized that there are more ignorant people than educated people so he changed his views to sell more books.”