Letter: Don’t accept it without questioning it

By Letter to the Editor on April 10, 2021.

Dear editor,

After reading Lynn Thacker’s March 26 letter in the News, I could see many readers saying, “climate change is a hoax, as a ‘highly respected MIT scientist’ says so.”

How many readers, however, would bother to check Dr. Richard Lindzen’s credentials? I did, and when the second source on the search was titled “Climate Misinformation by Source – Richard Lindzen,” it immediately caught my attention.

After further reading, I found that Dr. Lindzen is frequently described as a “contrarian,” meaning he takes a side in opposition to others. That doesn’t mean he’s wrong in his views; it just means he may not be right either.

Mr. Thacker clearly knows the issue has two sides, “after following this global apocalypse movement for the last few decades,” but he has chosen an authority to present only one side. The Conservative Party is, according to Mr. Thacker’s letter, also clearly split on the issue and has chosen, for the moment at least, to take one side. They may be right or they may be wrong; time will tell.

Everyone has an “agenda,” meaning that we all have opinions we defend, things we believe are true. The climate change movement, the Conservative Party, Mr. Thacker, and I will admit, even I have an agenda – to convince us that one side is right; the other is wrong.

Mr. Thacker attacks the climate change movement for using “fear” in forwarding their views. Sometimes fear is a good thing. Whether climate change proves to be disastrous or not, I presently am fearful about the future my children and the grandchildren I may someday have.

A real danger stems from accepting one side’s view on the issue without questioning it, for the sake of future generations.

Michael Seitz

Medicine Hat

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