I heard about this on the radio, but I did not know where the story came from. Fortunately, Carol at The Median Sib did (from the UselessA Today)
Al Gore has spoken: The world must embrace a "carbon-neutral lifestyle." To do otherwise, he says, will result in a cataclysmic catastrophe. "Humanity is sitting on a ticking time bomb," warns the website for his film, An Inconvenient Truth. "We have just 10 years to avert a major catastrophe that could send our entire planet into a tailspin."
Graciously, Gore tells consumers how to change their lives to curb their carbon-gobbling ways: Switch to compact fluorescent light bulbs, use a clothesline, drive a hybrid, use renewable energy, dramatically cut back on consumption. Better still, responsible global citizens can follow Gore's example, because, as he readily points out in his speeches, he lives a "carbon-neutral lifestyle." But if Al Gore is the world's role model for ecology, the planet is doomed.
Public records reveal that as Gore lectures Americans on excessive consumption, he and his wife Tipper live in two properties: a 10,000-square-foot, 20-room, eight-bathroom home in Nashville, and a 4,000-square-foot home in Arlington, Va. (He also has a third home in Carthage, Tenn.) For someone rallying the planet to pursue a path of extreme personal sacrifice, Gore requires little from himself.
Ah, the old standard progressive "do as I say, not as I do." Much like Babs Streisand and her huge, environmentally unfriendly, water hogging, AC using, house in California. Laurie David and her screaming at SUV drivers, then jumping in a private jet that uses more fuel crossing the country then most cars use in a year. Or how about Arriana Huffington saying "it was going that way anyhow" about the private jets she takes.
But, still, nothing takes the cake like Al Gore, who thinks that global warming is more important an issue then global terrorism, yet ignored both during his years as a Senator and as Vice President.
Humanity might be "sitting on a ticking time bomb," but Gore's home in Carthage is sitting on a zinc mine. Gore receives $20,000 a year in royalties from Pasminco Zinc, which operates a zinc concession on his property. Tennessee has cited the company for adding large quantities of barium, iron and zinc to the nearby Caney Fork River.
The issue here is not simply Gore's hypocrisy; it's a question of credibility. If he genuinely believes the apocalyptic vision he has put forth and calls for radical changes in the way other people live, why hasn't he made any radical change in his life? Giving up the zinc mine or one of his homes is not asking much, given that he wants the rest of us to radically change our lives.
These people, like Gore, on the Left who claim to love the environment, but then are continuously caught being obsessed, over the top, and hypocritical. Maybe if they practiced what they preached (and didn't over do it, too), people would actually listen.
LINKY LOVE…
Teach is one of my favorite bloggers; he’s an intellegent smart-ass; you know, the perfect guy.
Me loves your Al Bore post honey; but you overlooked one thing. The real cause of global warming.
The man really should think before he speaks.
….
On the off-chance that the Pirate’s Cove crew have any interest in the truth, I will append my comment to the Median Sib:
(First of 4 Responses to “Al Gore – Inconveniently Not Green†on the Median Sib)
Peter Schweizer’s piece has many mistakes and, I believe is in fundamental error.
Mistakes for example:
• The zinc mine is closed and Gore receives nothing from that. (see the USA Today retraction that they published on page 10A.)
• Albert Gore SENIOR, not Al, owned Oxy stock, and that was sold SIX years ago!
As to the fundamental error: Like the rest of us, myself, Schweizer, and — dare I suggest it (wink)– my median sib included, Gore does not, I’m sure, perfectly reflect his professed values in his daily life. So what? I believe he has been an important leader in trying to understand and protect the environment. I know of no reason to think him insincere. So what? He has raised very provocative issues and presented a great deal of supporting evidence deserving serious discussion whether the messenger is pure enough for Mr. Schweizer or not.
Instead of more ad hominem attacks on Gore, why doesn’t the right wing try countering his arguments. Disagree with him and me? Fine. Give us evidence that the earth isn’t warming, that we don’t need to change our ways, etc. Could it be that Greenland really is not losing a huge proportion of its icecap? That the Kilimanjaro glaciers are not disappearing? That weather patterns are not changing? That man is not having a detrimental effect on the environment? Great. Explain it to me.
Here’s the retraction:
http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/news/20060817/correx17.art.htm
Here are some responses including one from Al & Tipper Gore’s office:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/2006-08-16-gore-letters_x.htm
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Another responsible blogger has responded to Peter Schweizer’s hit piece:
http://wpblog.ohpinion.com/?p=997