If a trial was held wherein the jury ruled humans are not responsible for global warming, would the media report it or ignore it?
Well, such a trial did indeed occur – albeit by sixth-graders at a middle school in Colorado – and the jury found in favor of the skeptics.
Sadly, as a result, no media outlets addressed this event, or the surprising verdict.
As marvelously reported by the Daily Times-Call (emphasis added throughout):
With Earth’s warming accepted as a tenet, pre-teen “lawyers” and “scientists” debated whether humans have caused it.
Eleven jurors listened intently as prosecutors and defendants flashed contradictory graphs tracking global temperatures, carbon dioxide levels, polar ice cap statistics, volcanic activity and sea surface temperatures — all of which were found Wednesday in the school’s computer lab.
Outstanding. Fortunately, the best was yet to come:
“The earth has warmed and cooled over many years. If it’s caused by CO2, why haven’t the charts shot up?” Poppe’s son and lead prosecutor Caleb argued during a rebuttal.
In a climax that sent half the class to its feet and forced the judge to call for order, opponent Monique Nem slapped a contradictory graph onto the prosecution’s table.
“We’ve proven you wrong! The CO2 levels have shot up,” she said.
The jury responded more warmly, however, to Caleb Poppe’s response: The graphic cited a Hawaiian source; Hawaii has volcanoes; volcanoes emit CO2.
Wonderful. Absolutely wonderful. And here’s the delicious punch line:
In closing arguments, Alexia Hegy said global temperatures actually decreased in the 1960’s, while the global population rose. Humans cannot be at fault, she concluded.
[…]
Seven of 11 jurors decided humans are not to blame, but everyone agreed classroom debates make for fun learning.
So much for consensus.
Of course, the most important aspect of this event is likely how the media ignored it. Sure, this is just one middle school in a city outside of Boulder, Colorado, with a total population of 83,000.
However, given the huge attention being paid to global warming, and the Congressional testimony of soon-to-be-Dr. Al Gore just days prior, isn’t it rather safe to assume that if the verdict had gone for the AGW believers, this would have been covered as a puff piece by many media outlets?
Can’t you envision Meredith Viera and Matt Lauer getting all gooey over how darling these kids were, and how amazingly clever for their age? And doesn’t this just show how important and dire this issue is, and how clearly settled the debate if a group of sixth-graders can see the truth that the skeptics can't?
Of course, none of that happened because the outcome didn’t fit with the media’s view.
As a result, precious few will know that global warming is indeed being debated -- even by children -- and not everyone is as convinced as the alarmists in the media and their prophet, Al Gore, continue to arrogantly assert.
—Noel Sheppard is the Associate Editor of NewsBusters. Follow him at Facebook and Twitter.
Editor at Large
Comments Policy
(Cues "Witch Hunt"
March 24, 2007 - 10:49 ET by Unsane(Cues "Witch Hunt" by Rush...)
I firmly expect these children and their parents to hear a sharp knock at their doors at night at some point in the future, followed by violent beatings. Some of the even more unlucky ones just might go to a late-night drive to a forest not far away...
ESPECIALLY if Al Gore and Dr. Cullen get their way...
(ALL for that unfathomable crime of critical thinking! Why, this cannot be tolerated!!!)
"HAV3 TH3 BRIDG3S OF INSANITY B33N CROSS3D AND FOR3V3R R3TRACT3D???." - Meshuggah, "3ntrapm3nt", from Catch Thirty Thr33 (2005)
Dr. Cullen and 2 inches
March 24, 2007 - 11:03 ET by Gary HallDr. Cullen and 2 inches. I caught a bit of one of her specials last week, or so, in which the Florida everglades were the item. While there was acknowledgement that most of the Everglades had been rather negatively impacted, with substantial areas destroyed by development, farm runoff, and the depletion of the water table - here was the message of the show. Man is causing the oceans to rise. If the oceans rise only 2 more inches, the Everglades will be destroyed for ever. Gone. Man must act immediately to stop the ocean from rising.
Let's see. The oceans have risen some 400 feet (that's 4,800 inches) in the last 10-12,000 years. They have consistently continued to rise. But suddenly the next 2 inches, will cause irreversable destruction, and it is all man's fault. Oh, and we can stop it, if we change light bulbs.
Let's ask the 6th graders to talk to Dr. Cullen.
You know that if these kids h
March 24, 2007 - 10:51 ET by liberal_bug_zapperYou know that if these kids had found against man, that they'd be invited to Good Morning America and Diane Sawyer would be all over these kids proclaiming how cute they were and how important it is for us to listen to the children.
Of course, they find in favor of man and against alarmists, and you can hear crickets chirping.
____________________________________________________
"We can only reason from what is; we can reason on actualities, but not on possibilities." ~ Thomas Paine
BugZ - "Crickets chripin
March 24, 2007 - 12:43 ET by ThisnThatBugZ - "Crickets chriping"?? No way -- they've all been destroyed by global warming too, dontcha know.
Ordinarily I don't base my b
March 24, 2007 - 23:50 ET by BradzillaOrdinarily I don't base my beliefs on the findings of eleven-year-olds, but that is a fairly typical practice in the media: "See, even a child can see it..." - that sort of thing. Since this didn't fit the current agenda, it was passed over. These were obviously evil, ill-informed children, polluting the planet with their SUVs and private jets.
May the debate concept expand
March 24, 2007 - 10:56 ET by Gary HallMay this debate concept expand - to other issues as well.
Noel (great story - I had read this and passed it along to several friends - and to a few administrators). The critically important line..."but everyone agreed classroom debates make for fun learning."
Goodness. Imagine that if classrooms can discuss an issue, allowing views of others (other experts, past presidents, etc.) to be considered - what might be possible in our society if the MSM could implement such a concept.
Take immigration reform. Understanding that the MSM has no stomach for actually discussing the issues and that their view is solidly to the left of Teddy Kennedy''s, what would have occurred had they picked up on Bill Clinton's rather staunch support of President Bush's reform agenda? Then the MSM could have interjected into the debate the even more conservative majority views of the public (as polls have long illustrated). Ah, and then we might have had a discussion, an actual debate on the issues that the country wanted to have, instead of the line the media tried to shove down our throats. Immigration reform would have been a relative easy accomplishment for the congress had the media covered the news.
And so would the climate discussion. In fact it would be fun and rewarding for all of mankind.
Gary
March 24, 2007 - 11:10 ET by Noel SheppardGary,
Good morning.
Exactly. In fact, there are any number of pressing issues facing the nation and our species which could be discussed rationally and compellingly if everything wasn't immediately deemed a political issue by the media and politicians.
Just imagine how much more we could accomplish as a nation and a society if issues such as this could be fully examined in the light of day without the media circling the wagons to advance their view.
Of course, the question still remains whether such is possible. Can anybody actually report an event without his/her opinions impacting the analysis? Is this possible? ns
kind of a gray moning down here - ha
March 24, 2007 - 11:23 ET by Gary Hall"Can anybody actually report an event without his/her opinions impacting the analysis? Is this possible?"
Well, probably not, in most cases, but a little curiosity of opposing views would be encouraging.
Just to make the example again. When, for example, Bill Clinton, comes out and supports the view that they absolutely believed that the WMD's were there, that the "16 words" were no big deal, that Bush has immigration reform pretty darn right on (in Clinton's view - not mine), the media just simply does not cover it (I submit that it is suppression of views). They will not allow the confirmation [that the media is on the wrong side] out there to be included in the debate. Now, if Clinton came out and had spoken the other way around on those three issues (and many more) the media would have been awash with the coverage. That's because then it supports the media's agenda. We know, the same holds true for all recognized spokespersons; Byrd, Gore, Carter, etc.
Indeed, great story and good
March 24, 2007 - 11:13 ET by SumricaIndeed, great story and good testimony for this school...the teacher...in having the kids take a closer look at the global warming issue.
My Hometown!
March 24, 2007 - 11:28 ET by redtailIt was thrilling to see this story out of my hometown. Longmont, Colorado is a terrific place and I'm not at all surprised to see such common sense from its citizens. Well done!
That's why I live in Colora
March 24, 2007 - 12:07 ET by wiwfThat's why I live in Colorado. We may not have the brightest politicians, but hot damn, we kick ass!
Don’t believe a word they s
March 24, 2007 - 12:26 ET by TheTruthDon’t believe a word they say; they are in the pockets big oil companies!!!
Truth
March 24, 2007 - 12:31 ET by Noel SheppardTruth,
No question! :-) ns
Just wait, soon Big Oil will
March 24, 2007 - 12:49 ET by ThisnThatJust wait, soon Big Oil will have moved out of the U.S. to other countries, just like the libs want.
Oh no! They are UBIQUITOUS,
March 24, 2007 - 12:36 ET by dahliatraversOh no! They are UBIQUITOUS, those oil companies!
TheTruth--new TV show
March 24, 2007 - 12:39 ET by misterbillTheTruth--new TV show-- "Are you smarter than a SIXTH grader?".
Obviously,(having watched the real show re:Fifth grade), most of us (esp. GW fanatics) are not.
An ugly American is one who does not support his country.
Or one who supports it no m
March 24, 2007 - 21:27 ET byOr one who supports it no matter what the hell havoc it wreaks.
fast eddy's dad strikes again?
March 24, 2007 - 22:01 ET by RJNow, there's a bright statement. Looks like you're determined to prove fast eddy's dad correct, 7MS. What havoc would that be?
Stealing a page from l_b_z:
March 25, 2007 - 06:57 ET by Indiana JoeStealing a page from l_b_z: ...<crickets chirping>...
7MS - I realize you passionat
March 25, 2007 - 12:50 ET by Unsane7MS - I realize you passionately, deeply hate the United States because we actually LIKE to defend our interests around the world (including your right to whine about how much you hate the United States), but can you actually come up with something more substantive?
Can you possibly deal with the fact that no one else will pamper and spoil you, other than your own damn self, and move on with life? The countries that steal from its most successful and coddle everyone else have two things in common: 1) they are almost totally powerless and cry to the United States for help when something goes wrong and 2) They Are All Going Nowhere.
Besides, I spent a year in Korea and things sure seemed peaceful enough. Of course, that infuriates you: you'd much rather the entire pen be ruled by the Kim dynasty in Pyongyang.
"HAV3 TH3 BRIDG3S OF INSANITY B33N CROSS3D AND FOR3V3R R3TRACT3D???." - Meshuggah, "3ntrapm3nt", from Catch Thirty Thr33 (2005)
On whiny Leftists and moderating
March 25, 2007 - 21:51 ET by UnsaneI guess that whiny Leftists would much rather moderate the posts with which they disagree instead of discussing the points. Besides, it is much easier to do.
"HAV3 TH3 BRIDG3S OF INSANITY B33N CROSS3D AND FOR3V3R R3TRACT3D???." - Meshuggah, "3ntrapm3nt", from Catch Thirty Thr33 (2005)
Yes, if the verdict had gone
March 24, 2007 - 12:32 ET by dahliatraversYes, if the verdict had gone the other way, I could easily see Katie earnestly reporting on the trial and concluding, "Let us all take heed of the wisdom of these precocious youngsters and the message of warning they have brought to mankind".
I remember hearing about the
March 24, 2007 - 12:54 ET by HypocriteHaterI remember hearing about the mock trials being done in schools that were favorable to impeaching Bush. Somehow I get the feeling I won't be hearing much about this global warming trial.
ask the 6th graders about plate tectonics
March 28, 2007 - 22:41 ET by citizen xthey probably don't follow the intricacies of biological diveristy and hybrid vigor, also.. unfortunately our media and government are on a 6th grade level. why make kids do this stuff before they have even had physics class? and who is reporting it? and why?
rethink tank needed
March 24, 2007 - 15:11 ET by foolnomorehay'"Big Al": Honest words, from the of mouths," of & for the thinking children",
The Debates
March 24, 2007 - 15:20 ET by pbthinkerThe Global Warming crowd is losing debates, from 6th graders to their experts. Gore's been challenged to a debate, which he has refused to do. It appears that, if the "facts" of global warming are put to the test, they fail. Hopefully, there will be enough debate to quiet them down for 10 years or so. You know, the next severe hurricane to hit the U.S. is going to bring the debate back again.
... or the next glacier calvi
March 24, 2007 - 15:27 ET by dahliatravers... or the next glacier calving ... or tornado cluster ... or moon tide ...
Well, gosh, if 6th graders ha
March 24, 2007 - 15:38 ET by balboaWell, gosh, if 6th graders have decided it isn't true, then I'm sold! Can I get one of these tweens to check out my 401(k) and advise me on tax shelters, too?
Given a choice between just
March 24, 2007 - 15:43 ET by Jack BauerGiven a choice between just the two, I'd rather take the advice of the average sixth grader than Al Gore anyday...
At least they probably haven't perfected the art of being two-faced, demagoging, lying hypocrites yet.
Given the past "accura
March 24, 2007 - 15:47 ET by sarcasmoGiven the past "accuracy" of the IRS on tax issues when asked, it's about as good a bet as any. People here just keep making my points for me, left & right!! Now it's the right's turn, I guess...
JMR
balbozo...
March 24, 2007 - 15:54 ET by Guy Arthur Thomasbalbozo...no, no, don't be so hasty. You should probably wait until it is so obvious that 2nd graders can deduce it isn't anthropogenic....then you will feel safer and not so intimidated. Back to you balbozo at the Democrat Apologylooza.
Shut up and blog! If you claim to be a conservative, please don't disgrace yourself and conservatism by thinking and arguing like a liberal. Go Rudy!
The Earth has been in a warmi
March 24, 2007 - 15:42 ET by Gat New YorkThe Earth has been in a warming trend before we were around. The issue should be framed to what degree our actions have adversely affected that. That should be a scientific debate and not a political one. Based on facts one would conclude that the real problem is that we are too self-important in believing that in a mere 25 years we can destroy a world that has been around for 6,400,000,000 years.
Quote of the Week from GNY
March 24, 2007 - 15:57 ET by Guy Arthur ThomasGNY, excellent and I vote this as quote of the week!
"the real problem is that we are too self-important in believing that in
a mere 25 years we can destroy a world that has been around for
6,400,000,000 years."
Shut up and blog! If you claim to be a conservative, please don't disgrace yourself and conservatism by thinking and arguing like a liberal. Go Rudy!
sixth graders
March 24, 2007 - 16:14 ET by DontabMy hats off to those sixth graders, apparently the indoctrination isn't working.
Gorbal warming is a sickness, not a science.
Algore a fraud
March 24, 2007 - 20:50 ET by bulbasaur"The debate is over in the scientific community" -- Al Gore
Scholars don't talk like this. Real intellectuals are repulsed by this arrogant usurpation of science for political goals.
When Al Gore said these shocking words, he showed his hand; he's a con artist. Fortunately, real scientists are coming out into the open to debunk Al Gore's anti-scientific cult of global warming.
Will America listen?
So easy a sixth grader can
March 24, 2007 - 22:19 ET by talkingfoolSo easy a sixth grader can do it.
The debate is over?? Al, budd
March 25, 2007 - 09:29 ET by dahliatraversThe debate is over?? Al, buddy, it's just gearing up. You may want to strap in. It's gonna be a bumpy ride.
However, given the huge att
March 26, 2007 - 13:31 ET by JasonCHowever, given the huge attention being paid to global warming, and the
Congressional testimony of soon-to-be-Dr. Al Gore just days prior,
isn’t it rather safe to assume that if the verdict had gone for the AGW
believers, this would have been covered as a puff piece by many media
outlets?
An
interesting trend I've noticed on NewsBusters lately has been to look
at a story that the MsM either did or did not cover that in and of
itself is of no consequence, and then say "Well, imagine if it had been
the other way around, then I'm SURE they would have done x, y, and z."
This
sort of baseless conjecture is the sort of argument invoked by those
who have no rhetorical ground to stand on. It's going on right now at
the article about the last supper dogs: "What if the dog had been
Mohammed, then what would the MsM do?"
The fact is that the verdict of a bunch of precocious 6th graders is utterly meaningless one way or the other. Global Warming being discussed in middle schools all over the country, so to suggest that the outcome of ONE mock debate, and its absence from the national news, is some sort of cover up, is just absurd.
One person suggested that it's the height of arrogance for us to think we could have an effect upon the 6,400,000,000-year-old Earth's climate in 25 years. I think it's the height of ignorance for anyone that hasn't exhaustively researched climatology, or at least read hundreds of papers on the subject to so forcefully say that GW is or is not a hoax. That includes Al Gore, the MsM, and, I imagine 99.99% of the posters here (including me). That article last week, for instance, in which someone got frostbite going on a GW research expedition, might seem funny and ironic, but to imagine that the whole issue is so simple is just irresponsible.
"If their sins were as scarlet, they are now white as snow" Isaiah 1:18
JasonC
March 26, 2007 - 14:16 ET by Noel SheppardJC,
With all due respect, who are you to determine what is and what is not worthy of discussion at a message board? If people here -- including the writers -- care to posit how an issue might have been covered by the press if "a" had been "b", isn't that quite what message boards were created for on the Internet -- to discuss possibilities and probabilities?
If you believe that this "trial" wouldn't have been covered by the media if the outcome had gone the other way, that is your right. However, in the past couple of weeks, there has been a global warming debate in NYC at which the skeptics handily beat the believers as demonstrated by pre- and post-debate polls of the audience, and now a mock trial on the same issue at a junior high. In both instances, the media total ignored it.
If you feel this is irrelevant, fine. But, don't come here telling others that their idiots to even discuss it.
Finally, please be more specific about how irresponsible it was to report the news of two global warmingists getting frostbite during a trip to prove how warm the planet is getting. ns
Funny you would say that, Jason
March 26, 2007 - 14:42 ET by RJI think it's the height of ignorance for anyone that hasn't exhaustively researched climatology, or at least read hundreds of papers on the subject to so forcefully say that GW is or is not a hoax. That includes Al Gore, the MsM, and, I imagine 99.99% of the posters here (including me). That article last week, for instance, in which someone got frostbite going on a GW research expedition, might seem funny and ironic, but to imagine that the whole issue is so simple is just irresponsible.
Ha. Funny you would say that, Jason, when it's the Warmists who are trying so desperately to shut down debate.
Noel, forgive me, but I don
March 26, 2007 - 15:35 ET by JasonCNoel, forgive me, but I don't understand your line of reasoning here. This is a site devoted to discussions about media bias, yes? But my contention that it's disingenuous to attack the media not for what it reports on but for the way that it theoretically might have reported had the situation at hand been reversed is akin to calling people idiots? Have you known me to be a name-caller Noel? I'm not Ann Coulter or SportPolitics. All I'm saying is that I find the premise of your article, that a 6th-grade mock debate wasn't covered by the MsM and this is just more evidence in the that the media is biased toward global warming alarmism, to be a bit much. When I was in 6th grade, we had a mock presidential debate and Bill Clinton won. I don't recall the media reporting on it, though I'm sure they would have loved to get their hands on that story since Clinton only beat Bush and Perot due to the MsM's influence, right? Just like the house and senate in 2006, right??
As to the frostbite thing, any serious Global Warming believer will tell you that GW has the effect of radicalizing temperatures in both directions. Yes, it has "warming" in its name, but it is still marked by extreme cold. Thus, to characterize the expedition as an inherent failure since it was interrupted by cold, while ironic in terms of the misnomer "Global Warming", isn't really accurate.
Let me add on that note that I'm not all that convinced by Global Warming alarmists myself and I find Gore to be as obnoxious as the rest of you. But I also find the anti-GW types to be just as fanatical in their belief that environmentalism is dedicated to shutting down American life as we know it. As far as the media's so-called obsession with GW, I come across far more articles about it in Newsbusters than I do in the MsM.
"If their sins were as scarlet, they are now white as snow" Isaiah 1:18
JC
March 26, 2007 - 16:08 ET by Noel SheppardJC,
First of all, this is a bit of a puff piece. C'mon, it's kids younger than my daughter debating global warming. It's a yarn. It's adorable. And, it's right up the alley of the morning shows, Katie Couric, and all of the 24-hour news stations desperately looking for content. As such, you're taking this too seriously.
However, I do believe that if the decision had gone in favor of the believers, this would have been covered. Why? Because we've already been told by various news producers and editors that they're all watching the Drudge Report. Was that debate you did in 6th grade about Clinton covered by Drudge? I don't think so. Was there Google and Yahoo news at the time allowing folks to punch in keywords to find stories about issues they're following? No.
Next to Iraq and Anna Nicole Smith, the big issue of the day currently is global warming. Every little snippet about this matter is being covered -- except, of course, that which questions its veracity.
As for extreme cold being part of global warming, if you actually believe that part of a warming cycle in temperatures includes extreme cold, I've got some dot-com stocks to sell you. This is actually the greatest part of the hoax - it doesn't matter how hot or cold it gets, it's ALL caused by global warming. Honestly, JC, you can't possibly be buying this end of the con! Please say it isn't so!!!
As for NB's obsession with AGW, those of us that believe the nation is being conned by Gore and his cronies have to speak much louder and much more frequently. This is similar to speaking bearishly about tech stocks in 1999 and 2000. As the media were all pumping the bubble, there were very few skeptics. To be heard, those that were had to speak louder and much more often.
Let's put this in a more recent perspective that should hit closer to home: Don't you wish the few antiwar voices in the media had spoken more loudly and often between October 2002 and March 19, 2003? See my point? ns
While Earth is 4b years old,
March 26, 2007 - 20:00 ET by dahliatraversWhile Earth is 4b years old, there has effectively been "climate" on Earth since approximately 550,000,000 years ago. We have been measuring temperature with thermometers for 150 years. In view of the lack of data (measurements) from 550,000,000 years to150 years ago, JasonC, how can we say that any measurement is a radical temperature swing?
JasonC. 1.) A couple of w
March 26, 2007 - 14:40 ET by dahliatraversJasonC.
1.) A couple of weeks ago, Katie Couric was asking if a bad tornado cluster was a sign of global warming. You honestly don't think she and lots of other newsreaders and commentators wouldn't have seized on and trumpeted the results of this mock jury if it had gone the other way?
2.) You are wrong that it is "baseless conjecture" on the part of NewsBusters to assert that the slant by the msm would have been different on a particular story if it had been "the other way around". You have been a poster on NB for almost a year and so have been witness to a year's worth of evidence of the serious inconsistancy of the msm.
3.) You raise the matter of what the msm would have done if the canine last supper "artwork" had depicted a Muslim holy event. How about polygamy? Jack Bauer pointed out a gross inconsistancy in how the New York Times frames it - specifiying that Mormons engage in it in one article but failing to point out that Islam is the basis for the practice in another article.
4.) I will resist diving into the question of global warming with you unless you insist. But perhaps, after all, you have not been reading NewsBusters for the last year. Anyone who had would never have concluded that NewsBusters or its posters believes that global warming is a simple issue. On the contrary. As to irresponsible, the most irresponsible party in this discussion has been Al Gore and others who claim that the "case is closed" and the "scientific community agrees". Nothing could be further from the truth. Evidence and analysis presented BY EXPERTS AND CLIMATOLOGISTS, JasonC, continues to accrue on both sides of the issue. If it's all the same to you AGW believers, we'd like to look at all of the evidence and hear from all of the EXPERTS AND CLIMATOLOGISTS before closing the case and shutting down the United States economy.