Be afraid, America! Be very afraid!
No matter how many times people like Nobel Laureate Al Gore claim that global warming isn't political, nothing can be further from the truth.
Take for example a bill in the California senate to require climate change be part of the science curricula in all public schools.
As reported in Friday's San Jose Mercury (emphasis added throughout, h/t Marc Sheppard):
A Silicon Valley lawmaker is gaining momentum with a bill that would require "climate change" to be among the science topics that all California public school students are taught.
The measure, by state Sen. Joe Simitian, D-Palo Alto, also would mandate that future science textbooks approved for California public schools include climate change.
Can you believe this nonsense? The warming part of the current cycle peaked in 1998, with nine consecutive cooler years since, and the largest state in the union is actually considering requiring the brainwashing of children with junk science.
And, since what happens legislatively in California typically sweeps the nation, be afraid, America! Be very afraid:
The state Senate approved the bill, SB 908, Jan. 30 by a 26-13 vote. It heads now to the state Assembly. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has taken numerous actions to reduce global warming, but he has yet to weigh in on Simitian's bill. Other Republicans in the Capitol, however, are not happy about the proposal.
Some say the science on global warming isn't clear, while others worry the bill would inject environmental propaganda into classrooms.
"I find it disturbing that this mandate to teach this theory is not accompanied by a requirement that the discussion be science-based and include a critical analysis of all sides of the subject," said Sen. Tom McClintock, R-Thousand Oaks, during the Senate debate.
Be afraid, America! Be very afraid, for McClintock is in the minority Party in the Senate, and the Assembly is also controlled by Democrats.
Add in a governor who seems to buy into this nonsense, and the brainwashing in California seems almost a metaphysical certitude.
How depressing.