THINK GLOBALLY, CULL LOCALLY
Mark Steyn
The anti-western anti-human totalitarianism of the environmental movement
grows ever more explicit. I'm very sad to see my old friend Alex Renton
reduced to peddling this sort of self-loathing claptrap: The worst thing
that you or I can do for the planet is to have children. If they behave
as the average person in the rich world does now, they will emit some
11 tonnes of CO½ every year of their lives. In their turn, they
are likely to have more carbon-emitting children who will make an even
bigger mess...
In 2050, 95% of the extra population will be poor and the poorer you are,
the less carbon you emit. By today's standards, a cull of Australians
or Americans would be at least 60 times as productive as one of Bangladeshis...
As Rachel Baird, who works on climate change for Christian Aid, says:
"Often in the countries where the birth rate is highest, emissions
are so low that they are not even measurable. Look at Burkina Faso."
So why ask them to pay in unborn children for our profligacy..?
But how do you reduce population in countries where women's rights are
already achieved and birth-control methods are freely available? Could
children perhaps become part of an adult's personal carbon allowance?
Could you offer rewards: have one child only and you may fly to Florida
once a year? After all, based on current emissions and life expectancy,
one less British child would permit some 30 women in sub-Saharan Africa
to have a baby and still leave the planet a cleaner place.
Speaking of genetic predispositions, Alex's dad was a Tory minister under
Mrs. Thatcher — whereas Alex would appear to be more comfortable
with Soviet-style restrictions on freedom of movement: Agree to abort
your kid and the state will get you a special exit visa for two weeks
in Florida. Even if you overlook the control-freak totalitarianism, the
argument is drivel. Much of "the rich world," including threesevenths
of the G7 (Germany, Italy, Japan), is already in net population decline.
And in those parts that aren't, such as the United Kingdom, population
growth is driven almost entirely by mass immigration: Those Bangladeshis
with their
admirably low emissions move to Yorkshire and before you know it develop
a carbon footprint as big as your guilt-ridden liberal environmentalist's.
Thanks to immigration, Britain's population is set to swell by 15 percent,
with attendant emissions increases. So why not call not just for compulsory
sterilization but an end to immigration, too?
Keep all those Bangladeshis in Bangladesh, where they can't destroy the
planet. Ah, but that would all get a bit complicated for Guardian readers,
wouldn't it?
Alex will get his way. Much of "the rich world" has essentially
opted for voluntary extinction. The notion that the planet will be a much
cleaner place left to the tender mercies of the Chinese pollutoburo, the
new caliphate, and the exploding megalopolises of coastal Africa might
strike many as somewhat fanciful. But no doubt the last three Guardian-reading
liberal environmentalists extant will still reckon it's all our fault.
[UPDATE: Alex finds time to praise the results of China's population control.
Boy, there's an environmental paradise.]
Senior Bishops Warn that Christians Are Being Discriminated
Against in Great Britain
A group of Church of England Bishops have accused the government of discriminating
against Christians while treating other faiths more leniently. Lord Carey
called on the government to end its "discrimination"
In a letter to the Sunday Telegraph, the bishops claim traditional Christian
beliefs are being sidelined. They highlight the case of an NHS nurse who
was moved
from front-line duties after refusing to remove her cross. Signatories
of the letter, headed “Deeply concerned” include the former
Archbishop of Canterbury, Lord Carey, and the Bishops of Winchester and
Blackburn. They accuse nurse Shirley Chaplin's employers of treating her
beliefs with disrespect, while happily allowing symbols of other religions
to be worn. Crucifixes are an important symbol and the government should
end its "discrimination", they argued. Ms Chaplin, from Exeter,
is fighting for the right to openly wear a crucifix at work.
The church leaders said it was unacceptable in a civilised society to
dismiss Christians from their jobs over matters of conscience. The letter
reads: "We are deeply concerned at the apparent discrimination shown
against Christians and we call on the government to remedy this serious
development. "In a number of cases, Christian beliefs on marriage,
conscience and worship are simply not being upheld. “There have been
numerous dismissals of practising Christians from employment for reasons
that are unacceptable in a civilised country."
A Communities and Local Government spokesperson said: "We're committed
to valuing the contribution that Christians make within British society.
This is evident through our engagement with a wide range of Christian
churches at national, regional and local level."
Despite the claims of the British government about valuing the contribution
of Christians, it has passed legislation disallowing Catholic schools
to oppose abortion, contraception and homosexuality in their teaching
on moral issues. Furthermore, the government has insisted that the Church
include homosexuals in its adoption programs. A number of dioceses have
closed their adoption programs rather than comply. - Babette Francis
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