Ecological connections

What does global warming have to do with abortion and school shootings?  You know that silent voice in your head that sometimes nags you.  That’s what I was hearing.  I thought these decisions may follow the standard plot of a good thriller:  A leads to B which leads to C and, at the end, the bad guys are exposed.

So, I asked Professor Derk Bryan, intrepid EPA investigator and author of the “Top Ten Ways to Reduce Global Warming,” to search for clues that may connect these seemingly disparate events.  It was a long shot, but I had a hunch.

The Professor arrived on an electric motorcycle, parked in my driveway and hurried to meet me.  Knowing he has a penchant for craft beers, I was about to offer him one until I realized it was not yet noon.  He had a glint in one eye and a wad of books in hand.  Before I share with you his findings, let me offer a little background.

Recently there were three controversial Supreme Court decisions.  I doubt you missed them but just in case, let me refresh you.  One allows easy access to guns including AR15s to teenagers.  Another restricted the right of women to control their own bodies, not ironically, by five men.  The third, of salient interest to me as a writer of eco-thrillers, struck down the EPA’s authority to regulate emissions from utility companies, particularly emissions that add to global warming.  The latter decision was particularly troublesome in that global warming poses the greatest threat to human health in our history.

“They’re all connected,” said the Professor before we got to the front door.

He continued as we walked to my office.  “Do you remember the Koch brothers?”

Billionaires from fossil fuels I recalled, so I nodded confirmation.

“During 80s and 90s the brothers, Charles and David, formed a billionaires club with one essential goal:  to finance candidates for public office that would support the exploration of fossil fuels while simultaneously thwarting laws that would regulate the environmental damage caused thereby,” Professor blurted out in one long breath.

This got my attention.  The burning of fossil fuels, as well as the over use of pesticides and chemicals, is destroying our air, water and soil.  It’s what I have been railing against for years.

He went on, “This wasn’t new territory for them.  Their father had made a fortune in fossil fuels supporting the Nazi war machine during WWII.”  His face cringed as if he had something sour in his mouth.

Then he looked at me in a curious way as if I were one of his students.  I guess he wondered if I was keeping up with him.  I nodded quickly, meaning “Tell me!”

“The people they bankrolled gained control of State legislatures.  That’s A.  These new legislators gerrymandered voting districts to lock in their authority, even though they often ruled with less than a majority of the popular vote.  That’s B.   Then these industrious folks,” he said with unmistakable cynicism, “bankrolled the election of judges who would support their nefarious ways, if they were challenged in court.”

“Which led to the Citizens United case,” I said as proudly as a student seeking class participation points.

Always the teacher, he prompted me for a summary of that case, and I dutifully acquiesced.

“As you recall, in Citizens United the Supreme Court granted corporations the same rights as people in regard to contributions to political campaigns.  That’s C,” I said and added, “which essentially allowed billionaires and rich companies to buy elections.”

“Exact-o-mondo,” he said but reminded me, “America doesn’t require that you be an altruist during the pursuit of self-interest.”

Self-interest, the bedrock of our democracy and free enterprise system.  These guys were milking it big time, and they were super generous.  Professor Bryan told said they endowed university chairs, in fact, entire departments with professors who would put their exceptionally pernicious spin upon free enterprise.  He held up some books.  The name on one was Dark Money.

“Not your idea of philanthropy?” I said.

He became a bit more animated.  “This consortium of elected officials, exclusively of one political party, essentially denies the contributions of humans to climate change.  Their response to high gas prices has been Drill, Baby, Drill!

His disdain was to be expected.  Oil spills were personal to him.  The fictitious eco-cop lived on the beach.

“What would you suggest?” I asked.

Without hesitation he said, “Go electric.  Cars and homes.  Better batteries, more solar and more wind.  Do you want to go for a spin on my bike?”

“Maybe another time, Professor.  This is revealing but how is the climate issue related to guns and abortion?  You know A to B to C.”

The Professor reached for another book.  “This stuff has been well documented.”

“Of course,” I acquiesced.

He continued, “They’ve reached into the pulpits to recruit church goers.  They’re telling people that the right to bear arms is in the Bible . . .  as well the right to discriminate.  I’m talking about racial and religious discrimination.  Even more preposterous, their canons,” he says as he shakes the book in his outreached hand, “state that the government should not aid the poor or diminished among us.  Funds for these purposes should be funneled through the church.  What do you think about that?”

Still waiting for him to make the connections I said nothing.

“They want to abolish the law that exempts churches from paying federal income taxes if they do not preach politics from the pulpit.  It’s in here,” he said, holding up some pamphlets. “They want to turn our democracy into a theocracy.”

That was stunning.  In a nation founded upon the separation of church and State, removal of this constraint could have chilling effects.  Our form of government works because we have agreed to be governed by the majority elected democratically, not by a theocracy run by religious leaders or politicians courting their favor.

“You are probably ware that people living in countries governed as theocracies have the least amount of personal freedom on the planet,” he said.  He knew that freedom was something I cherished like nothing else.

“And,” I knew what he was about to say.  “a significant percentage of these church going people are opposed to abortion.  Even if it denies women control over their own bodies,” he concluded.

I tried to summarize what he had uncovered.  “You found that The Supreme Court, comprised of gerrymandered judges representing a minority of people, ruled against abortion, in favor of guns and against climate protection as a result of an organized effort by a bunch of greedy billionaires.”

“A leads to B leads to C,” said Professor Bryan.  “Never forget your ABCs.”

Professor Derk Bryan’s “Top Ten Ways to Reduce Global Warming” are available on You Tube or go to: www.GSpencerMyers.com.

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