Smoking-cancer link and climate denial

Thanks to Jim Fuller for the great report on the climate change panel at North Central College May 6. Weatherman Tom Skilling and Congressman Bill Foster were right to compare denial of the reality of global warming to the eerily similar denial of the link between tobacco smoke and lung cancer.

But the story doesn't end there. Many groups like the Heartland Institute who spread misinformation about climate change are the same ones that spent money in the past to confuse the public about smoking. In fact, as revealed in the recent film "Merchants of Doubt," these groups even involve many of the same individuals.

At first glance, the threat of a gradually warming globe might seem less intense than the pain and suffering of lung cancer. But while smoking only affects those who choose to smoke - and their immediate families - global warming will literally affect billions, now and especially in the future.

In some parts of the world, increasing extremes of drought, flood, heat waves and pathogens could drive millions into desperate migration. That's a recipe for massive worldwide conflict from which we cannot hide, particularly when our own infrastructure and public finances are under assault from sea level rise, wildfires and other damage.

Just like smoking, global warming exacerbates the risk of life-threatening harm from factors that have always existed, but have always been survivable - until now.

Please urge your elected officials to reject the demagoguery of the doubt merchants who lie and obfuscate about climate change. Our lawmakers will never come to grips with the immensity of this problem unless they hear our voices demanding it, loud and clear.

Rick Knight

State Coordinator, Citizens' Climate Lobby