Nelson Otto
Jefferson City
Dear Editor:
In Mr. Salcedo's letter of June 9, he used the term "climate change denier." Many people who are on my side of this issue find this term offensive as they believe it was coined to create a psychological link to Holocaust deniers. Personally, I think it is mainly used as Mr. Salcedo used it, to create the perception that people who do not "believe" in climate change are somehow uneducated or willfully ignorant. To the term people on my side prefer is climate realists. Mr. Salcedo states "we cannot wait 10 to 20 years to find out that the climate change deniers are just as wrong as these parents I confronted years ago."
We have heard the "we can't wait" warning over and over again so who are the ones that are actually delusional here.
Here is a list of past deadlines, well at least till 2015 see: www.climatedepot.com/2015/05/04/flashback-1989-un-issues-10-year-global-warming-tipping-point/. So by the account of climate alarmists we passed that tipping point in 1999 and are now doomed but wait if you buy now we will extend that deadline for another 10 years.
Then there are all the other failed predictions this one link has over 107 that haven't happened. wattsupwiththat.com/2014/04/02/the-big-list-of-failed-climate-predictions/. Mr. Salcedo claimed renewables are cheaper. See this Ted video by Michael Shellenberger: www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-yALPEpV4w&feature=player_embedded.
Finally, the bottle water example was perfect, people lost confidence through the perception that tap water wasn't safe and now buy the same water, for far more money in plastic bottles which increased plastic pollution. So let's not make things worse in a rush to "feel good" that we did something about something who's past predictions have failed to come true. It isn't about denial, it is about being lied to for 30 years.