Greenpeace on the rocks
The climate change debate came to a rocky perch in western South Dakota the other day. Eleven activists representing Greenpeace slipped into a restricted area, climbed over the top of Mount Rushmore, and unfurled a huge banner containing President Obama’s picture, challenging him with the statement, “America honors leaders not politicians: Stop Global Warming.”
While the activists generated publicity, they evoked no sympathy. Park visitors jeered the eleven as they were taken away in handcuffs. One tourist yelled, “Put them in jail.” Another called it degrading, saying “They’re just idiots for doing stuff like this and ruining something that means something to other people.”
In retrospect, one wonders why Greenpeace would overplay a winning hand. President Obama is on the same side of the climate change issue, so why embarrass him by demanding even stronger, more aggressive political action? The president’s sweeping cap and trade climate change bill passed the House, but will be fiercely fought in the Senate. So why pull off a stunt that antagonized onlookers (and voters) for no apparent reason?
Accounts of the incident were carried in newspapers nationally and internationally. The environmental website therenewableplanet.com headlined, “Mount Rushmore ‘Defaced’ by Greenpeace.” The website of the Chronicle newspaper in San Francisco (where four of the arrested activists are from) seemed to excuse the act, which it said “included an apt, and symbolically powerful, message.”
San Francisco aside – even those who favor climate change legislation have to be shaking their heads at Greenpeace. Hijacking a national monument does nothing to change minds or attract converts to the green side of the climate change debate.
