I often wonder how history will judge our generation. What epic narratives will the textbooks pass on to our children? Which of our experiences will inspire the next set of great leaders? Or will our existence simply lack the substance to have any real meaning to the free world? Something tells me that we will be a few chapters short of becoming the next “greatest generation.”
I just can’t imagine future generations being moved by our heroic stories of men and women bravely standing up to evil climate change. But my exposure to UC Berkeley’s own global-warming obsessions isn’t the cause of my discouragement, for UC Berkeley is simply following the irrational trend pervading the entire world.
The trend is most evident in the mainstream media. When it isn’t covering the war in Iraq, it is covering the War on Carbon Emissions. It is even being fair and balanced about it; climate change is getting as much bad press as the war in Iraq. Record-breaking temperatures have become more frightening than roadside IEDs in Baghdad. The only difference is that the media isn’t calling for everyone to cut and run from Earth.
Is global warming truly our generation’s great calling? Surely, there are worse things than people who don’t use the carpool lane. Conservative columnist Mark Steyn could lead us in the right direction. On Page 10, Robert Eberhart has a special interview with the author who is getting the Western world to wake up to the Jihadist threat.
Unless al Qaeda’s next plot is to drive around in Hummers, UC Berkeley definitely won’t listen to Steyn. Students would rather stand up to a faceless enemy and declare hollow victories every time they ride a bicycle or outlaw incandescent light bulbs (Alisa Farenzena has the rest of that story on Page 21). Even against the more agreeable enemy of global warming, our classmates lack the fortitude to stand up and make a sacrifice. As Justin Azadivar explains on Page 8, the few global-warming mongers will try to force the rest of us to pay for their crusade via a student fee.
Most of today’s politicians are too self-centered to deal with Islamofascism; what more can we expect from a generation of young people who were raised to value the weather over their freedom? Consider the upcoming ASUC election a trial run in future leadership. Last year’s election fiasco, where the primus inter pares instead became a leviathan, may be an indication of things to come — power-hungry, manipulative politicians looking to waste other people’s money on the wrong priorities. If today’s ASUC leaders are tomorrow’s members of Congress, I’m afraid to know what things will be like when I’m scheduled to collect Social Security.
Hope springs forth, however, and the Patriot would like to believe that all is not lost. Good people and good leaders still exist among our classmates, and hopefully we have found them for you. On Page 14, we make our recommendations for the top positions in student government.
Only time will tell if those we have recommended will give in to the great temptation that accompanies all elected offices, which is choosing to do what is popular over what is necessary. The choice between popularity and necessity is also the choice between doing what is easy and what is difficult. So far, many have chosen to travel the road most taken.
The multitudes will fight global warming simply because it is the easier fight to enter. The benefits of appearing eco-friendly and green outweigh the costs because there are no costs to begin with. “Evil corporations” won’t react violently if you call out their alleged misdeeds. You won’t be labeled politically incorrect each time you criticize profit-seeking CEOs of big oil. There is no fear of alienating moderate polluters. In short, fighting global warming requires no courage.
History cannot look upon our generation with admiration if faintheartedness is all we have to offer. We can be as green as we want, but history will only remember us for being yellow. Let’s ensure that history will be kinder to our generation.
Your compatriot,
Andrew R. Quinio
If you enjoyed this article, please consider supporting the Patriot