×

Really setting the record straight

A local left-wing upstart and I have been having a “letter to the editor” debate for several weeks.

He is a big climate change advocate and often sites the supposed fact that 97 percent of scientists support the man made climate theory. Did you ever wonder where this figure comes from?

These figures are based on a study done by Australian researcher John Cook using articles written between 1991 and 2011. In 2015, former Margaret Thatcher advisor, Christopher Monckton also examined the 97 percent claim. He found that “only 41 papers — 0.3 percent of all the 11,994 abstracts or 1 percent of the 4014 expressing an opinion, and not 97 percent had actually endorsed the claim that “more than half of recent global warming was man made. There are 2 other similar studies that show the 97 percent figure is incorrect but I am limited by space here. Readers will get the idea.

In my last letter I mentioned that two climatologists, Roy Spencer and MIT professor Richard Lindzen, had also rebuked the 97 percent claim. Our intrepid climate writer dismissed their opinions entirely because they were supposedly hired by the fossil fuel industry. Since when does defending yourself automatically make you wrong. He never said their work was wrong, but it just had to be wrong because of who they worked for. It is only logical then to dismiss ALL climate positive articles by scientists that receive money from the government because they have a direct conflict of interest. Old right-wing dude, 1. Young climate dude, 0.

Now, let’s go back to white provocateurs and policemen in Minneapolis causing the riots there. The writer said there were articles in the paper saying that was who started the riots, There were hundreds, perhaps thousands, of articles written saying that President Trump conspired with the Russians in the 2016 election. Never happened according to Mueller. There is NO proof whatsoever that police or white provocateurs started anything. No arrests, no convictions, nothing. Old right-wing dude, 2. Leftist dude, 0.

Now to the writers third claim — BLM. I stated that BLM was run by Marxists. I should have said that two of the three founders are avowed Marxists. Please look this up.

Former convicted Weather Underground domestic terrorist Susan Rosenberg heads a group called Thousand Currents. She is a known communist and her group Thousand Currents has contributed millions of dollars to BLM. So much for no Marxist ties. Old right-wing dude, 3. Young fan of China, 0.

Now we are down to the writer’s 4th assertion, “Confederate soldiers were not American.” My grandfather Bennett and his wife, grandmother Bennett whose maiden name was White, trace their roots in Randolph, Grant, and Pendleton WV (originally Virginia) for 300 years. 297 years to be exact. They were farmers, small businessmen, tradesmen, law enforcement officers, and probably laborers. That sounds pretty American to me. I knew that I had relatives that fought for the Union Army, but I just learned this past weekend that my great-great grandfather and his close family fought for the CSA. I am an American and so were all my ancestors, regardless of which side they fought on in the Uncivil War of American against American.

Applying the writer’s Confederate standard of today would mean that today’s rioters and looters — BLM and Antifa — who want to destroy this country, are nothing more than secessionists and should be thought of as totally un-American. Old right-wing dude, 4. Young Confederate-hating dude, 0.

My leftist writer “friend” has a lot of work to do, like learning what the real facts are concerning many things. He has now called me a racist two times. I asked for an apology and he said that none was due. I never really expected an apology, but that just shows his character and integrity, not mine. Old right-wing dude, 5. Young, still wet behind the ears dude, 0.

Please readers, just look this stuff up and draw your own conclusions, do not accept ours.

Brian Bennett

Washington, W.Va.

NEWSLETTER

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *

Starting at $4.62/week.

Subscribe Today