Scientist Lacks Courage of His Convictions

Climate Expert Says NASA Tried to Silence Him

Over the past few years, the NY Times has become the home for every crackpot and conspiracy theorist who might possibly shed a bad light on the Bush administration, so the fact that this article appears there should come as a surprise to no one. The headline screams about global warming, but it's just another disgruntled government employee story that's only marginally related to global warming.

Hansen evidently is upset that he's just a scientist and not a policy maker and is therefore required by his employer not to make policy pronouncements. Shocker! If that's news, then every file clerk who thinks they can run the company better than the CEO should be immediately placed in charge of company press releases and promoted to the corner office or given their own article in the NY Times about their employer is "trying to stop [them] from speaking out."

If he really thinks his employer is so awful, he should have the courage of his convictions and quit. That's what everybody else does. Instead, he goes crying to the NY Times that there's some sort of vast conspiracy to keep him from speaking out. Sorry James, those are the rules you signed up for when you accepted your job. You don't get the option of unilaterally changing them when they don't suit you any longer.

This whole thing is ridiculous on its face. No one can be forced to keep quiet, but you can be forced to shut up by your employer if what you're doing violates company policy. But even that works only so long as you're willing to play by the rules and keep working there. The wonderful thing about the USA is that you always have the freedom to quit and find employment elsewhere.

But I guess Hansen is more interested in playing the victim than he is serious about the issue he supposedly feels is so vital. If he was serious, he'd quit and make his speeches without worrying about anyone else thought or said.

Since actions speak louder than words, we can only be left with the conclusion that he's either a complete coward or a self-important, disgruntled employee with a serious martyr complex. I'm leaning towards the latter...

Since even he doesn't see any need to do anything about this supposedly serious situation besides whimper and whine without taking any real action, why should anyone else care either?