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• Tuesday, July 1, 2008 12:48 PM

  Liberal Hypocrisy

  I am actually a global warming sceptic. I question the climate models. I question the data. And I question the nature of the scientific consensus and how it has come about. I am not an uneducated, poor, rube who is anti-science and I am a conservative.

  I do recycle, only drive once a week, make my house as energy efficient as possible, turn down the heat to 65F, bring my own reusable bags to the grocery store, buy local organic foods directly from farmers, buy in bulk to reduce waste, have changed all my light bulbs, try to reduce my water usage, and I even limit my plane trips to 1 or 2 a year maximum.

  I'm not "hedging" my bets, but it is my conservative values that guide my behaviour. I just believe that it is important to be responsible with any resources that we have and there is no need to be wasteful. I have the monetary resources to buy more and can absorb a higher gas price without any ill effect on my lifestyle. However, I try to limit my consumption in all respects, bec. of my conservative values.

  I live with liberals who believe in global warming. They do not recycle, even the simplest things. They drive every day to work even though it is only 3 blocks away. They throw away plastic bags in the garbage. They insist that the heat be turned up to 72 F in the winter, bec. they don't want to put on a sweater or socks. They open the windows even when the AC is on. They leave the lights on in their rooms when they go away for the weekend. And one of them actually forgets to turn off the water tap well after they have left the bathroom. They are frequent fliers, making at least one plane trip a month for social reasons. They drive to the airport, while I take a shuttle. They are not environmentally aware in any way. And they are hard core liberal Democrats who have been educated at elite American universities.

  And what is my point? The idea that liberals live one way and conservatives another, is far too simplistic. This country is far too polarized and articles such as this one only further the polarization and divisiveness.

  The other day my liberal housemate(who drives every day) said that he thinks that the gas prices should go higher, bec. that's the only way dumb Americans will learn. The hypocrisy was stunning.

  —laggal Read laggal's other letters
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