Mass Murder and Climate Change

I find it hard to believe that this story is true, but so far it really seems to be. Via the Guardian, this is a statement put out by the Heartland Institute, a think tank devoted to refuting the science behind climate change:

Billboards in Chicago paid for by The Heartland Institute point out that some of the world's most notorious criminals say they "still believe in global warming" – and ask viewers if they do, too…The billboard series features Ted Kaczynski, the infamous Unabomber; Charles Manson, a mass murderer; and Fidel Castro, a tyrant. Other global warming alarmists who may appear on future billboards include Osama bin Laden and James J. Lee (who took hostages inside the headquarters of the Discovery Channel in 2010).

These rogues and villains were chosen because they made public statements about how man-made global warming is a crisis and how mankind must take immediate and drastic actions to stop it. Why did Heartland choose to feature these people on its billboards? Because what these murderers and madmen have said differs very little from what spokespersons for the United Nations, journalists for the "mainstream" media, and liberal politicians say about global warming. The point is that believing in global warming is not "mainstream," smart, or sophisticated. In fact, it is just the opposite of those things. Still believing in man-made global warming – after all the scientific discoveries and revelations that point against this theory – is more than a little nutty. In fact, some really crazy people use it to justify immoral and frightening behavior. . . .

The people who still believe in man-made global warming are mostly on the radical fringe of society. This is why the most prominent advocates of global warming aren't scientists. They are murderers, tyrants, and madmen.

What can one say? Can sane people really believe that belief in human-caused climate change is crazy? And will anybody be taken in by the notion that because bad people believe in global warming, it is an evil notion? Ted Kaczynski probably believes the earth is round, too. Is this all an elaborate, attention-getting joke?

For every bit of science that tells against human-caused global warming, there are five that argue for it, starting with the basic fact that high CO2 levels and high temperatures are strongly correlated across the history of the planet. The crazy people are the ones who can read the actual science on this subject and not be at least a little worried.

UPDATE: Heartland took so much flack about this, including cancellations by prominent people who were going to attend their next conference, that they are abandoning the program.