Cole vs Coal

"As the baleful effects of global heating become more and more apparent– as our forests burn, our coasts flood and face level 6 hurricanes, our port cities submerge, our wildlife dies off en masse — people will turn on the merchants of death whose deadly products caused this mayhem."

-Juan Cole

Most of the world may be laughing at climate activist Greta Thunberg for her silly protest in Glasgow this week-as I did. University of Michigan comedian Juan Cole is taking it deadly seriously, however. Today's episode of his misnamed blog, Informed Comment, not only features a piece about Greta's statement co-written by Code Pink leader and kook Medea Benjamin............

Ahem.

As I was saying, Juan Cole has added his own piece condemning of all things......coal! (No, not Cole though that would have made more sense.)

 https://www.juancole.com/2021/11/question-manchin-diamonds.html

"Coal needs to be outlawed, yesterday."

And there is this description, of West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin, arguably the only sane Democrat in Washington.

"Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia is a coal baron and has gone to bat against green energy proposals in Joe Biden’s Build Back Better bill in Congress on behalf of coal and other dangerous fossil fuels. Manchin has made millions off his coal investments, which is very much like making money off blood diamonds in Africa. The money may be beautiful sitting there in Manchin’s bank accounts, but it comes from killing people."

"And no, he is not a nice guy. He is a high functioning sociopath."

This kind of overheated rhetoric (no pun intended) does not suit the learned professor from Ann Arbor well. Of course, Manchin represents a state noted for cole  coal mines. As for coal itself, it is, of course, not a pleasant substance to be around and has caused the premature deaths of many coal miners. But they know the risks when they take on the job. It has always been that way. 

Of course, Cole knows that to immediately shut down the coal industry, just like the oil industry, would shut down our economy. In his world, wind and solar will make up the difference. 

"C'mon, Man!"

(Even Old Joe knows better than that.)

Juan Cole may fancy himself a scientific expert (He is a history professor and a lousy one at that) but in my humble opinion, he just wants to tear down the country, and this is another way to do it.