For Climate Scientists, Death Threats Come With The Job
Climate change deniers make it their business to attack global warming realists in every cobwebbed corner of the Internet. Anyone who has ever written in support of scientific evidence knows this first-hand.
But when do aggressive emails and comments cross this line? This has been an issue in so many areas of our modern life. Sure, the occasional controversial academic could get used to attacks, but in the climate change arena, the discourse is getting seriously out of hand.
When a steady stream of vitriolic hate is directed at a whole pack of prominent scientists whenever they dare venture beyond obscure journals, I think this line is surely crossed. Some of it is almost certainly from individual crazies. Others suggest these attacks are orchestrated, and blogger Tim Lambert notes that one high-profile spokesperson for the climate denial machine regularly publishes the email addresses of "target" scientists. Regardless of the source, I fear it is only a matter of time before abusive words translate to abusive actions.
The Guardian in the U.K. has compiled some of this hate mail, much of it directed at scientists whose private email exchanges were published by unknown hackers last year. These scientists were called "Nazi morons" and told to "gargle razor blades" and "rot in hell," in a small sampling of hundreds of expletive-laden rants, many from anonymous writers. (I actually can't a imagine a U.S. paper publishing the language in the above link.) They've also received many death threats and been told to commit suicide. Phil Jones, the scientist at the center of the "Climategate" scandal, said a few months ago that he has indeed had suicidal thoughts.
These scientists have called out for help, but U.S. local police and the FBI have generally not taken any action, citing free speech rights. Instead, researchers are left fearful and paranoid, which surely affects their ability to concentrate on their job and most certainly colors what they are willing to say in public.
"The effect on me has been tremendous," Stanford University scientist Stephen Schneider told The Guardian. "Some of these people are mentally imbalanced. They are invariably gun-toting rightwingers. What do I do? Learn to shoot a Magnum? Wear a bullet-proof jacket?"
Earlier today, Change.org blogger Nikki Gloudeman wrote about growing calls for transparency in the climate science process. I wonder how in the world scientists can be more "transparent" when they fear for their lives. Clearly, these anonymous attackers -- the original Climategate hacker, likely among them -- are not after any real honesty. They are after blood. I truly hope they don't ever get what they came for.
Photo Credit: Alan_Cleaver2000, Flickr User
Jess Leber
is a Change.org editor. She most recently covered climate and energy issues as a reporter in Washington, D.C
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