Today I read this Politifact piece discussing one of Marco Rubio's latest assertions about climate change. My blathering tonight isn't precisely a response to this piece; I love Politifact and appreciate the work they do and the background provided even when I quibble with the exact rating they give. Nevertheless, the piece reminded me of something that bothers me in the climate change discussions: Even if you believe that much of the increase in global average surface temperatures and increase in greenhouse gases over the last century-plus is due more to natural variation than to human activity, you have to be willing to admit that human activity produces greenhouse gases, particularly carbon dioxide, and acknowledge that, even if other processes are leading to the current period of climate change, it probably isn't a good idea for humans to do anything to exacerbate the effects.

Doesn't that make sense? Does it really matter how much of an effect human activity has had in the past when we know, beyond any reasonable doubt, that human activity can and will have an effect, and when we know beyond a reasonable doubt that the climate has been changing and will be changing? Shouldn't we be working our asses off to do what we can both to lessen our impact and to prepare for what's coming, no matter which is the case?

And, yes, I am rather naïve. I have a lot of trouble trying to sort out people's possible motivations for saying something other than what they believe, or sorting out what they might really believe, so I tend to assume that people are speaking more or less sincerely, even if they're politicians or pundits. I realize there's a very good chance that the people who say they don't believe human activity is the primary or a great contributor to climate change in the last century are saying that because, at least in the States, it doesn't sound as nuts as it ought to and it's a good cover for not giving a shit.

This is the first of what could be many venting posts. I'll consider myself to have accomplished something if I reach "several" in the next couple of months, though. I've always tended to papillonne if allowed to, and that tendency is particularly bad lately. Me getting frustrated and angry at things I see online and wanting to say something does seem to be a fairly constantly thing, though, so perhaps this will work. I may even get back to being able to be angry and funny at the same time at some point. What a droll idea. ("Droll"--must use that word more often.)

So, today's source of steam is a video entitled "Surrendered" which I've seen posted two or three different places on Facebook today.

You'd be forgiven for thinking that the video has me mad about the people who behave in the way portrayed, the people who surrender pets for no very good reason. I do feel for the shelter and rescue workers who work day in and day out with people who want to surrender an animal. I know they encounter a lot of assholes; I know they hear a lot of bullshit. 

But what upsets me about this video is that all it does is say, "Hey, you. You're an asshole." It expresses some perhaps much earned bitterness and completely understandable frustration, but it contributes nothing to a bigger discussion or solution. Do you want that asshole coming into your facility to surrender an animal they no longer want or are able to care for, or do you want them to leave the animal on the street or at a farm or in an empty home or apartment? Do you want the asshole bringing the pet to a shelter or to a veterinary office for euthanization?

People who surrender animals for what many of us consider stupid reasons aren't going to watch a video like this and feel shitty about themselves. They think they're already making a big effort by taking the animal to an actual organization where it has a chance of finding a home. Convince them that the workers at that organization are going to be judgmental, impatient, and sullen, and, yeah, they'll probably stop showing up to surrender their animals. If you think that will prevent the animals from being abandoned, you're far more optimistic about human beings and human nature than I am.