Political Cortex: Brain Food for the Body Politic

Japan, Sweden, Scotland, Australia, Amsterdam, Switzerland, Belgium, Spain, Brazil, and France. He has also given speeches at NYU, the NY Botanical Gardens (which I previously wrote about,) Grand Prairie Texas, and is schedueld to speak on the climate crisis this next week in Seattle, Washington and Portland, Oregon. And An Inconvenient Truth also opened in South Africa yesterday, and is also playing in New Zealand and Bangkok besides other venues in the UK. He has also presented this presentation at the UN, and his bestseller, Earth In The Balance is to be reissued and released this October 31 by Rodale Books with a new foreword by Mr. Gore.

If I didn't know better, I would think this issue is his heart and soul. ;-) That is many miles to travel and offset in a short time to deliver this inconvenient truth. It is many words, handshakes, bows, smiles, photos, lost sleep, and hours spent in the service of our Earth. Of course, world travel is no stranger to Mr. Gore who served as our Vice President for eight years and traveled the world from continent to continent and even pole to pole. But consider the dedication one has to have in order to do this as a private citizen. It isn't easy pulling a suitcase through airports these days, especially when you are put through the same stresses of travel as everyone else.

However, he does it. He gives this presentation relentlessly with passion and heart, and he is keeping true to himself while working to make this world a better place for our children. He is a world traveler for truth, and his words are having an effect on the world. Consider these global stories from just last week:

Brazil says no to rainforest privatization plan, asks Gore for help

I hope Mr. Gore comes to Brazil's aid regarding this attempt to privatize the Amazon. Our natural resources should not be for sale as a commodity. Already, the Amazon rainforest is experiencing excessive deforestation caused by cattle ranching and drought brought about by the climate change exacerbated through this deforestation.

The people of Brazil deserve the chance to work to reforest the Amazon with the world's aid, and in fact are doing so, and I believe their plan has merit as it also not only seeks sustainability for the world, but seeks self sufficiency on the part of developing countries.

And the fact that Brazil would even ask for Mr. Gore's aid regarding this matter shows in how high esteem he is placed regarding this issue. This is the work a Global Environmental Ambassador does, and Mr. Gore is finally finding his true niche in the world, and it is as a global environmental advocate who will do great things to work for the continued sustainability of our planet. He even signed copies of his book An Inconvenient Truth printed in Portuguese... beautiful.

Another example proving the international appeal and influence Mr. Gore has regarding this issue. And it was delivered based on the merits of the urgency of this issue on a global scale in seeing the sincerity of Mr. Gore's message, not because of any political pretense.

Belgium heeds Al Gore's warning of climate change as it outlines plan to cut CO2
The Associated Press

Published: October 17, 2006

BRUSSELS, Belgium Former U.S. vice president Al Gore's warnings of climate change made a deep impression on Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt.

"We must take Al Gore's message seriously," Verhofstadt told the country's parliament in his budget speech on Tuesday. "If we don't reduce our CO2 emissions, the consequences will be dramatic in the short term."

He said global warming would claim 300,000 lives a year by 2031, sea level would rise by six metres as glaciers melt and droughts, heat waves and forest fires would become more common. "However we can prevent these disasters," Verhofstadt said. "On one condition: that we drastically reduce our CO2 emissions." The Belgian premier said he would introduce a new carbon dioxide tax for packaging that would penalize manufacturers who release CO2. "We hope this will make producers change their behavior," he said.

End of excerpt.

And this story from Jamaica:

Notice below in this article that they are looking for a "high level international advocate." From the looks of this we need a global ambassador to coordinate all of this and work for sensible sustainable solutions. The only man for that task is Al Gore.

JHTA plans major environment summit, invites Al Gore

PETRE WILLIAMS, Observer senior reporter
Tuesday, October 17, 2006

THE Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA) is to host an international environment summit next year, which it hopes will attract the participation of former US vice-president Al Gore.

The tourist body is moving to have the regulatory authorities take stock of the island's environment now under threat from compromised developments and unsustainable livelihoods that threaten local flora and fauna.

"We are looking to bring a high-level international advocate (to the conference) and the person I am looking for is Al Gore, because he has been a consistent advocate of the environment and has taken the time to do very comprehensive research on the topic," JHTA president, Horace Peterkin told environmentalists and government officials at a lunch hosted by the Observer last week.

End of excerpt.

Mr. Gore is also already scheduled to appear in Brussels next March, Buffalo NY and Silicon Valley next April, London next May, and Denver next June. I am also sure he will be doing other appearances regarding this issue, as he announced in his NYU speech that he would be meeting with faith groups, businesses, scientists, and other organizations regarding hearing their ideas and solutions for this crisis over the next year.

It would seem that this message is having a great effect in Europe and other parts of the world as well because they see how urgent this message is as many areas are seeing the effects of this climate crisis up close and personal. It would also seem that other leaders around the world place great confidence and faith in Mr. Gore to counsel them on this issue, which is more than he gets from the leaders of this country and that is truly sad. But this is where it all will begin. I truly believe unfortunately, that international pressure will have to be brought to bear on the U.S. through their own actions to make legislators in this country realize that they will either have to get into the 21st Century and deal with this crisis or be left behind, which really is no longer an option.

His grassroots climate project taking place in Nashville which is also going international is hopefully going to be a catalyst here to jumpstart the pressure citizens in this country will also need to place on representatives and legislators across the board of all politics, rather than simply sitting and hoping this situation will just fix itself without their active participation in the solution. How will our government come to the realization other governments around the world are already experiencing and take this as seriously as it needs to be taken if we don't start doing so first?

So until that epiphany comes on the part of the masses, Mr. Gore will continue to travel for this Earth, for truth, and for our future in the hope that all of those miles traveled, all of those handshakes made, and all of the hope he is spreading like seedlings around the world will grow into a global movement unlike any other that will lead our world to a better place. I sure hope we don't let him or this Earth down. Again, that's many miles traveled for us.