Thank God more and more people are actually getting it regarding the fact that it is THEY who now need to be taking action on the climate crisis instead of sitting on blogs all day calling for Al Gore to do it and challenging his patriotism because he isn't running for President (or at least at present not planning on it.) I still honestly don't get what that is all about.

As we now pass into a new year, the window on our planet is closing even more. Recent events are making it clearer that Al Gore's words of warning in bringing the message of climate scientists to the people are coming true. This is not the time to continue to sit on our hands waiting for some event to come along to magically bring it back, because that will not happen without our intervention. This year of 2007 is going to be crucial for the future sustainability of this planet. Which is why I ask for your help.

Last year, Patriots for Al Gore recognized the survivors of Hurricane Katrina as our persons of the year for their bravery and their resilience in the face of unimaginable tragedy. This year we recognize a man who has devoted his life to visionary leadership regarding the environment whether as a public servant or private citizen/statesman, and a man who has now finally been able to bring this crucial issue into the forefront of the social and political mindset as the peoples' advocate. A man who is doing all of this because he is deeply committed to this cause and this planet, and who has never put himself above it.

Ok, well, I will concede that perhaps it wasn't Al Gore himself, since I do not know who actually in the end gets to select the trainees for his slideshow training in Nashville. However, it is his program, and as such even if he doesn't do the selecting of trainees I still have some comments to make regarding it.

The people now have an outspoken advocate in Al Gore. He is now a free man. He is one of us. He is now not enslaved to a beltway mentality that only thinks in their own small boxes. He is now a representative for our planet that has the means and ability to let our voices be heard on the most crucial crisis mankind has ever faced: Our hand in destroying our planet.

PFG Release: December 10, 2006

The people now have an outspoken advocate in Al Gore. He is now a free man. He is one of us. He is now not enslaved to a beltway mentality that only thinks in their own small boxes. He is now a representative for our planet that has the means and ability to let our voices be heard on the most crucial crisis mankind has ever faced: Our hand in destroying our planet.

As Mr. Gore rightly states, the climate crisis is not a political issue but a moral issue. However, in order for this country to come into the 21st Century and live up to its moral responsibiity for the damage it has caused and is causing to our environment on a global scale, we need legislation now to hold corporations accountable for the fossil fuels they burn that contribute to anthropogenic climate change, and the pollution they cause.

No more denial. This is real. It is already here. And if we don't get truly serious about doing all in our Earthly power to stem this tide, it will be the mother of all terrorist attacks... by Mother Nature. And that is no joke.

For decades scientists, scholars, and a few brave public servants including one in particular named Al Gore who is thankfully out here as a private citizen working hard to disseminate this truth, have been warning the world what will come as one of the effects from our own negligence, complacency, laziness, indifference, selfishness, and greed.

It is quite obvious to me that those in the political broadcasting world simply don't get it. They will forever be stuck in their ruts of speculative, sensationalistic, substance free prognostication, not caring about the repercussions of their actions so long as they get ratings.

Yesterday was what is known as "Black Friday", or the "official" start of the holiday shopping season. It is usually a day I stay away from any kind of retail establishment because frankly, people act like animals at some of these stores. Actually getting up at three in the morning to wait outside Walmart and then once the doors are opened to see hundreds of people running and pushing to get...a color tv and a tickle me Elmo doll? Wow, I wish people would run as fast on that scale to secure their votes, or run to stop war, or perhaps even run to save their planet.

Below is the review I wrote of the movie, An Inconvenient Truth, the day after seeing it when it opened in my state on June 2, 2006. I remember that as I walked into the movie theatre I was filled with emotion because this man I have loved and supported for 17 years had finally been able to break through the partitions that had surrounded him regarding this issue.

And I sure bet that makes their world turn.

Al Gore is interviewed in the December GQ Magazine which also features Leonardo DiCaprio, Will Ferrell, and Jay Z who are their picks for men of the year who are appearing on their covers.

My ally is reality as well. That's why I agree with Mr. Gore that a grassroots program that reaches out to the American people regarding spreading the truth about what is causing the climate crisis to be exacerbated, and then arming those informed citizens with the tools necessary to demand changes is the best way to go about this. That's why I applied to be a part of it, because the reality of this situation is that political change regarding this moral issue will not happen until people change.

The one thing I took from this interview with Mr. Gore that took place recently that I take away from all of his interviews and appearances is that this is not about him. He puts the issue front and center and I truly believe that questions surrounding the issue of the environment are what really excites and challenges him. Also, yes, he does know the power of the Presidency (as do I and many others in a society where checks and balances and the lack of a good ole boys network rule,) but he also knows that the power of the people is greater than any Presidency, for we live in a Democracy not an oligarchy...

The first time I read Al Gore's book, I spent more time looking at the graphs and learning the information contained on them. This time I am reading it word for word, and I can tell you that this man is far too good of a man to ever run for office in the type of political system we have today. I want to type a quote from his great book just so you get a feel for the real spirit of this man and how he puts Democracy and this planet first:

I am very excited for Mr. Gore regarding this appointment and any appointment he gets regarding this issue, because he understands the urgency and that this is a moral issue that requires all of us doing our part now.

Al Gore to advise Gordon Brown on climate change

MICHAEL SETTLE and CATHERINE MacLEOD October 30 2006

Gordon Brown will today announce that Al Gore, the former US Vice-President, has agreed to become his international adviser on climate change. The appointment of the leading Democrat politician, who has won worldwide acclaim for his film, An Inconvenient Truth, on the dangers of global warming, follows that earlier this year of Alan Greenspan, the former chairman of the US Federal Reserve, as the Chancellor's international economic adviser. It comes as Sir Nicholas Stern this morning issues a dire warning of the devastating economic consequences if the world fails to act decisively to meet the environmental challenge.

http://www.theherald.co.uk/news/73261.html

More at the link

Congratulations, Mr. Gore.

I actually read yesterday where an Al Gore fanatic collared Mr. Gore at Seattle University and actually showed him a big picture of her dogs in "Gore sweaters." Come on, people, do you not see how totally embarrassing that is?