But that's what happened this week in Greenwire (subscription required), where Marc Morano, Mr. Inhofe's communications director, said the book had an alarmist title and created a conflict of interest for me if I kept covering global warming.
An excerpt (underlining mine):
Morano said Revkin's new children's book, "The North Pole Was Here," leaves readers with the impression climate change is occuring at a rapid rate and predisposes the newspaper and author to write hyped-up stories in the future about global warming.He and anyone else can read the first chapter here to find out what it actually says.
"The title alone implies climate alarmism," said Morano, who added that he has not read Revkin's book.
I sent the following comment back to the Greenwire reporter, but only a small part got published.
Andrew Revkin's reaction to criticisms by Senator Inhofe's communications director in Greenwire story:
I doubt there's a current account of Arctic climate change out there as true to the science and as spin-free and scare-free as The North Pole Was Here. It is, in every way, an extension of the journalism I've been doing on climate for 20 years, journalism that has been consistently lauded by people on all sides of the climate debate for its accuracy and fairness.
With this book, the first on climate change written for everyone 10 and up (a range that includes all elected officials), I'm simply broadening my audience to include the next generation -- which is a vital and under-served part of any discourse on this century-scale issue.
My reporting has consistently let the science lead the way. Readers can judge for themselves by exploring www.nytimes.com/learning/globalwarming, where they can find the first chapter of the pole book and links to many of my climate stories and my multimedia work from three recent Arctic trips.
As for the book being commercial, well, just the process of selling newspapers in the United States, where the media are not controlled by the government, is implicitly commercial. So which way would they prefer to have it -- state-controlled 'neutral' coverage of this important issue or fair and accurate free-market coverage?
By the standard they have set, everyone from John Stossel and Bill O'Reilly to Anderson Cooper and Bob Woodward should close up shop and cover, say, knitting every time a new book is out.
________________________
Andy Revkin has been an environment reporter for The New York Times since 1995. Revkin has traveled to the Artic three times, and he was the first New York Times reporter to file stories and images from the North Pole. He is the author of the new book THE NORTH POLE WAS HERE: Puzzles and Perils at the Top of the World.
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Comments: 11
I will be the first to stand as a proponent of environmental responsibitly and stewardship. However, I will say again, that I cannot be motivate by the "sky is falling" tactics of global warming advocates and alarmists. I just keep waiting for Chicken Little to enter stage right, running and screaming, looking for a place to launch his inflatable kayak because the entire North Pole has melted and the water is flooding all known sources of land.
As for now, I am more scared of the fact that a book like this will end up in the Social Studies curriculum of our schools along with other backward political agendas that will distract teachers from teaching what our children need to be functioning, literate members of our society.
This is NOT a 'sky is falling' book. The title is about something completely different. You can find out what when you read first chapter of The North Pole Was Here:
www.nytimes.com/learning/globalwarming
And you might skim back through my earlier posts to the one about my story in April ("Yelling Fire on a Hot Planet"), which critiqued the alarmists you deride.
I'm not one of them.
I just read Mr. Revkin's first chapter, made available by the NY Times. I am certainly intrigued by his adventure, and look forward to reading the entire book. My disdain for "global warming" alarmists, certainly steered my first comment. I cannot and will NOT argue with the value of scientific fact. Our planet is a resource and a life giving system. It was entrusted to our care and stewardship.
My viewpoint on this might be entirely too simplistic, but I cannot see our planet lasting forever, simply because there are planetary type bodies in space that are "burning out" all the time. What would make us so special that all those other entities finally reach a point of "running" out of gas and we just keep on going and going. Unlike Mr. Revkin's book, I have little or no scientific evidence for what I think, but it just makes common sense to me. I look forward to reading the book, and geting an education on just why our planet is melting at the pole.
Writers, teachers, journalists, etc, should realize the responsibility they have for the information that they have been given. I sense that is the case with Mr. Revkin. He is treating this topic with great responsibility. However, it is so easy for many people to become brainwashed by the respective agendas of those writers, teachers or journalists. Many or most are not as concerned with presenting the facts as the above author would be. They attempt to tell us what to think and how to think it.
When you hear someone yelling or pontificating about "global warming", look for Chicken Little, but don't run until you have read and understood. I think even Forrest Gump would have done at least that.
Therein lies the point. The fact that "Morano [who has not read the book either] said the book....created a conflict of interest for me if I kept covering global warming" speaks volumes about his critique.
Please don't judge Oklahoma on the behavior of Senator Inhoffe and his crowd. There really are a lot of intelligent thoughtful people here. Really. I guess we all need to pay closer attention to what others are saying before criticizing them.
Unfortunately, many, including the current administration, do not seem so concerned with presenting the facts as protecting their interests and accusing people who disagree of being prejudiced against them. There was a time when global warming was doubted by many scientists. That time is now past, despite the fact that much of the research is paid for by the oil and gas industry and others with a vested interest in disproving the "Theory".
Rodney, If you truely believe we have been given stewardship of this lovely planet, why not err on the side of caution?
Consider this:
An article in the Times tells you there is a chance that, by leaving a space heater on while you are not home, there's a chance you might burn down your house. Do you: A) Turn off the heater before you go out; B) Say the Times is being mean because they don't like you or C) Wait until there is conclusive proof (your house catches fire)
http://epw.senate.gov/pressitem.cfm?party=rep&id=258440
Amazon.com has initiated author blogs. Check mine out here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/pdp/profile/A1L2TYV56JXF2V/ref=cm_blog_dp_pdp/104-4914927-7763126
I bought and read your book. And as someone that has recently published a novel for teens and young adults on endangered species, I know what a challenge it can be to get those readers to pick up a book and read about challenging subjects such as Global Warming. You did an excellent job of combining the history of expedition on the pole and addressing the issue of Global Warming. Very clever.
As I've discussed and written about with local DC papers, the only way you get these young readers to pick up a book and teach and raise awareness is through an entertaining read. You've done that.
Now for one critique: you've done a nice job of raising awareness but where are the simple actions that kids can do to help with this problem. Ex- turning off lights and electronic devices when they're not in use and explaining how that will stem the tide of GW. Things like that would have made the book a little more user-friendly. Otherwise you should be praised for your efforts to gather and produce the information in an affective way.
Regards,
Tom