Entry 674, on 2008-01-15 at 22:53:21 (Rating 4, Politics)
I have recently become aware of various "research institutes", both here in New Zealand and in other countries, who are misleading the public (or more correctly misleading the right leaning members of the public) into believing a lot of biased, inaccurate information about politically sensitive issues such as global warming.
These organisations have names which disguise their true purpose. For example, who would have though that the New Zealand Center for Political Research would be a far right think tank full of biased propaganda? Of course, if they called it Your Rabid Right Propaganda and Nonsense Source they might have been more honest but got less hits!
The problem with these organisations is that people who are determined to follow this type of political path cite their "research" as if it has any real relevance. For example people quote these sources as a way to counter the scientific evidence for global warming. Superficially it looks like there is still a real debate going on, but the fact is the scientific community has really reached a consensus on this and the false propaganda being distributed by these organisations really counts for nothing.
A recent opinion by one of New Zealand's leading right wing propagandists, Roger Kerr, illustrates this phenomenon well. He describes a "study" which has examples of the past where "hysteria" resulted after predictions of ecological doom and gloom but which never amounted to anything significant. The problem is his examples weren't based on anything like the scientific evidence we have today so they are largely irrelevant.
Of course, the last thing big business wants is balanced and fair policies which protect the environment and the majority of people's rights. No, they want a license to destroy the environment and exploit the workforce. Those are the sorts of policies that Kerr would like to see. He doesn't seem to understand that we have tried them and they didn't work. The world has moved on and his outdated nonsense just doesn't stand up to scrutiny any more.
Him and his friends might find the conclusions of these "think tanks" and "research institutes" interesting because they support what he wants to believe, but I wish he would stop trying to convince us that they have any basis in reality. They are no more real than the puerile nonsense from the classic fake research organisation: the Discovery Institute, and no one should take that seriously!
Ironically, Kerr's final line reads "Where a real problem exists, responses should be based on scientific investigation and cool-headed analysis" but apparently that doesn't apply when it comes to his political beliefs where he prefers to trust fake research institutes instead.
Comment 1 by SBFL on 2008-01-22 at 01:04:38:
Some links would be nice. Keep the debate informed!!
Comment 2 by OJB on 2008-01-22 at 05:24:00:
Here's a couple of the organisations I referred to: the NZ right wing "think tank", NZCPR, and the US organisation: Pacific Research Institute.
Comment 3 by SBFL on 2008-01-29 at 01:24:47:
Thanks for that. A quick skim over the front page of NZCPR and did I see articles from Mike Moore and Alan Duff...? Doesn't look like "Your Rabid Right Propaganda and Nonsense Source" as much now, does it?
Comment 4 by OJB on 2008-01-29 at 10:32:45:
It is right wing propaganda. There is no balance on that web site at all. They keep raving on denying global warming without presenting the opposing view, which is maintained by the vast majority of scientists. Its just cleverly disguised propaganda and its not genuine research, so why call it the NZ center for political research.
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