I was saddened by the major media hype over the misdirected youth getting an approved “day off” from school to protest supposed man-made global warming. I’m sure many of the youth went along with the game simply to hang out with friends and not be in a classroom. Their motivation comes from believing fake premises. But simply believing does not make it fact, or change what the facts truly are.

As a parent, I would have advised my sons and daughters to not participate in such charades. For most of these idealized youth, they are simple beings used unknowingly as pawns in a political game. I would have advised my children to read more and learn more about critical thinking skills…to be able to denote the difference between fact and fiction, and to learn the biases that influence, purposefully misdirect and brainwash ones thinking to conform to political correctness.

To that end, the Sept. 25 TownHall piece by Bob Barr titled “Climate Change Street Theater” is worth reading. His analysis of of the political game plan is correct. And his thoughts on the real work needed to be good stewards of the environment are way less flashy, less headline grabbing and too practical for those on the political left. But it is exactly those hard working elements of our strong economy that allow for long term conservation and practical actions for environmental stewardship.