Mr. Gore's Emotional Truth

[RestoreGore]

An Emotional Truth

Excerpt:

There were, however, two interesting differences between Gore's live presentation and his filmed one. First, there was even more scientific detail last night, and a greater recognition of the complexity of the climate change issue. That's significant, because said complexity is often used by paid deniers (some of whom, by the way, are actually the same people who used to take money from the tobacco industry to tell us smoking didn't cause cancer) to try and create confusion.

Gore also updated his slideshow to include the latest science and more current examples (some as recent as last week). For example, in the movie a big deal is made of the possibility that melting ice in Greenland could stop the flow of the Gulf Stream. That now seems less likely to scientists, and Gore told us so. (On the other hand, a lot of the science has gotten more dire.)

The second main difference is how much more emotional the facts are when delivered in person. Three quarters of the way through the presentation, Gore piles on the bad news: carbon concentration in the atmosphere is higher than it's been in a million years; positive feedback loops (like the melting of the permafrost, which releases even more greenhouse gas) have already started to kick in; 100% of world fisheries have already peaked and declined in production; coral reefs are already starting to dissolve in more acidic oceans; floods and droughts (seemingly contradictory phenomenon caused by overall climate destabilization) are already costing people their water, food, and lives; both antarctic and arctic ice (the two "canaries in the mineshaft") have already started to break up much faster than was predicted.

skip

At the end of the presentation, Gore told the story (if you've seen the film you've heard it) of when his six-year-old son slipped from his grasp, ran out into traffic, and was struck by a car. His son was in intensive care for months before pulling through. It's the story of a father almost losing his son, and feeling like he could have done something to prevent it. It's an impossible moment to replicate, but trust that everyone in the room was leaning forward, holding their breath. "If I could go back in time," Gore explained, slowly, quietly, "I would go back to that moment right before his hand slipped from mine, and hold on tight."

Then, turning to the image of the Earth on the screens behind him, Gore delivered his final message in the most urgent of whispers. "It's beginning to slip from our grasp. I want you to hold on to it."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
For Mr. Gore:

This is where I started to cry reading this. It is so obvious how much this means to you, and how drastic the damage is that we have done to our Earth. I am not despairing believe me, but I am really trying hard to believe that people on the whole will get this message and act now, and I do think that is happening little by little. Just today I talked to a man about alternate fuels and hybrids and he said his next car was going to be a hybrid and that he would visit the climate crisis.org site. WE can do this, and it is because you are the leader of this environmental campaign that I believe we will do this. There is no one who can evoke the emotion and moral retrospection on this that you do, Mr. Gore.

Reading this article it is also obvious why Davis Guggenheim intertwined scenes of your life crises within An Inconvenient Truth. This is your life coming full circle. You as many of us, know what it is to lose someone you love and to almost lose one of the people in your life you love most, and now know that this Earth is slipping from us and that we cannot let it go.

And that is why I will never believe the speculation that intimates that you are using this issue and any success related to this endeavor as a means to manipulate us into doing nothing but talking about "drafting" you or making this about you. I am convinced that this is not about you to you at all, this is about US as it should be. To me it is such a shame that some only seem able to use this to get their own 15 minutes of fame instead of joining now in the cause to mitigate anymore damage to this planet, because I believe that is your true message here. We have wasted too much time already waiting for someone else to do it and following the status quo business as usual way.

We not only hold the hand of Mother Earth which is slipping from our grasp, but we too hold the hands of our children. I will not let my child's hand slip from my grasp nor Mother Earth's. And thanks to you and the producers of An Inconvenient Truth, many more people will see this and begin to hold on tighter.

How gratified I am then that you went through the metamorphosis you did. As you said in the movie which I too say so many times, that which does not kill us makes us stronger. How I hope that is the case now. Thank you for baring your soul and for taking this tremendous challenge on. This IS the one endeavor out of many that I believe you will now be a part of as a free man that will not only have you remembered by countless generations, but will hopefully inspire us to be all we have yet to become.

[RestoreGore]

1. Another good article about his presentation

http://progressivesforgore.blogspot.com/2007/02/climate-crusader-al-gore-in-toronto.html

[tblue]

2. I love Al Gore, which is why I've decided I don't want him to run. Don't get me wrong,

I wish he would. But, I can't imagine the long, drawn-out heartache of giving up the presidency that Al Gore had to go through, or what it took for him and his family to regain their bearings. Yet, since that time, Al has found peace and a profound purpose. He has discovered the reason he was put here on this earth. He's earned immeasurable respect and a debt of gratitude throughout the world. Much of that would surely be undermined in any future political campaign. I want Gore to be president. I believe he won in 2000. The world would no doubt be a better place now and in the future if there had been a President Gore. But I don't want to do that to him. Not unless he says he really wants it, and it doesn't sound to me like he does. I don't want to see him put through any more Republic party/Swiftboat hell, the personal attacks and lies, the endless grueling pain of it all. I just want to support him as he expresses himself the way he wants to. And, if that way is this glorious, wonderfully tenacious quest to help save the earth, then that's what I'll support. He's already done so much more than any of us could ask of anyone.

Do what you want to do, Al. You'll always be my hero.

[RestoreGore]

3. So well said. Thank you n/t

[OneBlueSky]

7. while I appreciate your point, I must respectfully disagree for this reason . . .

in my mind, Al Gore is the ONLY candidate -- announced or unannounced, real or potential, Democrat or Republican -- with a sufficient understanding and appreciation of the environmental crisis facing us . . . further, I believe that he cannot be as involved as he is with global warming and the environment without knowing, beyond all doubt, the central role that corporations (and those who control them) play in the environmental devastation that grows worse by the day . . .

I therefore feel that he may be the ONLY candidate who has the potential to really take on the corporations, their excesses, and their illegalities . . . and that is the ONLY thing that will cause real change to happen in this country, not only with regard to the environment with with every critical issue facing us today . . .

[RestoreGore]

11. Again, this piece was not about him but about us not letting go of Earth's hand

And we will with the distractions we are allowing to take over our lives. I truly believe some just refuse to see this.

[DKRC]

4. K&R nt

[ms liberty]

5. Excellent piece...

I have to respectfully disagree with your assessment of those of us who want him to run.

Your quote from above:
"And that is why I will never believe the speculation that intimates that you are using this issue and any success related to this endeavor as a means to manipulate us into doing nothing but talking about "drafting" you or making this about you. I am convinced that this is not about you to you at all, this is about US as it should be. To me it is such a shame that some only seem able to use this to get their own 15 minutes of fame instead of joining now in the cause to mitigate anymore damage to this planet, because I believe that is your true message here. We have wasted too much time already waiting for someone else to do it and following the status quo business as usual way."

You've made similar statements in numerous other posts; frequently you've made comments accusing us of not caring about the environment, and not doing anything about it other than using it as an excuse to go on discussion boards "harassing" him to run for President.

I take some offense at that, because you don't know what any of us are or are not doing. I was driving a hybrid in 2000; both of my in-laws now own hybrids as well. Every time we get the chance we talk them up to friends and acquaintances, and to strangers - it happens frequently when you drive one! We changed out our light bulbs for the good ones (why is my mind blank right now on what they're called?!!) more than 5 years ago, and have gotten our family and friends switched out as well. When our trash goes out, we work just to have one bag of trash for every 8-10 bins of recyclables. That's just a couple of the things we're doing and have done at my house. I could continue with many other examples, but those should give you a small idea.

I don't think posting on a discussion board our desire to have Mr. Gore run for President hinders our ability to work on the issue at all...most of us can walk and chew gum at the same time (even though I do have a problem with that, it's because I'm a klutz, not because I can't multi-task! LOL). I also don't think it's harassing him to want him to run and to talk about that. I doubt he's checking DU every hour, or even every day...if he's ever been here at all. He's kinda busy with his numerous business ventures as well as consulting and speaking on the climate crisis.

I don't think he's "using" the climate crisis as an issue to prepare for a run for the WH; I think he's doing this work because it is his passion, because it's the most important issue of our time.

I want him to run for President. I wanted him to run in 04, and was bitterly disappointed when he didn't; I worked on drafting him, but it was not to be. I didn't hold it against him then, and I won't hold it against him if he chooses not to run in 08 - although I will again be bitterly disappointed.

I think he's the person we need in the WH beginning 1-20-09 for a lot of reasons, with climate change being one of them, and the most important. Who else could hit the ground running at 8AM on 1-21-09 with this issue? Who else can we trust to know what they're doing, and to do it? And because he can multi-task with the best of them, I also think he can handle the other vitally important issues we have facing us, and do it better than anyone else. I'm not attempting to hijack your thread with an "Elect Al Gore to Save the World" post, so I won't go any further in that vein.

But the speculation over a possible Presidential run will continue until he either rules it out definitively, or throws his hat in the ring. And it's not going to slow down or go away, what with the Oscars, the Concerts, the Nobel prize, his book in May, all the accolades he's receiving, and a populace who really aren't that thrilled with the choices we've been offered so far in a race that's started earlier than ever before.

I'm posting all this because I respect and appreciate your commitment to the issue of climate change, and I enjoy and appreciate your posts. It's obvious that you care passionately about this issue. When you speak disparagingly about and to those of us who do want him to run, you alienate many of us, and your message and contribution gets lost. I don't want that to happen.

:hug:

[RestoreGore]

10. Please stop trying to discredit the words

Did I mention you by name? No, so why place yourself in that category when I didn't? Those whom I was speaking about know who they are and based on my personal experiences I have every right to type what I did in this post.
Thank you.

[ms liberty]

14. If you mean the message when you accuse me of attempting to discredit "the words"

That is not at all what I wrote, and perhaps you should reread my post, because you missed the point entirely.

No, you didn't mention me by name, but I've never seen you accuse anyone by name. I put myself in that category because you use a very broad and generic brush in your numerous posts criticizing anyone who champions an Al Gore '08 Presidential run. You do it in your own original posts, and in reply posts in most of the threads discussing the question of an Al Gore candidacy. Since I read every Al Gore post, and add a reply to many of them, I have seen your criticisms too many times to count. Yes, I place myself in that category, because your posts make it clear you hold anyone who disagrees with you in contempt. And that's the problem: you disagree with patronizing contempt, and you make sure you get your shots in every time; you lecture and harangue others from your self-appointed position as the Keeper of Al Gore's Flame of Truth as if only you understand and believe in him, only you have motives of purity and worth. Many of us have been following him for many, many years; many of us are walking the walk in our lives without feeling the need to trumpet our every effort.

People don't like to be condescendingly lectured at by anyone. THE MESSAGE OF CLIMATE CHANGE GETS LOST, and your posts are rendered impotent when you use your pet peeve as a club with which to beat people over the head.

I tried to explain my position; it's a position I've seen others express to you before as well. I tried to do it in a way that was polite, respectful and friendly. I gave you positive reinforcement that I honestly and sincerely believe. I even added a hug smilie in the hope that you would understand I was attempting to give you constructive criticism and not to hurt or anger you.

Your answer was short, brusque, arrogant and dismissive. I half-expected that, since I've seen others treated similarly. It's a pity; you have so much to offer and share, but fewer and fewer people want to hear it from you.

[RestoreGore]

18. I will no longer respond to posts aiming to sidetrack this thread from its original intent.

n/t

[JNelson6563]

12. What a shame

You wasted the time and effort to write this wonderful post only to have it dismissed with a bullshit denial.

The pot shots are always in there somewhere. Some think if they wrap up their nastiness in eloquence and vebosity it doesn't count or it's deniable or whatever. What a shame we aren't all as stupid as we are suppose to be.

Julie--hoping yet another poster has become wise to the ways of the obsessed

[RestoreGore]

13. Those who have done damage to this message

deserve to be called on it, especially when reading an article like this and realizing that more people would see this emotional truth if it weren't being covered up by the contrived political rhetoric painting Mr. Gore as some manipulative politico. So my comments were VERY relative in this post whether you can handle the truth or not. And of course, you still would rather take your own hypocritical pot shot than address the issue. So I think one response on this is all you are going to get from me since you couldn't restrain yourself.

[leftstreet]

6. Gore is no shrinking violet

In fact, difficult experiences often make us stronger. He seems fully qualified and capable of campaigning for the environment, while simultaneously turning his attention to '08.

What's the big deal?

:shrug:

[RestoreGore]

9. You cannot do both effectively in this toxic system because of its set up

And it has been that way for thirty plus years and I do believe he sees that too after already being part of it, because to him this crisis is more important and now requires a focus he can now give. And the only ones I see making a big deal out of this are those who simply won't let go and see that this man is serious about what he is doing. The "08" mania on this forum and certain others regarding Mr. Gore seems very distant and politically contrived to me regarding where he is coming from and I see right through it.

I also think it is absolutely disrespectful to try to drown out his message after he has been trying to be heard on this sincerely for so long and make it look contrived or manipulative by the tactics being employed by certain groups that care more for getting their own names in the news now by using Mr. Gore's name than seeing the message of his words. There, you wanted to know why the big deal, and I told you.

You are correct in that Mr. Gore is no shrinking violet, but again this (his work) was not meant to be about him but about US and what OUR work will now be to join in to tackle this crisis. Other countries around the world see that and respect him for that. Why can't more people here? Perhaps it is the atmosphere here of 24 hour BS news bites and hype taking precedence over substance. All I know is I am tired of seeing articles that only tie his Nobel Prize nomination and the Oscar nomination for the movie to a unsubstantive hyped up speculative rhetoric that really ruins the joy I otherwise feel for him, and this crisis finally seeing the light of day. He deserves all of this based on the merits of what he is doing for real. And that's why I posted this.

[cooolandrew]

8. Yep, he shouldn't run and I feel he won't but he is best served fighting the eco fight

As great as he has been on the environment the film american blackout will tell you he won't win in 08. Here is a great environment link...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blLRs5ySFCE

[earth mom]

15. Wow-you just love to make those back handed compliments don't you?

:eyes:

All I can conclude from your concerted effort to keep Gore from running is that you have a hidden agenda.

MsLiberty was far more kind than I about your tactics-though I'm glad though not surprised to see that I'm not the only one who is offended and annoyed with how you continue to try and shove your views down all our throats. Obviously, your b.s. is getting really old and lots of us are taking note.

FYI-GORE IS GOING TO RUN AND WIN whether you like it or not. And no amount of posts to the contrary by you are going to change that!

[Doremus]

16. HEAR HEAR!

[RestoreGore]

19. I care about this planet

And I believe I understand from where Mr.Gore is coming from. If you don't like it nor the way I express that based on my own observations, don't read my posts. Simple.

[frogcycle]

17. Can't we all just get along?

I am really frustrated by this thread.

I liked the OP very much. Yes, I am familiar with other posts and "attitudes exhibited" by the original poster, but this particular post seemed to be pretty straight up.

The one line that the first responder took umbrage with

"And that is why I will never believe the speculation that intimates that you are using this issue and any success related to this endeavor as a means to manipulate us into doing nothing but talking about "drafting" you or making this about you."

was, in my judgement, NOT a shot at those who might "talk about drafting." It was a shot at those (like limbaugh & et al) who ascribe ulterior motives to Al Gore. It was a refreshingly positive post. It is distressing that it so quickly degenerated.

Can we just agree to disagree on whether we want Gore to run? He will run or not based on his own best judgement. i will support his decision either way. I only ask that if he choooses not to run, that he make a clear endorsement so we can campaign for the candidate of his choice. I am seriously conflicted with respect to most of them, and cannot pretend to think I have the wherewithal to get good information and make a confident judgment. I trust Gore implicitly, and if he says "here's the way we can save the world" and it is him staying in his current role whilst someone else leads the salvaging of our form of government, I want to know whom he would pick for that role.

edit - afterthought:

And if he DOES decide to run, I am 1000% sure it STILL won't be "all about him". Unlike (most of) the current candidates, he does not need to be president to satisfy any ego. He would choose to do that if and only if he felt a "calling" that it was a good avenue to achieving his goals. He would (most grudgingly, I am sure) subject himself to the "toxic" process of campaigning once again if he felt it was a necessary passage to endure, not for the "reward" of being president (he already is, after all) but because it suited his desires to be able to accomplish the things he seeks to accomplish.

[RestoreGore]

20. Thank you

And isn't it so refreshing that all attitudes are accepted here? ::::tongue in cheek:::: This OP really didn't discuss his running anyway, quite the contrary, but as you can see some are just not satisfied with anyone posting about this good man unless that becomes the focus. And here I thought others would respond with actions they were taking up to support his endeavors or discussion would take place about solutions, because that is what his work is all about, but of course, that's just not going to happen here I suppose.

And in all honesty, I do think some groups that are doing nothing but talk about drafting him by using his success on this could have waited a bit longer. It only brings suspicion on Mr. Gore and his motives, which is one reason why he continually is being asked "that question." I have already talked to people who think he is behind this draft movement clandestinely, and that he only made the movie to spark political speculation, and to me that damages what we all should be trying to do for this planet now and how it is seen by some. Some may not like my opinions, and so be it. I just think some egos could have waited until HE made any decision one way or the other ( which I basically think he has which is also my prerogative.) It is almost as if they don't give a damn about what he thinks or feels because they're going to do what they want anyway, and I find that to again be disrespectful.

And after reading this and what he said that I bolded, I cannot think of doing anything with my time now but being part of the soluton with him, rather than continuing to call on him to do something he is already doing, and something he is more than capable of doing himself if he so chooses.

[ms liberty]

21. I agree with much of what you say...

Agreeing to disagree though, means treating others with courtesy, in a civil and polite way - even while pointing out the disagreements.

It wasn't solely that line that prompted my reaction - please see the bolded areas:

And that is why I will never believe the speculation that intimates that you are using this issue and any success related to this endeavor as a means to manipulate us into doing nothing but talking about "drafting" you or making this about you. I am convinced that this is not about you to you at all, this is about US as it should be. To me it is such a shame that some only seem able to use this to get their own 15 minutes of fame instead of joining now in the cause to mitigate anymore damage to this planet, because I believe that is your true message here. We have wasted too much time already waiting for someone else to do it and following the status quo business as usual way."

This is a commonly repeated theme by this DU'er, and it is directed (as usual) at those of us who advocate and discuss the possibility of a Gore candidacy. It's not the most insulting of the things she's written by any means, but it was the last straw for me, so to speak. She's never had a problem interjecting her opinions in threads that she knows she'll disagree with, like threads with titles such as "Open Letter to Al Gore: Please Run!" I have read her original posts regularly, and appreciated them in the past. So, I decided I could no longer read her posts after this; but I was compelled to offer my opinion and viewpoint about this first. I tried to do it in a civil way. I hope someday she might come to realize that the cause of climate change isn't served by alienating anyone who disagrees with her.

[frogcycle]

22. well

I think your interpretation and response were influenced by historical events. If the "their own 15 minutes of fame" was a slap at those who want him to run vs. those claiming he has ulterior motives, you could not prove it from reading this.

You might be right; might not in this case.

My view is let's pick our battles and let the oblique insults (if they even are) go and tackle the big ones