Greenpeace, Liberalism, and Maturity

The Independant

Greenpeace campaigners, not a group of people unaccustomed to flying in the face of danger, were forced into a tactical retreat yesterday after feeling the wrath of angry oil traders.

On the day the Kyoto Protocol came into force, 35 eco-warriors stormed the Interna- tional Petroleum Exchange [IPE] in the City. Armed with fog horns, rape alarms and whistles they tried to stall business by creating a deafening noise that made it impossible for the traders to work. But the campaigners, who took ear plugs to hand out to traders, appear to have underestimated the hostility from their intended victims.

One demonstrator described how "all hell broke loose" on the trading floor: "We were actually getting battered. We weren't fighting back, which makes it even worse." Greenpeace's executive director, Steven Tindale, said: "They kind of pinned us into the corner, there were a couple of dozen around us. We were non-violent and peaceful and we made it clear that's what we were there for but there were quite a few blows raining down on our heads.

"They pulled a metal bookcase down on our heads. They were trying to use that to push us back out so that was the moment we decided to retreat."

He said he was shocked. "They weren't interested in our message, they just laid into us. They were swearing at us, it wasn't very subtle. Everyone who goes on a Greenpeace action is trained in non-violent direct action, so we know not to respond, although a few swear words may have come from ourselves."

This is a perfect example of what is wrong with the Left. They think and act like teenagers. Think of the audacity and stupidity contained in the statement, "they weren't interested in our message." What a joke. Greenpeace actions are never about the message; they are about the action.

Sure, one can argue that the traders are guilty of escalating the situation. Personally, I have no problem with confrontational escalation and I think the law is wrong to demand that we withdraw from these situations. Of course, if society actually punished Greenpeace for their obnoxious and unlawful behavior, citizens would not feel compelled to act in their own interest. But, since they continue to get away with childish behavior they will continue to do it -- just like teenagers.

Everyone knows you can't tell a teenager anything. First, they don't know much and second they do not know how to think. They are easily distracted and overly emotional. It is a wonder that they ever grow up. In fact, many do not ever grow up. Those people are called Liberals. The rest of us who have matured into adults are called conservatives (or sometimes libertarians, but not the whacko libertarians).

What is it that quickens this maturity? It is certainly not just political or academic debate. This is disappointing because it means that we can never actually affect a Liberal with argument. Instead, I think, we must wait until the world quickens them for us with a 9/11 or a Jimmy Carter or some personal event. Then when they have been awakened from the dogmatic slumber we can help them form their own adult character. This is how it happened for me and for others that I know.