Why? A non-political Rant

This is not meant as a criticism of anyone, just a question about interest. Are any of you really much interested in the overall energy problem and global warming or do you just think nothing can be done about it so why bother trying?

I’ve not been overwhelmed by replies to my request for help at: http://hjshee.blogspot.com. I know it’s only been a few days, but I thought surely someone would have something to say by now. Hopefully, there are those among you who may yet reply if only to say, "I’m considering!" If you are, take the time to click "reply" to the email that took you here now and enter, "I’m thinking" and send it off. Then I will at least know you received my emails. Maybe it’s just that many of you have been turned off by my political rants. I’m sorry if that is so as this is certainly not political, but how are you to know, right? I received but a single reply and that was because my HTML link didn’t work on non HTML emails. This prompted me to send out a follow-up letter with the info in non-HTML language.

Am I the only one who has any interest in solving what I see as one of our most pressing national problem, or is it just not that important to most? Would it get your attention if gasoline were suddenly five bucks a gallon? How about if our economy suddenly went into another great depression? I know interest has lagged since gas has dropped to just above two bucks in much of the country. Even at that price, billions of dollars are still going from us to nations that actively seek our destruction. That still doesn’t seem to frighten anyone. I guarantee it will when our economy crashes as our enemies promise it will, and they have a great deal of control over that. Just imagine a Taliban type government in Saudi Arabia and Iraq controlled by Iran. (Which will certainly happen as soon as we withdraw) Those in control there scream now for our destruction and that would put their hands in control of the oil spigot. You think that fat little dictator in Venezuela wouldn’t join in shutting off our oil if he thought it would destroy our economy? I personally believe all those enemies mean it when they say they want to destroy us. Close down the oil supply from Islamic countries and Venezuela, and one bomb each on the Alaskan and Russian pipeline and the West would be virtually without oil. You think we wouldn’t have a huge economic collapse then? Teheran, Damascus, Caracas and Moscow would celebrate in the streets while Israel would disappear.

This is not about bashing anyone and is equally valuable to those who do and who don’t see carbon dioxide driven global warming as a problem. I’ve had a singular lack of success with probably fifty or more inquiries sent to environmental groups and public service agencies, private and governmental. Likewise to my Congressional representatives on a state and national level. I received but two replies, from Rep Mark Sauder and Senator Dick Lugar, but neither one understood what I was trying to explain to them. Their staff saw the words, "Hydrogen Economy" and immediately assumed I was writing in support of the hydrogen fuel cell - which I am very much against for reasons explained in my book. Their responses were a verbal pat on the back for my support to something I am actually very much against. My follow up letters with corrections have not been responded to. None of the "public interest" and environmental groups even acknowledged my correspondence. By the way, I sent it both by email and by snail mail through the USPS.

I have written to about thirty other public figures (including Al Gore) who are quite vocal about the environment and global warming and received not a single reply or even acknowledgment. I have received responses from several talk-show hosts including one who put me on his program for about fifteen minutes a year ago. I have also received a phone call from a man who said he was a representative of the Communist Chinese government. He seemed very interested and asked for a copy of my book. I have not heard from him since sending him a copy.

Then I sent my request for help to my entire email address book, yourself included. Apparently most all of you don’t see my effort as worth a response or are too busy - that I can understand. Most people remain quite disinterested in real solutions or are so overwhelmed with media hype they have lost all interest due to overkill and burn-out. Maybe folks just don't believe all the hoopla in the increasingly doomsday media that inundates us with dire warnings on a daily basis. Doesn't it all sound like a constant "Cry Wolf" story?

It’s frustrating to one who is very fearful about the future in this area based upon his own solid knowledge and not on any media or political hype. Maybe I should just give it up and go back to writing science fiction. Maybe I would be able to better get the message across in that way. Certainly, my 30 or so SFnovelist buddies are far more interested than any of the others I have contacted. I got more responses - good responses - from them including the scientists, college professors, publishers and all, both male and female among them, than all other sources combined. They also asked some very pointed questions and contributed some great additional ideas.

Apparently, politicians have no interest in anything that doesn’t contribute directly to their next reelection and environmental activists are so busy seeking contributions to their causes they haven’t time to look at independent ideas or solutions for the problems that drive their causes, particularly coming from a total unknown. Most individuals are so wrapped up in their jobs and in securing food, clothing, shelter and providing for children they have little time to consider even those things they see as dire needs or pressing problems if those things don’t affect them directly or immediately. The problems of overall humanity and the planet are just too daunting to even think about. Easter Island was a prime example of how that works and I am quite certain in my own mind that we are headed that way inexorably, and soon.

Soooo...Why worry? Be Happy!