Harvey,

I wish you well in your attempt to confront Mr. Gore, but you should
consider the reports given in the past few days by Tim McGrady and
others of the reception environmental activists give to notions contrary
to their dogma. Even though Mr. Gore's talk is for engineers, given that
it is being held in the Civic Auditorium in the heart of environmental
activist (demagogue) territory, I predict that there will be plenty of
non-engineers in the audience. 

I was a student at Berkeley during most of the 1960's and so had a
ringside seat to watch and learn how activists operate. Alexander
Solzhenitsyn was once booed off the stage while he attempted to deliver
an invited speech at Harvard because the students didn't care much for
his academic freedom. I don't think he was ever invited back. And
speaking of Harvard, recall the fate of the president when he violated
feminist orthodoxy.

Assuming you are even given a chance to address Mr. Gore, I predict that
you will be shouted down before you manage to get out more than a couple
of sentences, and that he will not intervene to stop the violation of
your free speech rights - particularly if you question global warming.
(I regard the threat of a global reign of terror by demagogues as far
greater than the threat of global warming.) 

I would not have the courage to attempt what you say you intend to do,
including handing Mr. Gore a book. You may want to bring along some
sympathetic EnviroNet subscribers as bodyguards, and someone with a
video camera (hidden to prevent confiscation or damage). Don't expect
that any fracas you get into will be reported objectively by the media,
but it might make for some interesting viewing on YouTube. Do you know
if he will be surrounded by Secret Service agents? I recall hearing some
years back that someone once attempted to hand President Clinton an
aborted fetus, and ended up in jail.

This is exciting! Please promise to report how it goes.

 

Gordon Davy