July 3, 2023 - 10:00am
When the Wagner mercenaries marched on Moscow the weekend before last, the world looked on agog. Why were the Russians turning on themselves?
As if to prove the adage that history repeats itself as farce, this weekend we were treated to another internecine conflict: the spectacle of Just Stop Oil disrupting the Pride parade in London.
Previously, JSO had made a point of targeting “normie” events — like the morning commute or various sporting fixtures. There have been some upmarket protests too — at the opera, for instance, or the Chelsea Flower Show. However, these are conservative-coded arenas and thus an expected target for radicals.
Pride, however, is Left-coded — hence the consternation when a group of JSO activists obstructed a float, refusing to budge until the police hauled them away. What’s more, the protesters were following through on an ultimatum. Last week, they challenged Pride in London with a list of demands, including an encouragement to join the campaign against new oil and gas. “Not meeting these demands will mean we may or may not take action at this weekend’s events,” they warned.
The stunt split progressive opinion. The writer and think tank director Sunder Katwala tweeted that he could “rarely recall seeing a more ill-judged piece of NGO advocacy”. He went on to describe the JSO “threats” as “weird”, “entitled” and “shameful”. However, LGBT rights campaigner Peter Tatchell thought that the group’s requests seemed “reasonable”. Owen Jones concurred, drawing attention to “pinkwashing” by Pride-supporting corporations.
Really, though, JSO’s actions are entirely consistent with their claims about the climate emergency. If other progressives also agree that we need to achieve Net Zero within a few years (as opposed to the official target of 2050), then they can hardly object if JSO insists upon the obvious order of priorities. There can be no social progress without society, and no society without climate stability. Or, to put it another way, if it’s neighbour-fighting-neighbour for the last rat sandwich, you can forget about LGBTQIA+ and every other progressive cause.
That’s why JSO feels entitled to tell Pride what to do. After all, if they can’t persuade their fellow blue-hairs to get with the programme, then what chance do they have with mainstream opinion? Until they fall into line, then, the rest of the Left shouldn’t just be included among the climate protesters’ targets — they should be first on the list.
Yet it’s unlikely that progressive opinion, JSO included, is willing to follow this logic to its conclusion. If the climate emergency really is as pressing as they say, then we don’t just need statements of common purpose from resource-hungry jamborees like Pride and Glastonbury. Rather, we need them to lead by example and abolish themselves.
Is it fair to expect such levels of self-sacrifice? Yes, because that is precisely what the radical environmentalists expect from the British people as a whole. If Britain is to set the example that inspires the world, then progressives must set the example that inspires Britain.
Of course, it could well be that the rest of the Left doesn’t actually believe that JSO is right. What they might really think is that we still have time to decarbonise while maintaining the familiar patterns of life. They might even realise that Britain, under the hated Tories, has made major progress in that direction. Just don’t expect them to admit it.
Peter Franklin is Associate Editor of UnHerd. He was previously a policy advisor and speechwriter on environmental and social issues.
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SubscribePerhaps almost no one – even on the Left – believes there is a carbon emergency.
This is something like the healing powers of saints’ relics in a different age. There are certainly some true believers, and also a large number of people who are willing to believe provided it doesn’t cost much, and an even larger number of people who are suspicious but prefer to remain silent rather than be shouted down by the zealots.
Not even people on the Left believe the (unbelievable) climate emergency rhetoric. They see with their own two eyes that the world is not ending, and so they are willing to make minor changes – substitute one food for another, buy a ticket on a carbon-offsetting plane instead of a carbon-oblivious plane, etc. – but not willing to do too much more.
Even more intriguingly, perhaps this article could’ve been written in reverse had gay activists disrupted an environmentalists’ march… i.e., could the same be true of ‘support’ for the gay revolution? An awful lot of people are suspicious and silent, still find it all pretty gross and weird, but would rather keep their heads down below the battlements instead of getting shot at.
If they believed in “carbon emergency”, they wouldn’t be replacing coal with wood fired “biomass” or closing down nuclear.
If they believed in “climate emergency” they wouldn’t be buying big houses on the beach or lovely little cabins in the woods. Which, I understand, are selling like hotcakes.
If you oppose nuclear then you don’t believe in a climate emergency. My favourite is when environmentalists say it ‘too expensive’ when they also claim climate change is going to kill us all. Honestly all of this just proves you can’t take religiosity out of society. We have a religion shaped hole in our culture filling up with all kinds of nonsense.
If they believed in “climate emergency” they wouldn’t be buying big houses on the beach or lovely little cabins in the woods. Which, I understand, are selling like hotcakes.
If you oppose nuclear then you don’t believe in a climate emergency. My favourite is when environmentalists say it ‘too expensive’ when they also claim climate change is going to kill us all. Honestly all of this just proves you can’t take religiosity out of society. We have a religion shaped hole in our culture filling up with all kinds of nonsense.
Exactly. You find out what people really believe more by how they behave than what they say. And judging by behaviour, the vast majority of people (even a lot of activists) do not really believe in “the climate emergency” and what must logically follow, i.e. that we must make the most radical changes possible right NOW. Either that, or they don’t understand what “emergency” actually means.
I’ve received several invitations to a “net zero” conference, which will be a big, in-person event and seems to comprise a lot of speakers telling each other about the extreme importance of radical change to achieve net zero. Such as, er, making such an event virtual rather than in-person? I’ll choose to save time (and carbon) by staying at home. I mean, I think in-person events are a good thing in many ways – but then, I don’t believe in the climate “emergency”.
I have a work colleague who is all in on climate rhetoric. She also flys literally half way around the world on vacation. People like her don’t understand what colossal hypocrites they are.
I have a work colleague who is all in on climate rhetoric. She also flys literally half way around the world on vacation. People like her don’t understand what colossal hypocrites they are.
Seems you’re right about that, I’ve never even heard of the term carbon emergency.
JSO are protesting to highlight the climate crisis, that’s what the article was about.
Neither is this an issue that exists on one side of the political spectrum, the article was also clear about that in the final paragraph.
And no one on the right actually believes LBGTetc aliens are taking over the world or that BLM is forcing white kids to listen to rap music but hell conservatives are just as stupid in finding the front line of battle finding it easier to problem blame their neighbor who voted for the opposite political party.
Hey did not the Proud Boys recently rumble with the Freedom Gang.
You must be referring to the proud boys unmasking some members of the Patriot Front, a front for none other than the FBI.
Sexual aliens taking over the world, no? But sexual allies remaking the world, absolutely.
You must be referring to the proud boys unmasking some members of the Patriot Front, a front for none other than the FBI.
Sexual aliens taking over the world, no? But sexual allies remaking the world, absolutely.
I don’t mind the gays, but those “coming for your children” paedos are absolutely disgusting.
Please do not conflate the two.
I’m not sure if the downtick means that the two should be conflated or that it was never the intention and my remark has offended.
I’m not responsible for the downtick, and your remark hasn’t offended me. I just think it’s a bit misguided, seeing as it’s responding to a comment in which I explicitly didn’t conflate gays and Pride paedos. Indeed, seeing as the victims of “trans” child mutilation and sterilisation are typically kids whose confusion arises from their homosexuality, it’s very tempting to see “trans” ideology in terms of gay genocide.
I’m not responsible for the downtick, and your remark hasn’t offended me. I just think it’s a bit misguided, seeing as it’s responding to a comment in which I explicitly didn’t conflate gays and Pride paedos. Indeed, seeing as the victims of “trans” child mutilation and sterilisation are typically kids whose confusion arises from their homosexuality, it’s very tempting to see “trans” ideology in terms of gay genocide.
I explicitly didn’t.
I don’t conflate the two individually, but ideologically I’m afraid I see no difference. In each case, traditional norms of what constitutes healthy behavior and a flourishing human existence are redefined to accommodate formerly verboten desires, feelings, impulses. Academics and activists are recharacterizing what have always been thought of as the harms of sexualized children, now to be re-cast instead in terms of liberation, authenticity, and maximizing some inner self-awareness. This is happening before our very eyes, following the same playbook used by gay activists over the past 50 years.
I’m not sure if the downtick means that the two should be conflated or that it was never the intention and my remark has offended.
I explicitly didn’t.
I don’t conflate the two individually, but ideologically I’m afraid I see no difference. In each case, traditional norms of what constitutes healthy behavior and a flourishing human existence are redefined to accommodate formerly verboten desires, feelings, impulses. Academics and activists are recharacterizing what have always been thought of as the harms of sexualized children, now to be re-cast instead in terms of liberation, authenticity, and maximizing some inner self-awareness. This is happening before our very eyes, following the same playbook used by gay activists over the past 50 years.
Please do not conflate the two.
If they believed in “carbon emergency”, they wouldn’t be replacing coal with wood fired “biomass” or closing down nuclear.
Exactly. You find out what people really believe more by how they behave than what they say. And judging by behaviour, the vast majority of people (even a lot of activists) do not really believe in “the climate emergency” and what must logically follow, i.e. that we must make the most radical changes possible right NOW. Either that, or they don’t understand what “emergency” actually means.
I’ve received several invitations to a “net zero” conference, which will be a big, in-person event and seems to comprise a lot of speakers telling each other about the extreme importance of radical change to achieve net zero. Such as, er, making such an event virtual rather than in-person? I’ll choose to save time (and carbon) by staying at home. I mean, I think in-person events are a good thing in many ways – but then, I don’t believe in the climate “emergency”.
Seems you’re right about that, I’ve never even heard of the term carbon emergency.
JSO are protesting to highlight the climate crisis, that’s what the article was about.
Neither is this an issue that exists on one side of the political spectrum, the article was also clear about that in the final paragraph.
And no one on the right actually believes LBGTetc aliens are taking over the world or that BLM is forcing white kids to listen to rap music but hell conservatives are just as stupid in finding the front line of battle finding it easier to problem blame their neighbor who voted for the opposite political party.
Hey did not the Proud Boys recently rumble with the Freedom Gang.
I don’t mind the gays, but those “coming for your children” paedos are absolutely disgusting.
Perhaps almost no one – even on the Left – believes there is a carbon emergency.
This is something like the healing powers of saints’ relics in a different age. There are certainly some true believers, and also a large number of people who are willing to believe provided it doesn’t cost much, and an even larger number of people who are suspicious but prefer to remain silent rather than be shouted down by the zealots.
Not even people on the Left believe the (unbelievable) climate emergency rhetoric. They see with their own two eyes that the world is not ending, and so they are willing to make minor changes – substitute one food for another, buy a ticket on a carbon-offsetting plane instead of a carbon-oblivious plane, etc. – but not willing to do too much more.
Even more intriguingly, perhaps this article could’ve been written in reverse had gay activists disrupted an environmentalists’ march… i.e., could the same be true of ‘support’ for the gay revolution? An awful lot of people are suspicious and silent, still find it all pretty gross and weird, but would rather keep their heads down below the battlements instead of getting shot at.
Almost if not everything the JSO protestors own and do involves the use of oil.
They are the worst kind of hypocrite.
Also the UK has already done more than any of the Western nations apart from France to decarbonise, if not for the most logical and purposeful of reasons. We have deindustrialised fast and shut down all our coal mines…
If JSO were serious they would be blockading the embassies of tge USA, India and China.
But they are not. They are are posturing UMC fakes, more concerned with feeling virtuous than achieving anything real.
How many of them wear contact lenses?
Indeed. Even their banners are made of plastic (oil).
Not to mention the clothes & shoes they wear, the phones, cars or bikes they use, and the countless petrochemicals (oil) that are used in food production, medical equipment, etc.
Indeed. Even their banners are made of plastic (oil).
Not to mention the clothes & shoes they wear, the phones, cars or bikes they use, and the countless petrochemicals (oil) that are used in food production, medical equipment, etc.
How many of them wear contact lenses?
Almost if not everything the JSO protestors own and do involves the use of oil.
They are the worst kind of hypocrite.
Also the UK has already done more than any of the Western nations apart from France to decarbonise, if not for the most logical and purposeful of reasons. We have deindustrialised fast and shut down all our coal mines…
If JSO were serious they would be blockading the embassies of tge USA, India and China.
But they are not. They are are posturing UMC fakes, more concerned with feeling virtuous than achieving anything real.
Hang on, I need to get some popcorn…..
Now throw in some islamic marchers in the mix, and drop them off in front of the Chinese embassy – that would be fun!
yesss!!!!!
And some BLM racists.
yesss!!!!!
And some BLM racists.
Now throw in some islamic marchers in the mix, and drop them off in front of the Chinese embassy – that would be fun!
Hang on, I need to get some popcorn…..
It was just amusing to see one lot of blue haired nutters turning on another lot.
The Left always splits into factions and consumes itself- Life of Brian had that absolutely right too. Look what happened to Momentum!
I just hope it happens before they take power.
I just hope it happens before they take power.
It was just amusing to see one lot of blue haired nutters turning on another lot.
The Left always splits into factions and consumes itself- Life of Brian had that absolutely right too. Look what happened to Momentum!
JSO is a millennial “end of the world” type cult and GayPride is a Cult that believes that men and women can change sex and in favour of youth self mutilation. Both appeal to those that believe irrational things but not necessarily the same irrational things, so it is perfectly reasonable for them to wish to prioritise their own cult belief. Some, of course, will sign up to both and perhaps all sorts of other beliefs lacking adequate or any supporting evidence.
Certainly if we are reduced to a primitive net zero state in the UK funding expensive hormone and surgical mutilation will become pretty unaffordable so simple self ID may be all that is available to the sexually confused that wish to indulge their belief that they are in the wrong body.
The word “now” should have been inserted between
“is” and “a” in the first sentence.
The word “now” should have been inserted between
“is” and “a” in the first sentence.
JSO is a millennial “end of the world” type cult and GayPride is a Cult that believes that men and women can change sex and in favour of youth self mutilation. Both appeal to those that believe irrational things but not necessarily the same irrational things, so it is perfectly reasonable for them to wish to prioritise their own cult belief. Some, of course, will sign up to both and perhaps all sorts of other beliefs lacking adequate or any supporting evidence.
Certainly if we are reduced to a primitive net zero state in the UK funding expensive hormone and surgical mutilation will become pretty unaffordable so simple self ID may be all that is available to the sexually confused that wish to indulge their belief that they are in the wrong body.
I’m sure the police rapidly took action and cleared away the protestors very fast.
All roads are not equal, don’t you know….
All roads are not equal, don’t you know….
I’m sure the police rapidly took action and cleared away the protestors very fast.
With Just Stop Oil vs LGBTQ and LGB vs Trans and Trans vs Lesbianism etc., we are about to see the entire pugnacious Left about to fly up its own bottom end.
Not all of us in the LGB camp are of the left, ‘pugnacious’ or otherwise.
Absolutely. Unfortunately, the ones who are are the ones getting all the press.
Absolutely. Unfortunately, the ones who are are the ones getting all the press.
The LGB alliance is not seen as a leftist organisation.
Not all of us in the LGB camp are of the left, ‘pugnacious’ or otherwise.
The LGB alliance is not seen as a leftist organisation.
With Just Stop Oil vs LGBTQ and LGB vs Trans and Trans vs Lesbianism etc., we are about to see the entire pugnacious Left about to fly up its own bottom end.
When I read about that I thought about the hierarchy of extremists pet projects. Clearly pride trumps JSO.
Then I read that the new law that stops disruptive protests has just come into force. Maybe things are going to change? Let’s see what happens at the next JSO event, if the police are going to be as solicitous.
When I read about that I thought about the hierarchy of extremists pet projects. Clearly pride trumps JSO.
Then I read that the new law that stops disruptive protests has just come into force. Maybe things are going to change? Let’s see what happens at the next JSO event, if the police are going to be as solicitous.
How I dream of seeing bits of them all being picked out of the radiator grille of a large Scania or Volvo artic….
How I dream of seeing bits of them all being picked out of the radiator grille of a large Scania or Volvo artic….
Who outranks who on the Woke scale?
JSO or the MAP brigade?
The money is with the MAP.
The money is with the MAP.
Who outranks who on the Woke scale?
JSO or the MAP brigade?
The demands of JSO on Pride are typical attempts to gain leftist power by joining forces and gaining the numbers JSO need using intersectionality.
The demands of JSO on Pride are typical attempts to gain leftist power by joining forces and gaining the numbers JSO need using intersectionality.
Fascist hippies vs misogynistic paedos: which side are we supposed to pick?
Fascist hippies vs misogynistic paedos: which side are we supposed to pick?