Thank You Al Gore

[monmouth]

I’m a little saddened this morning to realize the number of American citizens who are truly a dispassionate, uninformed, and basically a nasty, mean-spirited group of people. How naive of me not to expect this. I am overjoyed that Al Gore has won the Nobel Prize, and deservedly and expectedly so. What the right fails to recognize is that Vice President Gore’s work on global warming is neither a right, left or centrist body of work. It is GLOBAL, hence the name. The world has come to recognize his and others work on this most important topic, as it applies to ALL of us globally.

I’ve come to recognize Al Gore as a teacher, my habits have changed quite a bit in the last eighteen months or so. My purchases and what containers they come in have changed, my choices in selections of everything from light bulbs have changed. I’m only one person, what affect will I have on this planet? Hard to say, but it makes me feel better. I enjoy the unexpected conversations that pop up in places like the grocery store when a person asks about that “new light bulb that’s supposed to be better for the environment.” People are engaged in this movement. They want their children and children’s children to profit from this knowledge and the care that must be given to their planet.

Did we honestly think we could continue in the haphazard way we’ve been treating the Earth? Did we honestly think there would be no payback for our actions? Education, at any age level is always a good thing. Why would anyone, or a group of sad, small and petty people begrudge such an honor being bestowed upon such a teacher?

Our country has had little to be proud of in the last seven years. We have become the laughingstock and are being viewed as a bully, war-mongering nation. It gladdens my heart this morning that at least for the moment, I can hold up head up proudly and say “Yes, I’m a proud American.” One of our own has taken on a huge task and accomplished an enormous amount of that task. Vice President Gore has woken up the world, and the world noticed. The world is saying thank you, you’ve taught us some things we needed to know, and we honor you for your endeavors. Thank you Al Gore.