Dr. James Hansen takes final leap from scientist to activist

February 24, 2:55 PMDenver Weather ExaminerTony Hake

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Dr. James Hansen, head of NASA's GISS and an employee
of the United States has seemingly crossed the line from
scientist to activist.

As an astronomer and head of NASA’s Goddard Institute of Space Studies (GISS),  Dr. James Hansen has become a champion of the global warming movement.  His extreme views and outlandish claims have focused a great deal of attention on him; nearly as much as similar positions of Al Gore, the self-appointed spokesman for the cause. 

The original mission of NASA’s GISS was to conduct studies on planetary atmospheres using data from telescopes and space probes.  In the last two decades under Dr. Hansen’s leadership that mission has changed to become, “prediction of atmospheric and climate changes in the 21st century.”  In other words, it has gone from studying other planets to studying our own planet.  Certainly the research GISS now conducts fits within the role that has evolved for it and as the head of the organization, it is expected that Hansen would be a voice for it. 

Rather than providing an objective and scientific voice to the studies GISS conducts, recent years have seen Dr. Hansen blur the line between scientist and advocate.

However, rather than providing an objective and scientific voice to the studies GISS conducts, recent years have seen Dr. Hansen blur the line between scientist and advocate. 

He has taken to writing editorials in foreign publications taking foreign governments to task for their policy decisions.  He has accused the Bush administration of trying to silence him – a fact that was repudiated by his supervisor.  He has urged criminal trials for the executives of energy companies for spreading doubt about manmade climate change.  He has advocated for the acquittal of Greenpeace activists that damaged a coal fired power plant saying the power plant was more damaging. 

As a private citizen, Dr. Hansen certainly has a right to speak his mind.  However, his charge is to head a government organization dedicated to studying the earth and other planets.  Is it within that charge to force policy changes on the United States government and its people?  

These actions alone are enough to cause anyone to question how a man such as this can remain on the government payroll.  It also begs the question of how his activism can possibly give him any credibility in the debate over anthropogenic [manmade] global warming (AGW). 

By encouraging participation in 'mass civil disobedience',
does Dr. Hansen go to far?

It would appear that Dr. Hansen has now gone beyond blurring the line between scientist and activist to crossing it by participating in and publically encouraging others to take part in, “the largest mass civil disobedience for the climate in U.S. history.”  An event called Capital Climate Action will be held on March 2nd to protest what various supporting groups feel is a lack of action on climate change by the United States government.  As their website says, “You know there is a climate crisis. You know we have to solve it. It’s time to take our action to the next level.”

Dr. Hansen has even taken to creating a video (below) extolling the virtues of this ‘civil disobedience.’  In his words, “We need to send a message to Congress and the President that we want them to take the actions that are needed to preserve climate for young people and future generations and all life on the planet.” 

As a private citizen, Dr. Hansen certainly has a right to speak his mind.  However, his charge is to head a government organization dedicated to studying the earth and other planets.  Is it within that charge to force policy changes on the United States government and its people?   Is that in the mission of GISS?  Does recruiting for, “the largest mass civil disobedience for the climate in U.S. history” fit into his job description?  Are these the actions of a scientist?  How long will NASA allow its employee to run rampant like this all the while with U.S. taxpayers footing the bill?