Posted on 08/19/2016 2:37:31 PM PDT by drewh
“Should We Be Having Kids In The Age of Climate Change?”
That was the audacious question NPR’s website and All Things Considered radio show asked on Aug. 18, as it promoted a college professor’s “radical” proposal that people need to have fewer children because of the “prospect of climate catastrophe.”
The academic proposed a “carbon tax” on children, to decentivize procreation, in wealthy nations.
NPR correspondent Jennifer Ludden reported that Professor Travis Rieder presented “moral” arguments to James Madison University students, claiming the best way to protect future generations from the threat of climate change is “by not having them.”
A philosopher, Rieder told them that having fewer children reduces carbon emissions more effectively than not eating meat, driving hybrid cars, and using eco-friendly appliances. Ludden’s article posted on the NPR website about the interview with Rieder was even more positive. In it she wrote that his claims “sound pretty persuasive in the classroom.”
Such anti-life arguments are typical of the left, including the environmental left.
According to the article, Rieder and his Georgetown University colleagues, Colin Hickey and Jake Earl, have a plan to save the earth which was described as “carrots for the poor, sticks for the rich.”
They are asking richer nations to “do away with tax breaks for having children and actually penalize new parents.”
DONATE Rieder described his strategy as a “carbon tax, on kids,” and said it should be “based on income” and raised for “each additional child.” He claimed that punishing people in wealthier nations for having large families is “not like China’s abusive one-child policy” because it targets the rich rather than the poor.
However, Climate Depot’s Marc Morano strongly disagreed, writing, “U.S. environmentalists are taking a page from China's mandatory one-child policy even as China abandons the policy. If these wacky climate activists believed their own literature they would realize that 'global warming' may lead to less kids!”
Rieder claimed to have the moral high ground, saying, “It's not the childless who must justify their lifestyle. It's the rest of us.” In the radio program, he said his family is “one and done” even though his wife Sadiye formerly wanted a “big” family.
Ad Feedback When a student asked, “What happens if that kid you decided not to have would have been the person who grew up and essentially cured this,” Rieder called it a good question. But then he added that “valuing children as a means to an end...” is “ethically problematic,” according to NPR.
He dismissed such positive views of human potential, saying the “chances are slim.”
It was not the first time Ludden revealed her liberal bias towards environmental issues. In 2013, she also complained that schools were still teaching both sides of the global warming debate.
The Islamists aren’t going to have fewer babies, the illegals aren’t going to have fewer babies, the welfare moms won’t have fewer babies. The main groups this targets are middle-class and those who need to have more babies to keep Western Civilization alive.
They want less people. They hate everyone. Procreation must be stopped.
If you want to see the world liberals want, watch the movie “Elysium”.
Because, of course, individuals have never created anything good or beneficial.
All the people who believe this, why aren’t they throwing themselves off the nearest cliff?
Until they do, they are empty mouthed hypocrites.
From what I read, as soon as Islamists move to the West, their birth rates plummet. And they're not that high in parts of Islam-world, either. I thought that was interesting.
Really? They seem plenty busy where I live which is near Toledo, Ohio.
If since 73’ we so-called conservatives had a very slightly better birth rate than the abortion starving, pro-death liberals, then the election this year wwouldn’t be so tenuous.
Don’t we have enough evidence yet for President Trump to have his justice department indict and try NPR management and staff for giving aid and comfort to the enemy?
Tell it to the illegals and muzzie terrorists!
LOL. Right-On Tax-chick, Right-On!
All decent Americans should approve of this NPR story.
There are far too many insane liberals having children. The fewer of them reproduce, the less harm they will do to the generation our children will be coping with. I don’t want them murdering their unborn babies, but I’m more than okay with liberals just not getting pregnant.
Liberals never change. They are as wacky today as they were then. The problem is, now they have the force of law behind them.
Based on this logic we MUST stop all immigration from the Third World to developed countries because they increase their carbon footprint when they move...
Dear NPR:
STFU!
Yes, it is selfish.
We must stop having children.
The Muslims and Africans will have all the children we need.
Their children don’t cause climate change.
Western children cause climate change.
FMCDH(BITS)
Who will pay the taxes (payroll) for all these freaks?
FMCDH(BITS)
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