Well, there is pretty conclusive scientific evidence backing the climate emergency, as there is solid evidence that the Covid vaccines work pretty well. I'm not always convinced by XR and associated groups' methods - they do raise awareness but do they also generate a negative reaction? However, to my knowledge, they do not target or theaten individuals in their homes whereas the anti-vaxxer actions reported in the Mail article are seemingly the threatening behaviour by thugs.History will judge but I suspect XR won't be condemned in the same way as anti-vaxxers - the XR actions may be viewed as that by the suffragettes usually are: some personal sacrifices by the protesters and some public inconvenience but with a positive message and, let's hope, a positive outcome. With regard to vaccines perhaps scientists ought to have some understanding of those reluctant to be vaccinated? I'm not talking about those using the antivax conspiracy message for their own political purposes but groups in society who have been abused in the past by medical researchers, others who do not understand the very small risk and need to be shown the benefits (it should be recognised that nothing is zero risk but Covid itself is a higher risk and many risk drinking alcohol, smoking, taking illicit drugs, driving, etc without thinking about them), and I have friends who were uncertain about how the vaccines' mechanisms worked, and how testing and approval processes were accelerated and thus hesitant to be vaccinated. (This was done mainly by basing development on previous research, better communications between developers and approvers, no waits for funding, being able to overlap tasks because there were no bureaucratic or funding delays when that could be safely done.) I get the impression Dr Hilary may not have been very diplomatic; perhaps more understanding and better explanations would have been more productive. I front know any scientists who think using anything other than explanation and persuasion really works?It's interesting how conspiracy theory adherents seem to club together irrespective of the issue but as the Corbyns demonstrate perhaps there can be peace in our times:-)https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/oct/03/are-the-corbyn-brothers-an-example-to-us-all
Michael Ixer ● 1863d