I was asked more than once yesterday what I thought about the antics of the climate change protestors, in London, over the weekend, that included a Southend contingent, some I know and regard as friends. See the Echo story “Southend group confirm one member arrested in Extinction Rebellion protests”.

My response was multi faceted, realising different people will give quite different views. On one hand I admire my friends for their principled stand (and I have little doubt they would have still been protesting if had been pouring with rain and they had been simply ignored). I get their frustration that their warnings on pending catastrophe if something serious isn’t done to prevent climate change have been largely ignored, significantly by the establishment. Support for which comes from unlikely source: “the Extinction Rebellion – Jonathan Pie”. I enjoyed the account given by one of my friends, who looking at him could also pass off as a member of the establishment, of his time spent in police custody, with one police man offering to buy him a drink on release. At the very least, my tree hugging activist friends are right to point out we have mucked up the environment in all sorts of ways, and while I get the economic, pragmatic, freedom arguments, many of their concerns are valid, including powerful economic interests putting these before those of the environment and future generations for financial gain.

On the other hand: is climate change such a big deal? I know my even asking that question makes me a target to be shot down in flames by politically correct, socialist leaning, liberal luvvie, globalist embracing types, orchestrated by powerful elites whose aims are NOT altruistic, who  want to control and subjugate the masses., and my knowing it is “their thing” only accentuates my worries. I know some will dismiss stories that begin with statements like “A staggering 30,000+ scientists have come forward confirming that man-made climate change is a hoax perpetuated by the elite in order to make money” (see here) (and there are more), and while I know a mere fraction of what my pillar of the community friend does on these matters, I remain, dare I say it, a skeptic, or at least one who is questioning. I also believe in the rule of law – sure people should be able to protest and, as I argue elsewhere, we are in grave danger of losing that right, but their bordering or more on illegality has unduly affected people who just want to get on with their life unharassed, expecting the protection of the law. I confess, climate change is far from being at the top of the list things I am concerned about (maybe it should be). I would be more sympathetic if there were protests by those objecting to state allowed 206,880 babies murdered in the womb in the UK in 2017 and if our brainwashed youngsters were out venting their righteous indignation over this.