Proponents of climate change and their followers are some of the most untruthful people that you'll encounter, and they rank very high on a scale of one to 10 when it comes to showing off their moral superiority.
Occasionally, certain people get what they deserve. That is what many claim was the case in Wellington, Australia with teen climate change activist Izzy Cook, who went on a New Zealand radio program Friday to discuss her and her peers participating at the annual worldwide School Strike For Climate “protest” that happened last week.
However, during this interview, host Heather du Plessis-Allan asked about Cook on her activism and asked if she thought people need to be granted permission to fly. Du Plessis-Allan specifically asked if she should be permitted to fly to Fiji. The conversation was a downhill slope for Cook as she reacted to the question. The conversation was transcribed as the following:
HDPA: “So we would have to apply to have, like, approved events to be able to fly for?”
IC: “Well, that’s one thing that you could look at doing.”
HDPA: “Am I allowed to go to Fiji? Is that necessary?”
IC: “In the current climate crisis, I don’t think that that’s necessary travel.”
HDPA: “When was the last time you were on a plane?”
IC: [Pause] “Um, I’m not sure. Maybe a few months ago, to be honest.”
HDPA: “Where’d you go?”
IC: [Long pause] “Fiji.”
HDPA: [Laughter ensues] “Izzy! Izzy! Don’t you care about the climate, Izzy?”
IC: “Of course, I care about the climate.”
HDPA: “Not enough. You went to Fiji! Izzy, come on, mate! Are you serious?” [Laughter]
IC: [Pauses] “It’s pretty ironic. It is pretty ironic, but to be honest, it’s not really a trip that I wanted to go on, but I can’t really get out of it.”
When Cook was asked about the reason she went to Fiji, she explained to du Plessis-Allan that her parents forced her to go. The host then jokingly asked her if she felt embarrassed that her parents caused harm to the environment through their flight and “forced” her along for the journey. After Cook replied “of course” she wasn't embarrassed, she was then asked whether she had a “terrible time.” She replied, “not really.”
It's not surprising that left-wing Karens who hate when their group is subject by their standards, have been making showing where to make a formal complaint about the interview for those interested.
Rose Cook, Cook’s mom, was so outraged by the “bullying” she says her daughter was subjected to during the program that she went on the Internet to protest the incident and, in the process, made it clear to the world that she had been the driving factor behind her daughter's school-skipping protests (language caution):
On Friday evening, I listened in horror as my 16 year old daughter had a phone conversation with someone who appeared to be bullying her, laughing at her, and talking over her. As soon as she got off the call I demanded to know who the hell was speaking to my child in this way.
[…]
Commentators like du Plessis-Allan don’t give a shit about climate change. They don’t care that Arctic ice is melting at four times the expected rate, or that we are seeing more and more extreme weather events killing and displacing people across the globe. No, as du Plessis-Allan is fond of reminding us, it’s the economy that matters, not our planet. These sorts of commentators use ad hominem arguments and “gotcha” moments for point-scoring and discrediting their opponents. We saw it when Mike Hosking opined that Greta Thunberg is “the world’s most annoying kid” and when Duncan Garner said she was “too dramatic” to take seriously. It’s a common tactic used to deflect from the climate crisis, instead of focusing on the actions that we need to take in a rational, reflective manner. They seem particularly keen to go after our youth, whose future is most at stake.
“They seem particularly keen to go after our youth, whose future is most at stake.” This quote was possibly the most revealing part of Rose Cook's tirade. Like many others on the left, she wants teens, including her daughter to get out and “be independent” and express their views, and sometimes be made into global icons as Thunberg has, but you shouldn’t challenge their opinions because when you do you're considered a bully or will be blamed for “picking on a child.”
The same misguided attitude was seen after the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School mass shooting that took place in 2018. Some of the students went straight to for the radical route with the assistance of anti-gun groups, but when they were confronted about their actions, Pro-Second Amendment conservatives were accused of being cruel, insensitive bullies who did not care about the number of children killed as long as they were able to maintain their weapons. A whole segment on CNN that ran for a week after the shooting was dedicated to perpetuating this very stereotype.
If you're out there advocating for “change,” especially the type that is likely to slash basic constitutional rights or alter the entire structure of a country, you'll be scrutinized, regardless of whether you're a teenager aspiring to become famous or an older person commonly found at protests. You won't be given a pass just because you're not an adult.
However, the best way to handle such situations is for adults to take on the argument and debating rather than to send teens to serve as a mediator for them. However, the purpose of the people sending teens to be activists is to silence any criticism of their actions, isn't it?
Regarding Izzy Cook's “saga,” @Merlotmike’s tweet seemed to be the most relevant response:
The whole Izzy Cook saga has taught us two valuable lessons.
1) Child climate protestors are just pawns used by ill-informed, delusional, eco fascist, parents, teachers and politicians.
2) 16 year olds should not vote.
