NASA's James Hansen is man of impeccable credentials. A guardian of pure, non-ideological science, and sometimes called the "father of global warming", he has alerted us to the terrifying situation he faces -- that he is being muzzled by the Bush administration, and is thus completely unable to speak out. A tactic in the ongoing Republican war against science, this frightening situation has persisted for years, through 1,400 or more interviews, by his own admission.

This kind of dangerous Republican intolerance must be stopped!

During another such interview (no doubt in fear of his very life, much less career) this brave scientist revealed a solution: Leaders of energy companies should be tried as criminals, and most likely thrown in jail.

"Special interests have blocked the transition to our renewable energy future," Hansen writes in an opinion piece posted on the institute's Web site. "Instead of moving heavily into renewable energies, fossil fuel companies choose to spread doubt about global warming, just as tobacco companies discredited the link between smoking and cancer.

"Methods are sophisticated, including funding to help shape school textbook discussions of global warming," Hansen continues. "CEOs of fossil energy companies know what they are doing and are aware of the long-term consequences of continued business as usual. In my opinion, these CEOs should be tried for high crimes against humanity and nature."

No kidding! These CEOs deserve it, given their opposition to dissenting views. We shouldn't put up with intolerant people. Those who disagree with my views on global warming (and argue effectively against them in public) should be tossed into jail. That may sound drastic, but, friends, trust me: immediate imprisonment is the only way to contain the dangerous threat posed by wrong-headed, intolerant thinking.

All I can say, as a card-carrying member of the reality-based community, is that I'm glad James Hansen is out there working to protect freedom and open inquiry!

Dr. James Kirk Murphy, MD, another brave defender of science over at firedoglake, agrees with me:

Thanks to Dr. Hansen and thousands of other honest scientists around the world, we know what to do. For twenty years, we've known about the problem. We can all be part of the solution, and part of the changes required to preserve our living world in a form that will support the wonderful diversity it supports -- including our children and their children. Part our work is to support the 100% carbon tax and whenever possible, shrink our personal carbon footprints. Part of our work is to shut the climate change deniers out of mainstream discussion -- in precisely the fashion civilized people now shut Holocaust deniers out of mainstream discussion and mainstream media.

And in our spare time, we may want to stock up on some (carbon neutral) munchies for the climate deniers' trials. Looks like Dr. Hansen will make things very hot in the courtroom.

He's dead on! Disagreeing with his views on global warming is just as absurd and immoral as believing the Holocaust never happened. Those who act in such a fashion should be treated as Nazis were in post-WWII Germany. It's the only way we can protect ourselves from the dangerous effect their ideas might have on public debate.

Geez, those Republicans are scary!