John Karls Recuses Himself Vis-à-vis Pied Piper Naomi Klein

[johnkarls]

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Simultaneously with Ted Gurney’s 8/9/2015 proposal of “This Changes Everything: Capitalism and the Climate” by Naomi Klein, John Karls posted his opinion that Naomi Klein is the modern-day equivalent of the legendary Pied Piper who lured the children of Hamelin to their destruction.

John’s views were also repeated as follows in each of the monthly summaries of the proposed topics that were distributed at the beginning of each meeting to assist participants in their voting for the next month’s topic:

(1) Accompanying the summary about “This Changes Everything” --

“If selected, a substitute meeting organizer/facilitator will be needed for the reasons posted simultaneously with the proposal posted on http://www.ReadingLiberally-SaltLake.org and summarized below.”

(2) And summarized below as promised --

“Klein's book is built on a false premise.

“As our group has agreed three times in the past, the only energy source that solves global warming 100%, the only energy source that solves global warming virtually immediately, and the only energy source that is so cheap in comparison to all other energy sources that, for example, it would be unnecessary to invade China to prevent them from continuing to bring on stream a new monster-size coal-fired electric-generation plant every week, etc., etc., is thorium.

“And, yes, we already know that Campaign Contributions (aka bribery of, and extortion by, the pols in the cesspool known as Washington DC) are the reason for the lack of success of our two Six-Degrees-Of-Separation E-mail Campaigns directed at President Obama and our third Six-Degrees-Of-Separation E-mail Campaign directed at Dianne Feinstein when she was Chair of the Senate Subcommittee that had jurisdiction over the Nuclear Fusion Boondoggle.

“I strongly disagree with the proposition that just because the pols will not listen to us because of Campaign Contributions, then we must abandon a real solution and instead embrace a farce approved by the Campaign Contributors.

“Of course the Energy Companies and the Oil-Exporting Countries are NOT going to approve of thorium because it will put all of them out of business overnight. So of course they will prevent that from happening by making Campaign Contributions. And if you think that Foreign Governments can’t make Campaign Contributions because it is against the law, then you should look up the definition of 'conduit' and ask yourself what Washington DC lawyers/lobbyists are. Moreover, many of the Oil-Exporting Countries have made contributions to the Clinton Family Foundation.

“But since everyone is free to recommend whatever book s/he wants, so be it.”

*************************************

The attendees of our 1/13/2016 meeting selected “This Changes Everything” as the focus book for our 2/17/2014 meeting.

Accordingly, in the following e-mails John Karls recused himself as facilitator in favor of Tucker Gurney, who had volunteered to perform that function:

---------------------------- Original Message ----------------------------
Subject: Capitalism vs. the Climate by Naomi Klein
From: readingliberally-saltlake@johnkarls.com
Date: Thu, January 14, 2016 4:19 am
To: Tucker Gurney
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear Tucker,

[Voluminous material on another issue omitted.]

*****
The primary reason for this e-mail.

You may recall that I have always said that if Capitalsim vs. The Climate
were selected, someone else would have to take responsibility for
facilitating everything.

And on 10/10/2015, your posting on http://www.ReadingLiberally-SaltLake.org said
you would take that responsibility.

At our December meeting, Thomas [Chancellor] inquired how that would work.

So this e-mail is a reprise of that answer, so that we have our signals
called straight.

I will continue to send out the weekly e-mails.

There is nothing for you to do for this coming Friday, since the first
e-mail in the monthly cycle simply announces the book that has been
selected, together with a brief bio about the author.

Which is merely ministerial, rather than substantive.

However, the second e-mail in the monthly cycle traditionally contains the
Short Quiz.

And the two explosions of RSVP’s this past month show how important the
Quiz and the Suggested Discussion Outline can be in creating interest.

So if you can send me a Quiz by Friday Jan 22, I will include it in the
second weekly e-mail of the cycle which goes out pre-dawn Sat Jan 23. [If
not, the e-mail will just be essentially a repeat of the first e-mail.]

You may have noticed from the listing of meeting dates in the weekly
e-mails of Dec 26 and Jan 2 that our next meeting is Feb 17 because Feb 10
is Ash Wednesday which has always been a deal breaker, at least for June
Taylor.

And you may recall that during our 5-week gap that occurs once per
quarter, we have a Second Short Quiz.

Accordingly, you should send me by Fri Jan 29 both the Suggested Answers
to your First Short Quiz and the questions comprising your Second Short
Quiz.

Followed on Fri Feb 5 by your Suggested Answers to the Second Short Quiz.

And on Fri Feb 12, your Suggested Discussion Outline.

The rest (presiding over the meeting) is easy -- just trying to limit the
number of conversations to one at a time and trying to keep the comments
on topic.

In other words, as usual I will provide the coffee and cookies.

If you have any questions or comments, please let me know.

Your friend,

John K.


---------------------------- Original Message ----------------------------
Subject: Re: Capitalism vs. the Climate by Naomi Klein
From: Tucker Gurney
Date: Thu, January 14, 2016 6:37 am
To: readingliberally-saltlake@johnkarls.com
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Omitted is Tucker’s response to the voluminous material on another issue which was contained in John Karls' e-mail but omitted from the foregoing copy of that e-mail.]

Anyway, I am glad to take the lead next time. Ted has already read the book and I have skimmed it and heard her talk. We'll put together study guides by your deadlines. Thanks for doing all the hard work as usual. I hope we can maintain interest through this bigger book.

Tucker


******************************************************

John Karls’ reason for recusing himself as the facilitator for the 2/17/2016 meeting appeared in the last section of a Fri, January 15, 2016 5:00 am e-mail to several of our regulars, including Tucker:

*****
Addendum Re Capitalism vs. The Environment

It strikes me that in view of the theme of this essay (the over-riding
good of our organization), a few words are appropriate vis-à-vis the Naomi
Klein book.

I’m sure you are sick of hearing my views on how the pols and their
campaign contributors are playing games with any environmentalist who is
naïve enough to support Kyoto, Paris, etc.

However, my turning the reins over to you and the Gurneys for the Naomi
Klein focus is motivated by concern for the good of the organization.

I am firmly convinced that Naomi Klein is a Pied Piper who, wittingly or
not, is helping the pols and their campaign contributors swindle once more
the gullible environmentalists.

Which is why I am NOT capable of giving Naomi Klein the time of day.

Better that you and the Gurneys should be given the reins so that Naomi
Klein can be given a fair hearing.

But nobody should expect me to remain silent at the Feb 17 meeting.
Though I will try my best not to dominate the discussion.

Your friend,

John K.