Dr Thomas DiLorenzo, author of The Real Lincoln and Lincoln Unmasked, was recently a guest on The Robert Wenzel Show. One of the subjects which DiLorenzo and Wenzel discussed (see the audio excerpt below) was the difference between conservationism and environmentalism. DiLorenzo noted that while conservationists are genuinely concerned about preserving habitats and solving environmental problems, environmentalists are essentially socialist ideologues who want to destroy economic liberty. He went on to talk about the lack of economic understanding of environmentalists and how many old-style socialists embraced the environmentalist movement as a way of achieving their political goals.
Environmentalists are like watermelons in that they are green on the outside and red on the inside
This distinction which Dr DiLorenzo articulates tends to hold up when contrasting traditional Southerners (who tend to be deeply attached to the soil and nature) to the very ideologically-driven environmentalists (who often come from big cities or heavily populated suburbs outside of the South). Hunters and fishermen, for example, who are often demonised and viciously attacked by environmentalists, contribute vast sums of money, time and effort towards preserving natural habitats. They have a stake in maintaining animal populations and a healthy environment in which they can flourish. Meanwhile, many urban-dwelling environmentalists try to take the moral high ground on the issue even though they are thoroughly detached from the natural world and contribute comparatively little to actual conservationism. How does the emotional and quasi-religious manner in which political-environmentalism is promoted in public schools and the US mass media actually help? It doesn’t. A pragmatic and non-political approach to real conservationism does much more good than holding a protest for TV cameras or putting an environmentalist bumper sticker on your Prius.
Click here for the audio (duration: 4:21)
I have never heard it put this way, but I agree with everything.
I’ve always wondered why people concerned with the outdoors many times seem to be “whack jobs”. I own some property and am very concerned with keeping things the way they are in pristine environment and yet I would never join a Marxist “Green Peace” or go to some freak rally with dope smoking anarchists, etc..
Now I understand the difference and am proud to say that I can fit under the category of conservationist.
Thank you Dr. DiLorenzo and Michael!
Side note: If anyone ever wants to fight something worthwhile when it comes to the environment, fight Obama’s windmill farms. We have some close to us and, I will tell you, the folks who agreed to put those titanium monstrosoties (sp?)on their farms/properties have altered the landscape permanently, selling their souls for a few pieces of silver.
are in “a” pristine environment