The title for this blog is drawn from the speech by wondrous child climate prophet, Greta Thunberg, to the UN Convention on Climate Change recently in New York. Greta challenged the world for daring to pursue economic development while failing to take action on climate ‘catastrophe’.

Leaders and the media fawned on her and her every word. More rational beings became concerned about her mental wellbeing, how she was being manipulated by self-serving individuals and organisations, as well as the absence of factual information in her dare.  Largely, though, people were reluctant to criticise the child openly, which is why children, especially girls, are being used globally as front-liners in the climate catastrophe wars.

The climate strikes back

Rather than being “settled”, the science claiming the earth is warming and we are all set to fry and die from a human induced warming planet inundated by rising sea water, is being challenged.

Credible science enlightens. Distance of the earth from the sun, variations in the tilt of the earth on its axis, and absorption of CO2 in the oceans have more impact on heating and cooling of the planet than anything we mere mortals can do, though gods of the new religions presume greater powers. In basic terms, the closer you are to the heater, the warmer it gets; the further away you go, the cooler it gets. Simple!

The northern hemisphere is now experiencing record snows (not heating) while we are experiencing a common, though difficult drought period, exacerbated by mongrels deliberately lighting fires and Greens’ failure to allow timely cool burning of fuel. Over a century of records, water levels at Fort Denison in Sydney Harbour show mere millimetres of variation and satellite data proves Pacific islands are mostly growing or stabilised, not sinking. No need for corrupt payments.

Informed media are responding to the challenge with facts. People buckling under the burden of guilt, responsibility and high energy bills (27,000 households had power disconnected in Queensland in 2018-2019) are beginning to shift the debate, putting forward their own ideas of what is important, just as the “Quiet Australians” elected the Morrison government. How dare you!

Global daring

A good dose of realism from ordinary people is beginning to have an impact globally. As righteous Pharisees of the new religions engage even more outrageous claims and actions, those who have been silenced and de-platformed are calling it out.

• USA: For over three years relentless challenges by the Democrats, Washington and New York elites and the fake media against the unexpected democratic election of Trump as President have mostly damaged themselves. Like him or hate him as a person, Trump was elected to do a job and deliver on promises. He is doing that. Taxes are down, businesses are upbeat, more people are employed, the wall is being built, troops being brought home, defence revitalised, the US has pulled out of the Paris climate agreement, the country has become self-sufficient in oil and trade conditions have been renegotiated. So far around twenty mostly very left wing Democratic candidates have nominated to stand against him in 2020, with little more than trashing Trump to add to their CVs.
• Canada: Serial celebrity activist Jane Fonda got more than she bargained for when burning oil flying into Fort McMurray in the freezing boonies of Alberta. Her plan was to stand with First Nations people to protest against the global emissions of the oil sands industry that fuels the Canadian economy. Fonda’s hypocrisy knows no bounds. Like our miners in Clermont chasing Bob Brown’s anti-Adani convoy out of town, locals fired up and told her to blow through (or words to that effect; Canadians are very polite). Similarly with the oil pipeline that has been a focus of green activism for years. First Nations people are speaking up for themselves, the business and jobs they have in the oil industry and “are tired of fly-in, fly-out celebrities who think they know everything then go tell the world what bad people the locals are”.
• UK: For over three years, elites in the British and European parliaments and media have thwarted the will of the majority of British people to leave the European Union. Partisan Speaker of the House defied convention, favouring remainers in debates on Brexit. Boris Johnson has leadership of the Brexit charge against those who seek to subvert democracy and has a chance of delivering on this goal following the 12 December election.
• Hong Kong: For months the people have turned out in millions, daring to challenge the might of the Chinese Communist Party seeking to deny them freedoms and subject them to arcane extradition laws. Who knows how this ends. Yet they have dared!

Australia dares

Not only did the Clermont miners shout out for themselves, their jobs and their industry, they contributed to Scott Morrison’s unexpected electoral win in Queensland. How dare they!

• Freedom of speech and belief are seen as under threat. Other quiet Australians have been stirred by Rugby Australia sacking their highest scoring player Israel Folau, for quoting an excerpt of the Bible on his Facebook page. Over $2.2m towards Folau’s legal fees was raised in a couple of days on a go-fund-me page sponsored by the Australian Christian Lobby. People contributed, not because they necessarily believed what Folau quoted, but because the decision heralded a trend that anyone could be sacked for their beliefs or for what they say. They could be next.
• Similarly Professor Peter Ridd was sacked by James Cook University for his views on the robust health of the Great Barrier Reef that countered the prevailing catastrophic global warming mantra that is demoralising farmers and destroying reef tourism reliant businesses. A go-fund-me page supported by the Institute of Public Affairs raised nearly $300K for Ridd’s legal fees. Judgement found against the University on all 17 counts and awarded damages and costs. How dare Ridd call for greater research rigor and suggest the reef was resilient!  
• The Green Shirts Movement has been established as a voice for rural, regional and reasonable people, to protest 2018 amendments to the Queensland Vegetation Amendment Act. Under the Act farmers are restricted from clearing vegetation on their land, having to defer to bureaucrats and remote ideologues their knowledge of management of the environment on which their business and livelihoods depend. Imposition of $100K fines for knocking down mulga to feed hungry animals shows how remote from reality is this law.
•  Right to Farm law has been introduced to counter the misleading Aussie Farms’ vegan ideology and action. Activists hunt in a pack, organise deliberate encroachment and aggravated trespass on farms causing disruption, destruction and distress. Public outrage now means that fines of $22k each and 3 years in prison await.
• Advance Australia stands for values and freedoms, including freedom of speech and freedom of religion, individual initiative and safety and security. AA dares to direct campaigns to counter GetUp!-led attacks on sitting conservative Liberal MPs, and support candidates who campaign on mainstream issues. How dare they!

The foregoing shows a groundswell of action, individual and collective, as ordinary people dare to reclaim values in the public arena.

Hollowness of virtue signalling

Two issues illustrate the hollowness of virtue signalling:

• Big banks in Australia flaunted their green credentials by saying they would not finance the Adani coal mine or any coal fired power stations which would prove a boost to the economy, keep the lights on in Australia and bring light to 300 million poor in India. While preening on gender equity and green virtue, they weren’t averse to facilitating international money laundering and child porn in the Philippines until publicly challenged by AUSTRAC – 23 million times.
• The Medivac Bill introduced to federal parliament by independent Kerryn Phelps to bring to Australia refugees needing urgent medical attention has been a sham. Less than 10% of those transferred ended up in hospital, some refusing medical attention. Opening the back door to $100K costs for constipation treatment (pardon the pun) and self-administered penile enlargement for an abusive child groomer is not what taxpayers expect of government. A Bill to withdraw the sham awaits passage through the Senate.

Foundation to dare

Principles and values are the structures on which to build productive individuals, families, communities and countries. Deceit, lies, manipulation for greed, power or self-aggrandisement will not last. Best to do your job well (tell that to the banks and the bureaucrats) and let others get on with their lives, work and business in the way they know best.

By daring to challenge the popular virtues of the new religions progress is being made on many fronts. Get together and back yourselves!