"Stop the Environment": Let's Kill it Before it Kills Us... (NSFW Reno 911/Ed Asner Video)

Screengrab: Funny or Die

Earlier today, Mat reported on how dismal the mainstream media's coverage of this year's extreme weather has been: Major news outlets, those perceived both to be left and right leaning, fail more often than not to discuss any possible links with climate change. Instead, they're content to harp on how we're being relentlessly hammered by mother nature: crippling heat waves, devastating droughts, record flooding.

Meanwhile, the GOP is moving ahead with a legislative agenda that would uproot important protections, prevent climate action, protect polluters, even dismantle the EPA. And all this is what makes this Funny or Die video, in which the cast of Reno 911 and Ed Asner make a strident call to 'Stop the Environment', so pertinent. Watch:

(Note: foul, sometimes screamed language abound, so it's probably not appropriate for young or sensitive viewers ...)

Now, on a purely comedic level, I personally didn't find the video all that funny beyond the initial premise. It's too long, and too one-note. But it does point out the ridiculous contradiction inherent in the fact that the nation is so dumbstruck by all this extreme weather (all of which has long been projected to worsen as climate change continues) and continues to fail to accept the scientific reality that human activity is warming the globe.

The video actually (perhaps even unintentionally) pretty accurately mirrors Republicans' current ideology regarding environmental policy: Yeah, we know disasters are sweeping the nation. Yeah, we know the vast majority of scientists say we're helping to cause it. But screw it. We're gonna roll back environmental protections, protect polluting corporations, and even try to kill the EPA. If ever an elected political body could be said to be trying to 'Stop the Environment' this GOP is it.

Via Ecopolitology