How does bullshit propagate on the Internet? Easily.

Some guy says something crazy – like “Justin Bieber loves him Sharia Law” or “Most scientists don’t believe in global warming.” Then a few people repeat it. Suddenly it’s everywhere. And for well-meaning folks who haven’t actually looked that deeply into things, it just looks like there’s some sort of controversy, and not being experts, they’ll just take the word of someone they trust – like the friend who forwarded them the last email.

Wait a minute – did I say “Justin Bieber loves him Sharia Law”?

Yeah. It seems the parody website CelebJihad published an obvious spoof report on the teen idol:

Justin Bieber has weighed on the controversy surrounding the so-called “Ground Zero” Mosque. In an interview with Tiger Beat, the pop sensation stressed that freedom of religion is what makes America great, and went on to say that those who oppose the Mosque are motivated by bigotry. “Muslims should be allowed to build a mosque anywhere they want,” the singer said. “Coming from Canada, I’m not used to this level of intolerance, eh.” Bieber went on to say that Muslims are “super cool,” Christians are “lame-o-rama,” and that the mosque will help “start a dialogue” with all religions about which Justin Bieber song is the most awesome. “I was like seven when September 11th went down, and frankly I’m surprised people are still going on about it. Move on, already!” Added the singer, “Everyone needs to just chillax and dance!”

Of course, no such interview with Tiger Beat ever took place. Which didn’t stop mosque opponent Andy Sullivan (no relation to blogger Andrew Sullivan) from both quoting the interview on TV, and banning his children from listening to Bieber.

“I informed them, ‘Hey guys, guess what? Justin Bieber spoke out for the ground zero mosque,” Sullivan explained to Salon in an interview. “My little girl took down his poster and said she didn’t want to have nothing to do with him anymore. These are my kids. They’re living this thing.”

Thanks, daddy! Now there’s even a Facebook page pushing the boy-singer boycott.

What does this have to do with climate change? Nothing… and everthing.

Is global warming a hoax?

In the current superheated media atmosphere, it’s spectacularly simple to get misinformation out there.

If you want to form non-stupid policy, you hold days of Congressional hearings and consult experts who have spent lifetimes studying the issues.

If you want to block good policy, all you have to do is go on Fox or talk radio and spout a couple of 15-second soundbites. That’s all it takes to muddy the waters and confuse well-meaning people. Then when Gallup polls the public, they get narrow majorities saying they either don’t believe in climate change or aren’t sure. And the next time the deniers go on air they can say “If it’s real, why doesn’t the public believe?”

And what they don’t seem to get is that THIS IS NOT A GAME. This is not about “my team scores points woohoo you suck!”

This is about science, and sane public policy, and preventing disasters. This affects peoples’ lives. Remember New Orleans? Emergency management was viewed as such a joke (by the “Government can’t do anything right” crowd) that the guy President Bush put in charge of it was the former Judges and Stewards Commissioner for the International Arabian Horse Association. He had no clue about emergency management, and that meant when Katrina hit, we had a mess. People died.

We can’t afford to make the wrong decisions about climate change. Literally can’t afford it. And yet opponents are still acting like this is a game.

After having his face rubbed in the actual facts of the matter – that he’d broken his kids’ hearts over a joke that he didn’t get – Sullivan sort of apologized:

So in closing I offer my most genuine apology to Justin Bieber his family and his fans. If I have caused any grief or pain I am terribly sorry. I for one know what that can do to someone and their family. I also hope this does not detract from our” Sacrificed Survivors” cross country Tour where will be be taking on Imam Rauff and his Pro Ground Zero Mosque Band of propagandists. The Tour begins the 15th of January in Dearborn Mich. Stay tuned I am sure the sparks will be flying.

Great. He recognized that in this one instance he was hurting people by his actions… but he’s gonna keep on spewing his hatred, even though lumping Al Qaeda in with the moderate Sufis who want to build the Islamic Center is kind of like confusing the Ku Klux Klan with the Unitarian Church since they both act based on what they sort of see as Christian principals.

Sullivan doesn’t get that his actions are actually hurting actual people, some of whom are actual Moslem kids who are going to get picked on at school as a result of anti-Moslem hatred fomented by his “Sacrificed Survivors cross country Tour”.

Meanwhile, in the real world, Justin Bieber actually does real good things that actually help real kids.

And what if Justin Bieber DID come out and say global warming is a hoax? He’d still be just some guy with a non-scientific opinion. Which is no way to do science, and public policy, that actually affects peoples’ actual lives.

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