An Inconsistent Truth

I was forced to watch An Inconvenient Truth in fourth grade, right around the time the film had completed its wave of publicity and fame through the cinemas and the awards shows. Roughly three or four classes were gathered into a room where they showed us the film and provided us with a brief lecture on it afterwards. All I remember was being petrified for the poor polar bears and concerned that their safety was threatened. I went home to tell my mother, where I had to be consoled and assured that the polar bears were fine.

My disdain for Al Gore's monumental documentary may come from the fact I was shown it at an age where I was unable to digest information of that size and fall for the film's scare tactics and statistic-advertising, but it also comes from Al Gore's approach to the material, a didactic, "I'm right, you're wrong, this is your fault" kind of approach.

Furthermore, I decided to research opposition on the macro-issue that is global warming, stumbling across radio host Phil Valentine's documentary An Inconsistent Truth, which takes a look at the idea that global warming is either a natural part of the weather cycle or the level of its severity has been greatly stretched and overblown. I want to take this time in saying I still have no idea what the hell to believe when it comes to global warming and believe only time will tell with an issue like this. As with many issues in the scientific universe, for every one-hundred scientists that say something is happening there are another one-hundred scientists who say it isn't happen, both bearing very convincing arguments and statistical data.

Such is the case with the global warming issue, as I consistently find myself ping-ponging back and forth from two sides. On one end I see that perhaps it's better to take action and respond to science by attempting to make our lives a bit more eco-friendly (however you want to define that term), and on another end, I find myself agreeing heavily with Valentine's claims, along with the numerous reputable people he obtains interviews from in this documentary. What's my opinion on global warming? It all depends on what side of the bed I get up on in the morning.

From the minute An Inconsistent Truth begins, Valentine hits the ground running, defining a term like "dirt person," otherwise known as a person who has gone to meticulous lengths to assure they are living a green, environmentally-friendly lifestyle. Valentine also explains how he, himself, while remaining skeptical and often denying the global warming issue, he has combated things like fossil fuel by utilizing biodiesel or vegetable juices to make his vehicle run. Right off the bat, here's a guy who practices a healthy alternative in terms of transportation, while we see a man like Al Gore, who has gone on to make a documentary that grossed millions of dollars, still travel in gas-guzzling vehicles and private jets.

Valentine talks with several individuals who boast degrees in scientific study, meteorology, and other accolades that deem them worthy to comment on the issue of global warming from a scientific standpoint. Dr. Ken Green, a member of the UN Intergovernmental Panel of Climate Change, along with Dr. John Christy, a man who studies meteorology and weather patterns, state how Americans have been sold climate change in a way that makes them feel like they've been a part of the problem when they haven't done anything wrong. Case and point CO2, which we learn has been criminally misrepresented and shortened to "carbon." CO2 is something plants need to thrive and humans release when they breath, and yet, we've been mislead to think it's a harmful, environmentally-threatening chemical that need be regulated and greatly diminished.

On the topic of man-made climate change, Dr. Roy Spencer offers probably the freshest and most insightful takeaway point in the entire documentary. Spencer, a recipient of the NASA Exceptional Science medal, questions why trees, something that has a great effect on its environment, absorbing sunlight and sometimes detracting it from smaller plants, are allowed to have such a pivotal effect on their environment but people cannot.

Valentine does a nice job at getting his group of interviewees to touch on each sub-area of climate change, from the man-made debate, to the issue's potential impact on storms, to CO2 emissions, to the polar ice caps, etc. More time could be made for some issues (IE: the potential that warmer weather's impact on the severity of storms definitely needed more time put to it), but Valentine's well-roundedness on the subject is commendable.

Furthermore, Valentine has the benefit of clearly not being bought and paid for by an anti-climate change committee or organization. He makes multiple attempts to talk to the opposing side, but is either denied or forced out by security. One hilarious scene comes when Valentine attempts to talk with Al Gore at a local booksigning, but can't get a word in edgewise. When director Shayne Edwards tries to get Gore on camera, he finds himself barricaded and blocked by his entourage and repeatedly denied answers to questions and requests for interviews.

Aside from the onslaught of credible people, An Inconsistent Truth largely gets by thanks to Valentine's personality. The man has a voice for radio and TV, and resembles liberal pundit Bill Maher facially. In terms of facts, I still believe that the only way to prove whether Gore or Valentine is right is to see what happens in forthcoming years. I have no clue what to make of global warming as a whole. To compare it to religion, such questions are too big to answer with complete certainty.

TWO THUMBS UP!!!

For years we've heard only one side of the global warming hype and dealt with the consequences.

Phil and crew do an excellent job of getting together with leading climatologists, laying out facts, and interspersing some of his fabulous humor throughout. It's a sensible documentary that debunks the global warming hype and had the audience applauding several times throughout the movie.

Whether you're a global warming believer or a skeptic, this movie is a "must see".

I haven't seen a movie in a theater since '99, but this was a movie I couldn't wait to see. It was WELL worth the money . . . . . AND worth the 80-mile drive to get to the theater!

This isn't a documentary, this is a propaganda piece done much in the style of Michael Moore. Al Gore does stand to benefit financially from global warming, he has invested heavily in alternative energy sources which he candidly discloses pretty much any time he gives a talk on climate change. The strategy of the anti-climate change people is straight out of the tobacco playbook of deny, deny, deny. If you can't beat the facts attack the man presenting the facts. Claim the science isn't there yet. When smokers were stupid enough to believe smoking caused no ill health effects they were only killing themselves, and possibly their families with second hand smoke. The idiots that believe pumping several metric tons of carbon into the atmosphere has no effect on climate are hurting us all. Climate Change should not be a political issue, how we try to solve the problem is definitely political, but to just stick your head in the sand is dangerous.

I have been following documentaries about the cooling of the earth, so this movie add more bases to what I knew. Unfortunately most of the people never investigate and they accept everything they are told, mainly by the politics. This movie is an opener of minds. I hope more people get to see it and they see between reality and fiction. Phil I hope you get to do more documentaries of this type, to continue documenting me and everybody with the truth. Also this movie needs to be translated to other languages, mainly Spanish. I'm a very open minded Hispanic person, but there are so many that truly believe what they see on TV. Hope you get an Oscar for best documentary.

This movie is a must see regardless of your opinion on 'Man Made Global Warming.' I had high expectations going in, but the movie was far better than anticipated. Phil Valentine debunks many of the so-called facts used to push the Global Warming agenda and refutes them with facts, figures, charts, and expect testimony. Phil exposes the hypocrisy of Al Gore and how he stands to financially gain from 'green house gas' regulation. The movie strips away the hype and exposes the truth behind the UN's interest and influence on this subject and the real reason they are pushing this subject so hard - redistribution of wealth. Interesting, informative, entertaining and thought provoking. Take the entire family; you'll want to see this one more than once.