Meteorologists and climatologists often have a tough job explaining climate change to the public, especially in places where audiences may be more skeptical of the science. In the Midwest and Great Plains, strong resistance has pushed some out of the field.

At first the negative feedback was fairly standard – Gloninger came to Iowa with more than 15 years of experience in TV meteorology and had launched a weekly series on climate change which ran in Boston and won a regional Emmy.

“It was, stuff like ‘I don’t need to hear your liberal conspiracy theories on our air. Take the politics out of your forecast,’” Gloninger recalled. “‘You’re politicizing the weather, you’re a puppet to the left.’”

But in summer 2022, Gloninger started receiving a steady flow of harassing emails.

In one, the sender asked for his address and said, “We conservative Iowans would like to give you an Iowan welcome you will never forget.”

That message referenced an incident that targeted U.S. Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanuagh, where police arrested a man carrying a gun, a knife and zipties near Kavanaugh’s house.

    • kozy138@lemm.eeEnglish
      6·
      10 months ago

      That’s the thing though, it’s kind of true

      Which is why so many people are choosing ignorance as opposed to all of the anger, sadness, and hopelessness associated with thinking about the climate catastrophe.

      Everyone is already aware how fucked we are. The next discussion should be on how best to mobilize millions of people to take action. And to discuss what targets are most valuable to fossil fuel infrastructure companies.

      • Alteon@lemmy.worldEnglish
        6·
        10 months ago

        I’d say clearly not “everyone”. I think that there are people that legitimately believe that the science is false, made up, or created by liberals to protect the woodland critters and put down those hardworking billionaires, they are totes going to become one day.