By Dr. Jim Ferguson
Will Rogers once said, “I don’t do comedy, I just report the news.” However, in Roger’s time, unlike today, there was at least some semblance of factual reporting. I used to just laugh at the insanity of Democrat-Progressive-Socialists blather, but now they have become a dangerous, delusional and destructive mob.

I first heard of brainwashing in the1960s movie The Manchurian Candidate. The story revolves around the capture of American soldiers during the Korean War who are then taken to Manchuria, an area of North Eastern Asia comprising sections of Russia and China. There they are subjected to indoctrination and one is turned into a sleeper assassin who will later be “activated” and kill the American President.

As I watched last week’s climate hysteria and the United Nations speech of 16-year-old Swede Greta Thunberger, indoctrination and brainwashing came to mind. There is no doubt this teenager with autism spectrum disorder believes what she’s been told. Her shrill condemnation of older generations who “have stolen my dreams” and are responsible for “entire ecosystems collapsing” with “mass extinction,” was painful to watch. She is the current darling and useful prop of leftist environmental justice warriors, but what a bleak and hopeless reality she sees. If Thunberg is right the world will be gone in 10 years and her generation Z is aptly named because it will be the last generation.

A delusion is something that is falsely believed. I find it interesting that Thunberg did not sail to the polluted Far East, but to NY and the United Nations. I hear little or no condemnation of China’s or India’s severe environmental polluting policies. As I look out my window or out through the Internet’s “Windows” on the world, the real American pollution is seen on the streets of San Francisco and Los Angeles. Objectively, America’s CO2 signature has been reduced to levels in the mid 1980s levels. And unfortunately, “No amount of evidence will ever persuade an idiot” (Mark Twain).

The hate-filled rhetoric and threats of other young climate-crisis activists were similarly disturbing and reminded me of an episode some years ago when a young office worker overheard my nurse and me discussing a patient dilemma. An older lady wanted me to do unnecessary tests and dishonestly bill Medicare for the services. The patient’s insistence was becoming a problem. I was ventilating to my nurse when the young worker said, “Don’t worry, Dr. Ferguson, your time is almost over and it’s my generation’s time to run things. We’ll have no trouble telling older patients, ‘No.’” I heard the same threats in the young environmental activists.

Understand that the word conservative derives from conserving. For me it is inconceivable to throw trash on the ground or be wasteful. I was recycling before it was cool to do so. It troubles me greatly that glass is no longer being collected and recycled by Knox County. Liberals do not own feelings or compassion for others or concern for the environment. A rational conservative cares for the earth despite what the media say.

These days, climate-warriors are not the only delusional people. I think the media has convinced themselves that Trump is evil and must be destroyed. Their hatred has brainwashed them and apparently others like the craven Adam Schiff, Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee. He continues to say he has proof that Trump colluded with the Russians, despite Mueller’s report to the contrary. And Schiff’s recent opening statements in his Committee were not just lies, they were delusional and seditious. The Ukrainian brouhaha is nothing but a recreation of the disproven Russian connection. Actually, Trump is being accused of what Joe Biden, Democrat Senators Dick Durban, Patrick Leheay, Bob Menendez, Chris Murphy and Hillary Clinton all did. If you doubt me read Biden and the Senators’ threats to Ukraine. And need I remind you of the salacious Steele document paid for by Hillary Clinton?

Is it possible that one’s hatred clouds perceptions to such an extent that one becomes delusional? People with mental illness experience delusional thinking and hallucinations. The seas are not rising and the charlton Al-Gore bought an ocean front condo some years ago. In the last hundred years the earth has had several decades of warming and then cooling. The media warned of another Ice Age in a cool period of my youth. Sixty-five million years ago the earth was quite hot and then 65,000 years ago the ice pack at Niagara Falls was a mile thick. Industrial man was not present in either period. We should plant trees, be frugal, use clean coal technology, natural gas and nuclear power, but you can’t fly an airplane with solar power. I refuse to be cold and sit in the dark while doomsayers predict the latest Earth killing disaster.

Some years ago a young lady was in my office for medical care. Apparently, she misconstrued remarks I had made in a Focus column and began extolling the “virtues” of electric cars as she charged her iPhone from my wall electrical outlet.

I asked her where she thought the electricity flowing into her iPhone and electric cars originates. When she hesitated, I explained to her the electrical power is generated at either a hydroelectric dam, a geothermal source, by nuclear power plants or from the combustion of fossil fuels such as coal, diesel or natural gas. I hope she thought about this explanation after she left, but I fear indoctrinated delusions and Mark Twain’s observations prevailed.

Humans have five senses to collect information from the world around us. Then, that data is sent to the brain for processing, analysis and cross- referencing. I think we also have a sixth sense which I label as intuition. This is certainly true of a woman’s intuition. Guys have “gut-feelings.” This metaphorical rudder, modified by conscience, hopefully steers our ships clear of the shoals and reefs in life and common sense will prevail.

I pray that the American people will be able to wade through the media’s noise and not be deluded by hatred or seditious politics. Because, as the master of the misplaced modifier, Yoda observes, “The path to the Dark Side, it is.”